10 Creative Ways to Organize Kid’s Art Supplies

Ways to Organize Kid's Art Supplies
By Alicia Hutchinson

Art is a big deal at our house. Each one of my four kids loves to do art in some form or another, whether that be clay, paint, textiles, or in one case, finger painting with yogurt (not naming any names *cough* Vera). Since we are a homeschooling family, we have made art an essential subject that we do every week; just like we would consider math being an essential subject in school. Fridays have become the day we have set aside time for art, coining the name “Fine Art Friday.”

With activities like art come lots of supplies, so I don’t want the organization of it to be a deterrent to creating. I would hate that to be the case for you either, so I’ve come up with a list of ten creative ways to organize kid’s art supplies.

Keeping things neat and tidy will make it easier for you and your creative kiddoes to get artsy together any day of the week!

Ways to Organize Kid’s Art Supplies

Glass Jars

I love to use these to organize my art supplies because they are see-through and easy to access for big kids, but they’re a little harder for little hands to open/unscrew. If it sounds like I’m speaking from experience, well, we have had a few run-ins with markers and the toddler.

Small Buckets

You can find medium and small-sized buckets in the Dollar Spot at Target often. Usually, they are either the basic silver or an array of different painted colors, depending on the season or holiday upon us. Keeping several buckets of supplies on a shelf to move to the table at art time is a great way to store supplies.

Recycled Soup Cans

We have used cans to store our markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, scissors, and more for a really long time. To pretty them up a bit, you could wrap them with fun scrapbook paper or spray paint them for a little color. I have spray painted them with chalkboard paint and used chalk to write labels on the cans.

Over-the-door Shoe Pockets

A shoe organizer doesn’t just have to be used for shoes. The cheap ones you can find at Walmart that have the clear pockets are great for storing supplies. Hang it on the inside door of a hall closet and separate the supplies by pocket. Your kids will know exactly where to look if the art-mood strikes.

Lazy Susan

Next time you’re making your rounds through the aisles at Goodwill, keep your eyes out for a wooden Lazy Susan, typically used in cabinets or for your table for storing napkins and salt and pepper. There are plastic ones too, but

I think the wooden ones would be much sturdier. You can either leave it au natural or spray paint it. Then using empty cans or jars, hot glue them onto your Lazy Susan and use on your table for art time. Everyone will be able to spin it and no one is reaching for more supplies.

Rolling Carts

I love the idea of having an art cart. IKEA typically has inexpensive, fuctional carts. They can be stored away in a closet until art time and all the supplies can go back when you’re done.

Art Table/Shelf

This is the method we are currently using. Use a small table, dresser, or shelf to store all your supplies … like an art station. We are using a small dresser with drawers for paints, markers, crayons, pencils, scissors, and papers. The smaller items are stored in plastic boxes inside the drawers. It’s also fun to hang the kids’ art above the dresser too.

Spice Rack

Keep your eye out for spice racks, especially the square type that spin. The small spice jars are perfect for tiny things like glitter, buttons, gems, googly eyes, and beads. The jars are normally glass, so they’re easy to see what you need.

Hardware Drawers

These are also fabulous for storing tiny things like buttons and beads. I have used a set of small hardware drawers for years and love it. They’re inexpensive and easy to find at any hardware store.

You can find plastic, metal, or wood caddies in many stores. I have a metal one similar to this one that we have used a lot for art supplies. This one is great because you can also store paper in it. Keep essentials in here and put it out at art time.

With these ways to organize kid’s art supplies, you can be sure your stash of supplies will be much easier to use than supplies strewn about. Have fun organizing … and making art!

Alicia is called “Mama” by four kiddos; two boys and two girls. They have been homeschooling for seven years, and history and good literature are their favorite subjects. Currently, they are in the middle of a long relocation process from the mountains of North Carolina to the busy, cold city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Alicia can be found blogging on her corner of the Web, Investing Love: www.aliciahutchinson.com, where she talks about making a home, current projects, creating, reading, teaching, and enjoying the little things that come with being a mom/wife/teacher.
 

1 thought on “10 Creative Ways to Organize Kid’s Art Supplies”

  1. I use a roll cart for paints, and sewing things and beading supplies, an overdoor shoe thingy for yarn, and old spice rack with jars holds many of my beads.

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