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teachingmyown
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| Posted: Aug 01 2007 at 1:09pm | IP Logged
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I debated about what forum to post this in, so feel free to move it. 
Arts and crafts are a real weak point around here. And it isn't just because I don't like the mess. It is more that I can't find a way to organize and safeguard the various materials.
Obviously, I want the kids to be able to get to crayons, scissors and paper, etc. But they can't manage to take out one piece of paper without taking out ten, which end up strewn around the dining room. If I have them in low drawers the baby dumps them. If I have them higher up then the little ones can't put them back neatly and stuff is either sticking out of the drawer or on the floor. I have one of those storage units with plastic drawers but the baby has figured out how to open it!
When we go to paint, I can't find enough paintbrushes. My 3 yr old went to cut and glue today and I couldn't find a glue stick that wasn't dried up even though my husband bought a case of them from Staples last year, and I constantly seem to be taking them from the baby. Same with crayons.
I know this has a lot to do with my overall lack of organization, and also, I guess, with my lack of training and follow-through with the kids to clean up and put things back.
Any suggestions about how and where to store the art stuff? Can you share what you do, what storage units or tools you use?
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: Aug 01 2007 at 1:16pm | IP Logged
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My system is in need of a major overhaul, but here's what does work thus far: I use the upper part of a tall skinny entertainment center (this is a flaw, since my competent and trustworthy also can't open the doors at will). I've blocked the tv pull-out shelf so it no longer pulls out and put a small bookshelf in the back. We then have tons of those little 3-drawer boxes from various places (all over-priced, so purchased a couple at a time). I have the smaller ones and some slightly bigger ones. (supposedly) Everything is organized into those: paintbrushes in one, glue sticks in another, pens, sharpies, colored pencils, kid scissors, stickers, watercolors, etc.
The problem is that I don't really have a good way to store the paper so the older kids can easily access it. Perhaps I'll have to take out the items in the bottom half and put paper and larger items there. The doors are not easily opened, or I could put a child lock on if needed.
So the little drawers are my one contribution of something that helps. Perhaps if these were high enough so babies couldn't reach, but preschoolers could use a stool to reach? The drawers pull out completely so can be placed on a work table.
I am so looking forward to other ideas!
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Aug 01 2007 at 1:53pm | IP Logged
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Plastic drawers are NOT working for us either; I've tried for years and this is the year I'm finally giving up. My new game plan right now is either:
a) 3 kitchen base cabs (maybe Ikea), about 18" wide, spaced 24" apart with a tabletop. Every cabinet will have smaller containers on shelves. A basket for fabric scraps, file folders (in a rack) for papers, lots of labeled tins/jars for various items....
But I don't like that I won't be able to lock those.
b) metal storage cabinet, but I don't like the look, and they're pricey too.
So... I'm open to other ideas as well.
My last option is to finish selling off all the books I've been planning to sell, to make room in 4 shelves for all the art stuff.
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stef
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MarilynW
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| Posted: Aug 01 2007 at 3:26pm | IP Logged
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Great thread Molly. I too am looking for inspiration on organizing art supplies - I am trying to achieve accessibility with some sort of order. Plastic drawers have NOT worked. I am thinking about storage on bookshelves too.Things I have to figure out how to organize:
- various paints and brushes
- collage materials (the most untidy) - feathers, sequins, gems etc
- various drawing items - charcoals etc
- glue
- crayons
- color pencils
- various paper types
- clay and dough with tools
- rubber stamps
- sketch pads, watercolor pads, newsprint etc
I am thinking of one of those paper organizers (made out of thick cardboard?) from somewhere like Office Depot.
I am also trying to figure out whether to abolish the individual pencil boxes (my kids have huge ones from Ikea) - in favor of a centralized supply location.
Look forward to hearing all the ideas.
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Marilyn
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SuzanneG
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I'm looking forward to others ideas too. I'm thinking of what worked for us this past year:
This past year I put everything someone would need for Watercolors in a bin with a top. One of those Sterilite bins (one size up from the Shoeboxes). Not the most efficient use of space (lots of dead space) but it's easy clean up and it's very obvious where it goes. Paints, brushes, regular paper, watercolor paper, 2 jars for water, sponge, papertowels.
Play Dough also has a big bin that is stored underneath a bed, as there is ALOT of stuff in that one.
Then I thought, "how come cleaning up Play Dough and Watercolors is so easy and everything else is such a hassle?" So, I made a couple others:
Collage Bin in a Sterilite Shoe Box. Misc. items, Scissors, glue, construction paper, etc.
Rubber Stamps, Stencils and Stickers are in a Shoe Box. with paper, ink pads, sticker books.
Fingerpaint Bin: Fingerpaints, smocks. Paper is elsewhere cuz it's so big.
Tempera - the holder, paints, brushes and roll of large paper are kept downstairs all together. That way, if I send dd-6 down to get it, it's all in one place, she knows where to get it and can put it back.
Outside Nature Stuff Sketchbooks, magnifying glass, ruler, jars for collecting, a pencil sharpener and some pencils for drawing outside/nature study. When we go outside to draw or go to the park, in a perfect world, someone just grabs the bin.
Different types of paper is at 3ft up from the floor on horizontal paper trays.
A pampered chef tool turnabout houses our markers, pencils, scissors, etc. Pencil boxes for crayons. A ice cream bin of glue, glue sticks, sharpeners, rulers. These are all about 3 feet up, accessible to the olders, not to the toddler.
All the bins are stored mainly up on the very top of the bookshelf, simply because it's a good use of space. In a perfect world, I'd store it lower so they could have access to it, but there's a dd-16 months that is learning how to open bins. 
This has worked for us, because the kids know that everything for that project needs to go back into that bin/tray. I had to duplicate some things: ie: scissors, glue, etc. but it's worth it, because then I am not the only one cleaning up. If I make clean up easy, then THEY can do it. Toss it in the bin, put the cover on. All I have to do is put it on the shelf.
Like I said, not an efficient use of space, but easy to clean up, which is key for us.
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Suzanne in ID
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: Aug 01 2007 at 6:40pm | IP Logged
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Suzanne,
For the water color stuff, do your kids wash up the brushes and dry everything up and then put it away? What happens so often here is the painting tools get left by the sink for me to clean up and then end up in the dish drainer and end up not finding their way back to their "home" even when we have had a home designated for them.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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MarilynW
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| Posted: Aug 01 2007 at 6:48pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the great ideas Suzanne - and for the post on my other thread about the crayon caddy.
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Marilyn
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Aug 01 2007 at 6:57pm | IP Logged
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teachingmyown wrote:
For the water color stuff, do your kids wash up the brushes and dry everything up and then put it away? |
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That's funny you should ask that. Just yesterday, I showed dd-6.5 how to clean the brushes in the kitchen sink. She was quite excited.  But, time will change that, I'm sure  Up until now, I've done it. It's the tempura brushes that drive me up a wall. Takes much longer and I stand there telling myself that "this is why we don't do this more often!" 
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Suzanne in ID
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Land O' Cotton
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Great ideas Suzanne!
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Erin
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Molly
I am finally organised this year and that is because I HAD to be. We moved from a house with a large learning room to now having to store ALL crafty/stationary suppplies in ONE small cupboard!!!! Guess what it is working better than ever before, I could do with a bigger cupboard
It is a lowboy (clothes cupboard) the top is used as our altar. Picture timber cupboard about my chest height (I am 5ft7.5), open up and there is a shelf on the right about A4 height where I have the hymn books and below that a bank of 6 drawers (timber)
Drawer 1- is shallow so has rosary beads .
D2- has calculators, magnifying glasses, compass etc, schooly sort of things.
D3- Lace, ribbons, quality art supplies, crayons, pencils, pastels, sketch pencils etc.
D4-Stationary, plastic protector sheets, manilla envelopes, exercise books etc
D5- Coloured paper, stickers and off-cuts of notebooking paper.Holy cards
D6-Notebooking paper.
Paper was a massive problem in our old house I literally felt like I was drowning in it  Now their scrap, messy and creative offcuts (different to the notebooking paper) is contained in one green shopping, cloth bag.
Now on the left hand side of the cupboard dh put in shelves for me. And the darling man drilled in all these extra holes so I can adjust the shelves to different heights if I need to.
I have five shelves.
Shelf 1- carry container of regular pencils, wooden box of lead pencils, glue
S2- Two plastic buckets, one contains craft bits and pieces, felt, toothpicks, feathers etc. The other bucket is the most useful, used container in the house. It has scissors, many but never enough, stapler, ruler, sticky tape, felt tip pens, metallic pens etc It is so handy to have all this together. Whenever we are creating I just bring it out and place on the table  Oh forgot to mention these containers have lids. Very helpful.
Shelf 3- two more big containers and lids. One has paint tubes and brushes and stamping ink. Other container has stamping stamps and punches.
S4- Mystery boxes. Boxes set up with activites for the little ones, ideas on the run.
S5- Laminator, catalogues, binding combs and photocopy paper.
Mmm just thinking I could take some photos if you would like. Anyhow I really love the flow of this cupboard after always having a disaster room before.
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MarilynW
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| Posted: Aug 04 2007 at 1:36pm | IP Logged
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Lakeshore Learning has some really nice arts and crafts organizational things - I have been drooling over them. I am just a little reluctant to spend so much of my tight school budget on organization But I am sorely tempted and definitely considering it.
Lakeshore Learning
eg the tabletop writing centers, the collage storage, individual writing caddies. I also love their paint and brush storage - and lots of other things.
I have a small learning room and I think that being organized will help. I have generally been organized except in the arts and crafts department where things are strewn in various places
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SuzanneG
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MarilynW wrote:
I am just a little reluctant to spend so much of my tight school budget on organization
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I already mentioned this in your other thread, but thought it was worth mentioning here.
This was my thought process last year and we didn't have a lot of extra $$$ sitting around. But, we decided that these things would help the process not be so "dreaded" (from my end, of course) and we would do things more. And, it has paid off. I’m glad I spent the money on a few of these things, as they will last for so long and makes my kids more independent and clean up easier.
The things at Lakehore are great. Here are a few of the things that we LOVED:
Washable Fingerpaint
Fingerpaint Paper
Tempura no-spill cups
Tempura Paint
Brushes
Markers These are GREAT markers. Better than the fat crayola ones or Rose art. But, they aren't washable, so I haven't completely made the switch. But when I compared them, they're great. And, not that much more $$$$. Right now you can get crayola washables for $1,49 or regular ones for $1.
And, I just looked at the Writing Center Caddie. You could easily make something like that. (But do you WANT too??? ) A shoebox size box or plastic bin or basket, and putting dividers in it (cups, other boxes, toilet paper roll cardboard. The outside box need to be low enough for the kids to be able to SEE the tops of everything.
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Cheryl
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Suzanne,
Can you store the paint in the tempera no spill cups or does it dry out?
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Aug 04 2007 at 6:46pm | IP Logged
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You can leave it in there.
Over Advent/Christmas we didn't do much painting, so it probably sat for 1.5-2 months and some did dry out. It probably depends on the climate too. But for the most part, it can be stored in there.
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Suzanne in ID
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Lori B
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Our house is fairly small, so it's difficult to find storage solutions for our art supplies, too. One thing that is working well is using the pull-out drawer under our oven. I don't store kitchen supplies there (bad back), so it was sitting empty. I gathered all of the "everyday" supplies that my 9 and 6yo's can use independantly, and tucked them in there. It's easy access for them, keeps things out of sight, takes up no extra room, and the drawer can be dumped and washed out when necessary. Works like a charm
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Paula in MN
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Lori B wrote:
| One thing that is working well is using the pull-out drawer under our oven. Works like a charm |
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What a great idea!
Two years ago had a local garage store I was lucky enough to buy my arts & crafts storage unit. In its former life it held prescription medicine for the town drugstore. It is 5 ft x 2 1/2 ft, 3 1/2 ft high, and on locking wheels. It has a 2 inch thick countertop, and a total of six drawers. The drawers are each 12 inches high, but the face plat/handle portion is only 6 inches, so you can see everything in the drawer.
I have enough room for all the craft supplies and all the math manipulatives and puzzles.
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 Paula
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seven2hold
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Hi Molly!! I missed you yesterday!
Here's what I do:
I have one of those "bigger than a shoebox" plastic container with a lid. In it I keep all paintbrushes, watercolors, glue sticks and a pickle jar for water. next to it is a box of tempra paints (they didn't fit inside). These are kept on a high shelf in the kitchen. The big kids, or I usually wash the brushes. I just rinse them and put them brush end up in the pickle jar until they've dried. Then, I throw them in the box.
Markers are all waterproof and so I keep them in the kitchen on the counter top more accessible to the 6 & 4 yr olds, but not Maggie Kate!
Paper: Can't help you -- here they pull out a small stack each time. Right now I have a stack on the dining room table, one on the kitchen counter, etc. I do keep watercolor and construction paper in a file folder on top of the bookcase. Maybe my set up isn't kid friendly. But the kids know if they ask, I'm more than happy to set them up with craft materials. They just can't pull them out and strew them about like leggos! 
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Help with art supply organization
