Helpful Tips on How to Organize an Art Studio

Does this sound like you? You’re in the mood to create; you walk into your art room, and it’s a wreck. You can’t find anything, and suddenly, you’re not in the mood to do anything. The struggle! In this blog post, I’m going to share some helpful tips on how to organize an art studio or craft room so you can have a personal workspace that stimulates creativity and allows for productivity.

The process of getting your art studio organized takes time and patience. Still, it’s worth it when you can find everything you need quickly and easily. Here are some tips on how to organize your art studio.

Art Studio Organization

This page includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Are you ready to get your art room organized? Let’s get started!

Think about how you use your space and set it up accordingly

To get started, think about how you will use your studio space and create an action plan.

Things to consider when how you want to set up your space are:

Space– Consider how you use your area and set it up accordingly. Take into account the time that you spend in the space, as well as the amount of storage space that you have. Do you have a lot of space, or do you have a small space you work in, or are you like me and create at the dining room table?

Budget– How much money do you want to spend on studio organization? This can get expensive, especially if you are starting from scratch.

Decor– Do you plan on decorating your space? A great tip in decorating your art space is to use your art supplies as decor. My cousin recently designed her dream craft room and used these cute hexagon floating shelves to store her acrylic paints. The end result was a place to store her acrylic paint, and it became wall art. I love it!

Time- Give yourself a timeline and a goal for completing your art studio.

Schedule– Create a schedule. By creating a schedule and sticking to it, you will have your art room organized and ready to create beautiful art in no time!

Inspiration– Pinterest is a great place to go for inspiration. Look at other artist’s studios and write down or save what you love about their space. Use reference photos to design your dream artist studio. You can always scale it down later. Save what inspires you!

Activities– What kind of activities will you be doing in this space? Will this room be used only for art like painting, sketching, and sculpting, or will it be a versatile multi-purpose craft room that you sew in as well?

Take your time on this. If you have to spend the week planning, that’s fine. You will be spending a lot of time in this creative space. You want to make this space your creative oasis.

Clear Out the Clutter

The first step to organizing your home studio is getting rid of things you don’t need anymore or won’t use in the future. If it’s broken or doesn’t work, get rid of it! I know, I know! This is a tough one, but it’s necessary.

Go through all your pens and markers and see if they even write. Toss the ones that don’t work. Go through your paint and throw out the dried tubes that aren’t usable.

If some piece of furniture or equipment hinders your ability to do what you want in the space, then get rid of it too! If some item has been collecting dust for years and has become a home for spiders, get rid of it.

Some items you can recycle, donate to charity, or sell. If you make money selling items, you can buy an organization system or more supplies for your space or whatever you need.

Schools would be great places to donate unused supplies. I worked at a flower shop many years ago, and we would save and donate all our ribbon scraps to the local schools. The students would use these bits and pieces in their artwork.

This sounds like a lot of work, and it can be if you have accumulated a lot of supplies over the years, but once you get started, it can go pretty fast. Start with one corner of your studio and work your way around until you’ve cleaned out everything.

Be like Marie Kondo and get rid of anything that doesn’t spark joy (or creativity). If an object doesn’t bring joy into your life anymore, let it go!

You’ll be surprised by how much junk you can get rid of.

Storage Ideas

Let’s talk about storage ideas and storing similar items together. This will help you stay organized; it is also easier to find the right tool when you need it and make clean-up faster.

There are many ways to organize your supplies:

• Keep similar items together- markers with markers, pastels with pastels, etc., you get the idea.
• Group items by function—keeping all your paintbrushes together in one place instead of having them scattered around the room with other random things like pencils or markers will help keep things tidy and easier to find.
• Grouping items by type- can also help you stay organized. If there are several types of paintbrushes for different purposes (such as watercolor painting), put them together in their own container or bag. That way, they don’t get mixed up with other types of brushes used for different purposes (such as oil painting brushes).
• You can use containers with lids for storing paints, pencils, pens, and other supplies.
• You could also use wire baskets, or storage bins for more oversized items.
• Fancy decorative bins look cute on your bookshelf but act as storage containers.
• Metal buckets and storage boxes.
• Glass jars or vases.

Put your items in labeled storage containers.

You’ll want to ensure everything is labeled when organizing your art studio.

The purpose of the label is to make it easy for you to find what you need. 

You can get creative with your labels. You can find many decorative labels on Etsy or Amazon like these. Or you can make your own with a label maker or printer. 

You could also use a Cricut and create vinyl labels.

If you want to keep it simple and inexpensive, use some washi tape and a Sharpie.

The main thing is to have your items labeled and the labels visible so you can find things quickly. The less time you spend searching for items, the more time you will have to create!

Keep the most used items within reach

A straightforward way to save time and frustration when working is to keep the most used items within reach. This can be done by storing items commonly used in the same place or on the same shelf. This will make it easier to find these items when they are needed.

This tip also applies when storing your supplies. For example, suppose you paint with watercolors frequently. In that case, it’s a good idea to keep watercolor paints near where you work—so that you don’t have to spend time looking for them whenever you want to paint.

Install an adjustable shelving system that can be adapted to your changing needs

One of the best ways to stay organized is to have a shelving system that you can adjust easily to your changing needs. This will ensure that you have a system that will grow with you; everything you need is close at hand and easy to find.

First, make sure your shelves are deep enough to hold your supplies. It’s essential to buy a shelf with enough depth for your needs.

Second, consider how much weight each shelf can support. Please ensure brackets connect each level so they don’t come crashing down on each other.

You can also invest in a corner shelf for your art room. This will give you more space to store things, and you will be utilizing all areas of your space.

You can get an organizational system at Ikea or Blick Art Supplies (they have some lovely specialized systems).

Consider putting in a desk or table for larger projects.

Before making room for all your supplies, consider putting in a desk or table for larger projects if you don’t already have one. 

This could be anything from a folding table to a very large desk that can hold your computer.

Having a designated area work table that’s set aside specifically for larger projects will help you complete them more efficiently and allow you to spread out. Of course, this will depend on the size of your studio.

Consider using a rolling cart if you’re working on smaller projects or have a small space. These are available in many colors, sizes, and styles and can be moved around easily. These are a great option if you have little space in your studio or don’t have a designated art room.

Decide if you need more light

If you have a window in your studio, that’s a great start! But if not, think about how much natural light is available during different parts of the day. It might be worth investing in additional lighting equipment if you’re working on detailed projects or small pieces. I have this lamp and love it.

Make it easy to clean up after yourself

Clean up after yourself when you are done for the day. I know; it’s easier said than done. I have art supplies scattered on my table from 3 days ago because I thought I’d create more art the next day, but…I got busy and didn’t, and they are still lying there. I need to take some of my own advice and clean up after myself. Lol!

Keeping your art studio organized is a small but crucial step that will make your space feel neater and also ensure that you can return to working on any given day. That way, you aren’t walking into a mess the next time you want to create. And if you’re like me and get busy and can’t finish your painting or art for a while, you’re not left with a mess scattered about.

Some things to keep in mind to make it easy to clean up after yourself.

Clean as you go. Keep a trash can close by if you’re doing decoupage or anything that will leave you with bits of trash.

It’s also helpful to keep a rag, sponge, baby wipes, or paper towels handy, so you can quickly wipe away any new messes before they’ve had time to dry out.

Keep your work area clean by wiping down tables and counters with a damp cloth daily or every couple of days. 

Cleaning up after yourself after you’re done for the day will keep your space nice and tidy.

You will also want to straighten and do regular cleaning on your space to prevent it from becoming cluttered. 

Most artists and crafters have lots of supplies, and if we clean our spaces regularly, it will prevent our workspaces from getting dusty and messy. I know….easier said than done!

Create an inspiration wall or area.

Inspiration is key when it comes to creating art. You could have the best idea in the world, but if you don’t believe in yourself and aren’t inspired, you won’t be able to make it happen.

One simple way to keep your creativity flowing is by creating an inspiration wall or area within your studio. Think mood board! I love mood boards. They are such fun to make.

All you have to do is hang a bulletin board or corkboard on your wall. You can post photos of other artists’ work (or even your own) that speak to you and inspire new ideas for your creations.

Another great option is using this space as a sort of progress tracker—where you can list all the goals that have been achieved and what ones still need work before completion. This can also be an excellent way to keep yourself accountable and on track. The most important thing is that you have fun with it! 

Contain small and large items

It’s tempting to store all your art supplies in one large bin, but this can lead to a lot of searching and general chaos. (Ask me how I know?)

Containers that are too large for the contents are inefficient and unattractive. The best way to organize supplies is by using different-sized containers for each type of item, with smaller containers holding the smallest items and larger ones storing more oversized items. 

Clear bins are great storage solutions because they allow you to see what’s stored inside without having to open or dump out the entire container.

 If you use bins with lids, make sure they have handles on top so they’re easy to carry around if needed!

Using mason jars or tin cans is a creative way to store your supplies. You can use them to hold your pencils, markers, pastels, etc. You can also paint or decoupage them to make them more decorative for your area.

Create a comfortable space

When working on an art piece, it is important to be comfortable. A comfortable workspace will help you relax and focus on the project instead of worrying about where your feet are or if your back hurts.

Have a place where you can sit or stand that is ergonomically correct for your body type and ensure that all parts of your body are supported by the surface of whatever chair or stool (or other furniture) you choose to use.

Here are some tips for creating a cozy creative space:

• Adjustable chairs with good support for arms and back allow more flexibility and comfort during extended periods of sitting in one place. If possible, look for chairs with armrests since they will provide added support when working at a tabletop easel or desktop computer station.

• Set up a comfortable sitting area with pillows, blankets, and other soft items so that when you need to take a break from your art project, or curl up with a good book or a sketch pad.

• You may also want to invest in headphones or a Bluetooth speaker to listen to your favorite tunes or podcasts.

If possible, keep a small desk lamp within reach of your drawing or painting surface so that you can work without straining your eyes. Consider placing the lamp behind your shoulder to avoid casting shadows on what you are working on.

Use pegboards to organize items

A great way to organize your home art studio is to consider installing pegboard panels. They are great because they provide an easy way to hang items and keep them organized.

To use pegboard hooks, screw them into the boards at the desired height, then hang your items on the hooks in an orderly fashion. You can also use pegboard walls as storage units by mounting them on a wall or partition and filling them with all sorts of things like paint brushes, colored pencils, and tubes of paint.

You can find these products at hardware stores and home improvement stores such as Lowe’s, Home Depot, and even Amazon.

Final Thoughts

Whew! Are you tired? That was a lot of work, wasn’t it? I hope this blog post has been helpful and inspired you to organize or re-organize your art room. The goal of organization is to make things easier and more accessible so you have time to focus on your creative endeavors. With these tips in mind, anyone can get organized and set up their own studio. Now go get organized and create beautiful art!

P.S. Once you get your space organized, you may be interested in enrolling in one of these mixed-media online classes!