Ever find yourself dreaming of a studio where creativity flows freely, untouched by chaos and clutter? Reality check: art supplies, from tubes of paint to brushes and canvases, have a way of turning our creative sanctuaries into a bit of a mess.
The good news? There are some pretty simple art supply storage ideas you can use to organize your space.
You don’t need to break the bank to get back on track, because we’re all trying to save some money these days!
Let’s explore some budget-friendly storage solutions that will organize your supplies and liberate your inner artist!
Repurpose Household Items
Before rushing to buy new storage containers, look around your home. Jars, mugs, and even old shoeboxes can serve as perfect containers for fluid paints, brushes, pencils, and small supplies. With a bit of creativity, these everyday items can be transformed into personalized super neat art supply holders.
DIY Pegboards
Pegboards are a versatile, affordable way to keep tools and supplies within arm’s reach. Plus, they will save tons of floor space because you can organize your supplies directly on a wall.
Take a look at these wonderful pegboard art supply storage ideas.
This is one of those things that is on my to-do list for my new art room!
Shelves
Similarly, floating shelves can be inexpensively constructed and installed to maximize vertical space, offering a neat way to display and organize your materials. You can even place these floating shelves directly on your pegboard like shown in the videos above.
Magnetic Strips for Metal Tools
Install a magnetic strip on a wall or the side of a desk to keep metal tools like scissors, palette knives, and even small paint tubes in a visible, easily accessible place. This not only saves space but also turns your tools into a part of the studio’s decor.
Use Over-the-Door Organizers
Those shoe organizers or metal pantry organizers that hang over doors? They’re perfect for more than just footwear and food. Use them to sort and store everything from tubes of paint to rolls of tape and other small items, making use of often overlooked storage space.
Upcycle Wine Racks
A wine rack can become a smart storage solution for holding rolls of paper, tubes of paint, or even fabric scraps. Its original purpose might be far from the world of art, but its potential is only limited by your imagination.
Label Everything
Regardless of the storage solutions you choose, labeling each container, shelf, or section will save you time and frustration. Not only does it help in quickly finding what you need, but it also makes cleanup and resupplying much more straightforward.
Labeling my paint mixes also helps me keep track of what paints and pouring mediums I used. I hate feeling stressed and confused by so many random cups of leftover paints. You can find the perfect labels right here.
Foldable Table
If you don't have space in your home for a dedicated art room or your art room is simply too small, you can use a foldable table for creating your artwork. Pull it out when you need to create something and put it away once you are done to free up some space. Your creative area will look less cluttered!
When I had no art room, I used a foldable table and placed that in my kitchen. I used that to do my artwork or to place my drying fluid art pieces on top. Now, that I have my own art room, I still use these but I use them as a more permanent solution.
Stackable Clear Plastic Bins
Invest in clear plastic bins that stack neatly on top of each other. This allows you to see exactly what’s inside without rummaging through everything. Separate bins for different types of supplies—paints, pencils, markers—can make finding what you need a breeze.
Yes, you can buy them new but you can also find plenty of these bins at second-hand stores.
Most of the bins and storage containers I use to store my favorite art supplies in my studio are used. I have some big stackable storage bins with latching lids to store big items, rolling storage carts with drawers to neatly sort medium size supplies, some cube storage organizers to keep other items hidden from sight, and some small plastic bins too for storing smaller items.
To save some space, I place my bins under my foldable tables like you see below.
I hope these budget-friendly storage ideas spark some excitement for organizing and decluttering your creative space! Remember, a well-organized studio is like a blank canvas waiting for your next masterpiece.
