Art Closet Makeover

Do you have art supplies tucked away in a cabinet or closet? If so, you might relate to my recent client who was having trouble organizing her art supplies in her hall closet.

Because her art table is in their living room, she wanted to keep their supplies out of sight. While this is not ideal for promoting children’s spontaneous independent explorations (out of sight often means out of mind), I believe that you have to make it work for your family and lifestyle.

 

 

This is what my client’s art storage looked like when I began the project. Does this look familiar? If so, believe me you are not alone. Art supplies tend to end up in places that resemble a junk drawer (or shelf). If you don’t start off with an organized space, it only gets worse over time.

 

 

This is what it looked like after I finished the project. I took these photos before the labels were put on, but you can see them in the last image (and at the top of this post).

Now, my client can easily grab a tray and gather her supplies without having to sort through a pile of random items. The four bins on the top right are drawers, making the supplies inside super easy to access. But most importantly, their 3-year-old can now choose her own materials from the lower shelf (which includes paper, drawing tools, markers, scissors, play-dough, and stamps).

If you have art supplies that are out of sight here are a few ways to make sure they don’t end up “out of mind”.

 

Tips For Closet Art Storage

1) Help your child gain creative independence by storing some familiar materials on a low shelf.

2) Create a portable art area by storing basic materials in a caddy. Your child can easily carry it to the table or outside for a simple art activity.

3) Keep an art tray in your closet for transporting items for more involved projects.

4) Keep messy materials out of reach, but still make them easy and quick for an adult to access.

5) Sliding drawers = Easy access.

6) Use transparent containers so you can see what’s in them.

7) Label each container. I recently purchased this label maker that creates simple labels and is super easy to use.

 

Do you have an art closet at home? Have you tried any of these suggestions? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

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