How to Organize Craft or Gift Basket Supplies

Here it is, the first of the year, when a lot of us are looking for ways to get our offices organized or get clutter under control, or maybe even spruce up our crafting space. It can be challenging trying to figure out good ways to do this, that is for sure, AND stay on budget.

Being a gift basket designer doesn't mean I've always been so organized. My merchandise has always been neatly arranged on shelves, but my gift basket finishing materials were accumulating in bins, big baskets, or cardboard boxes on the floor. I felt stressed instead of feeling joyfully creative because my surroundings were not conducive to a good working environment. And, of course, everything was not looking pretty.

After spending hours online and physically shopping, looking for ribbon storage for countless rolls of ribbon, I could never find anything that would work. I'm not a hobbyist, so my needs are greater than others. I didn't have the luxury of shelves in a closet because there is no closet in my workshop. I also didn't want all the gorgeous spools of ribbon and cellophane hidden in drawers or in a cabinet because then I wouldn't know from a quick glance what supplies I was running low on or what colors I might like to add to my ever-growing collection.

After many trips to Lowe's to buy how-to-organize-a-room magazines, still nothing clicked. Like a lot of crafters and designers, I have some serious money invested in my supplies, so I was looking for an inexpensive way to get myself organized once and for all. I'm not joking when I say it took me a couple years to figure out a solution that I could live with.

For about $100, I was able to organize my gift basket "finishing station," mostly using materials and storage options I already had. My finishing station is not the area where I create my gift baskets and can spread out while doing so; this is the area that stays spotless while I wrap my baskets in cellophane and add the bow and all the finishing touches.

From Lowe's, we purchased white pegboard and installed it over the 2 x 4s of an open staircase, thereby closing off one side of the staircase and creating a wall. Inexpensive white shelves and metal shelving brackets (also from Lowe's) were mounted into studs through the pegboard. Thin dowel rods (Lowe's again!) for rolls of cellophane were suspended by pegboard hooks into the pegboard. Some pegboard hooks we purchased at Lowe's but others we purchased at Ace Hardware. Scissors and wire cutters were hung off to the side in a small area of the pegboard by pegboard hooks. A small folding table and folding chair were added to create a desk area. I already had these.

An old, inexpensive white closet organizer with wire sliding drawers was moved to one side of the folding table to hold supplies like my heat gun, glue gun, pull bows, bubble wrap, small sheets of cardboard, etc. On the top of this organizer I have space for my curling ribbon rack, my business cards, and a cute white tiger cup to hold pens and pencils. Mounted to the pegboard above this unit, I have a small metal cabinet with multiple drawers that holds rubber bands, brads, and other little doodads. On the side of this organizer I have mounted a clipboard for taking notes or for keeping track of inventory.

My paper cutter hangs by hooks on the pegboard to the left of the folding table. Organza ribbon rolls are hung on pegboard rods. Underneath the paper cutter is a beautiful basket that holds some of my gift basket reference and inspiration books.

All of my cloth ribbon spools are organized by color and are kept loose so I can grab what I want at any time and not disturb neighboring spools.

Here's another view of what this small, compact area looks like. Everything has its place and stays neat and clean.

I hope I have provided some inspiration to help you organize your crafting space or gift basket supplies. You don't have to be rich like Candy Spelling and have several gift-wrapping rooms and a craft room where you can be creative, complete your tasks, and stay organized. You can use materials you already have and purchase what you don't at Lowe's or other home-improvement stores to make the space you do have work for your individual needs.

If you have any craft/supplies organizing tips you'd like to share, please post them here!