Keepin' it clean

If you're into crafting at all, you know that there's no such thing as a clean craft drawer.

In fact, my incredibly talented and artistic aunt Georgeanne, told me once that there's no point in having a craft drawer if you have to keep it clean.

And I completely agree with that.

But, I've found that keeping it a little organized (at Ryan's behest), has made some projects come together a little faster. Here are some of my suggestions...

• Invest in those little plastic drawer sets. If you're into paper crafting, keep your paper scraps in one drawer, glues/tapes/adhesives in another, and any beads/eyelets/wires/attachables in the third drawer. Just try to keep it straight; but don't let the organization hinder your creativity.

• When I started knitting, I immediately went out and bought any yarn I fancied. And then when summer hit and knitting fell by the wayside, there were mountains of unused yarn everywhere. Moral of the story? Buy most of your yarns (or crafting supplies) for specific projects. OF COURSE, leave yourself some room to grow--get a couple of things that simply inspire you. Those are the things that will find their way into some of your favorite crafts, whether you intended them for it or not. Just be wary of sales--while they're great for getting what you need, be careful not to be tempted into purchasing too much of what you won't use. (Guilty as charged.)

• Plastic shoe boxes with snap-on lids (can be bought for about 97 cents) are perfect for storing acrylic paints, brushes, sponges, and various other art media. They also stack atop each other perfectly, and since they're clear you can see right in and get out what you want.

That said, DON'T let your creativity be stifled by keeping things organized. In fact, sometimes it's inspirational to drag everything out of the crafting closet and just spend a day creating! At the end, you can spend time re-organizing (it'll be easier the second, third, eighteenth time you do it....).

Happy crafting!