Five Things Your Craft Space Needs Now

What does your craft space look like right now? Is it fairly well organized, does it need a little help or is it a natural disaster waiting to happen. It's ok, you can tell me.

As you can see in these pictures, I do not have one of those perfect, Instagram-ready craft spaces right now. You know the ones, where everything color-coordinates, they have hundreds of matching containers and the workspace is cleared off and sparkling clean at the end of the day. It's a great goal, but for me anyway, it's not incredibly practical.

Right now, convenience and somewhat-organized piles work for me. Instead of closeting myself away in the sunroom, my usual epicenter, I've moved a few things up to the dining room table. Then I'm close to Danny, to the kitchen and to the phone. This location works well for me at the moment, and that's really all that matters.

So what are the only things you honestly need in your craft space?

1. A tool caddy. Keep the tools of your trade handy in whatever floats your boat. I'm using an older 31 bag with a solid bottom and lots of outside pockets. Paper craft tools aren't very big, so this keeps the ones I use most at my fingertips.

2. The supplies themselves. For me, paper and embellishments are key. I didn't bring up every single piece of paper that I own, and I didn't cart a ton of stickers up. I brought out a variety of card stocks and my very favorite acrylic dots. When I'm done with those, all I have to do is pick the next collection to work on and I'll be good to go!

3. Ample workspace. If you're knitting or crocheting, you won't need as large a space as someone who's turning wood pens on a lathe. Find a space that gives you some elbow room but doesn't creep off the table, across the floor and into the next room. I love working on the dining room table because there is plenty of room for my large paper cutter, and I can spread out my card stock ... instead of stacking the card stock on top of the paper cutter and moving it every time I want to cut paper. No, that would never happen.

4. Creative inspiration. When I'm upcycling greeting cards into new ones, I like to fan a few out and see how they were designed. A certain layout might spark an idea that turns into a beautiful card that I wouldn't have made otherwise. Choose something amazing that goes with your craft that will be a prompt or an inspiration that takes you in a whole new direction.

5. Something that makes you smile. Right in the middle of my table is my anniversary card from Danny this year. It's just about the sweetest thing ever, and seeing that while I work reminds me how much he loves me and supports my work. And that makes me smile. Yours might be a note of encouragement, a flower vase, a gorgeous view out the window or a favorite picture. Whatever that smile-maker is, use it to get your creative juices flowing.

Are any of these in your craft space right now?

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