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Art Supply Storage Ideas
Bins, carts, jars and cups that keep crayons, paint and brushes where you can find them.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Bins come up again and again in the parents' thread, and it's easy to see why. Clear bins let you see what's inside without emptying the lot, and small dollar-store holders sort the pom poms and sequins. Carts, drawers, jars and a cup on the windowsill turn up too. The list mixes that thread with one artist's desk setup, so it suits a kids' craft cupboard and a grown-up art desk alike. It leaves out building furniture.
Why these items are on the list
- Clear bins. You'll see what you need without hauling everything out.
- Snap-lid lunch tin for crayons. One parent uses a tight snap so the girls are less likely to make a mess before she steps in.
- Canvas totes for play dough. One parent keeps play dough in one; it probably came from Winners, and they've bought them at Dollarama too.
- Magazine holder for coloring books. One parent uses hers for coloring books and loose pages.
- One parent's three-drawer plastic bin. Their daughter can get into it easily; the other drawers hold paper, colouring books and stickers.
- Small plastic holders inside drawers. One parent bought dollar-store holders for pom poms, sequins, glue, paintbrushes and markers, and put them in a drawer.
- Tiered cart. An Ikea one made it easy for a child to put books and crafts away.
- One parent's rolling drawer cart. Theirs has two shallow drawers for play dough and pens, and two deep ones for art books.
- Clear shoe bins. Hold paint, kinetic sand, foam stickers and pom poms; one family tucks them into bench storage.
- Cup on the windowsill. One parent keeps markers and twistable crayons in a cup on the windowsill.
- Craft corner in the kitchen. One parent keeps supplies there so kids stay close while they make things.
- Clear jars for brushes. Lily Forster stores her brushes in clear jars so she can see everything at a glance.
- Containers or tiered shelves. Lily Forster groups similar supplies in cute containers or on tiered shelves, so each type has a home.
- Group supplies by type. Putting like with like makes a big difference, one artist says.
- Doodle corner. A small whiteboard or open sketchbook keeps quick drawings off your main workspace.
- Display favorite finished pieces. Keeping a few in view reminds you of what you've made.
- Dollar-store copies of craft-store ideas. One parent browses Michaels for ideas, then recreates them at the dollar store or Walmart.
Tick the ideas you've tried while you're standing in front of the cupboard, and skip the ones that don't fit your space.
When to use it
Use it before a craft cupboard overflows or when you set up a new art spot.