The Beginnings of a Crafting Area!

When I say "beginnings" - that is the absolute truth!  Of course, when you see the "before" pictures you will better be able to appreciate that beginning is better than nothing.  Here is the mess I started with:

I know, it's pretty awful!  I've just been collecting things and stashing them randomly and it got really out of hand really fast, lol.  I have been crushing on all the beautiful craft rooms on Pinterest (you can visit my board to see all of the lovely spaces).  I know that having an unfinished basement will make it difficult and expensive to have spaces as wonderful as some of those, BUT I think I can at least improve on what I have - which wouldn't be too hard given the mess I started with, lol.

So, I started with a curbside find of this cottage shabby hutch top and knew that I wanted to use it to organize my craft supplies.  There is a smaller hutch too which I am going to use in the play room - more on that in another post.  I put it up on top of a couple of small shelves and then put a shabby white slatted board on top to be the base (which was another curbside find).  Then I dug through all my containers and started filling it up. 

SO much better.  I still want to put some labels on things and further organize this space, but you have to start somewhere, right?  Here is the space to the right -

Above this space is a large mirror which I am using as kind of a room divider between this space and the rest of the basement.

Above the space is a rusty plant hanger with pink prisms hanging from it for some shabby bling!

It still has a long way to go before I call it "done", but I feel much more inspired to continue to organize it.  Plus it has prompted some organization in other parts in the basement as well.  I will share more as things as they get done!  Do you have a designated crafting area?  Where did you get your inspiration?  Any good storage ideas?

Small Start to Organization

I don't know if you are like me - but January is when I get inspired to get organized and do some cleaning and purging!  The problem for me is always getting started though.  Sometimes, if I start with something real small, it is like dominoes and gets me moving onto bigger and better things.  So ... I started with this little area next to my sofa where I keep random things that I "need".  It started out looking like this:

Not really awful, but not organized AT. ALL.  So, I pulled out a little wooden cigar box that I had.  It is small, but has lots of character.  I love the writing on the sides of it.

And now that little trouble spot looks like this:

Much better.  Now I think I need to tackle those chords in the back!  One little thing can get me started on the next thing and so on and so on.  How about you?  Do you need to start with something little or do you just dive right in to the big stuff?  Any fun boxes, baskets, or organizational tools?