Mission Impossible: Organizing My Beads

I like separating my beads by color in little plastic storage bags. Then I put all of one color in a bucket. It is really great when I can find a bucket that matches my color of beads(like pink & purple Easter pails). Then I store the buckets on a baby changing table I got from a resale store. The changing table sits beside my work table. (I still need to find a brown bucket)

I am a little anal about my beads, and have them organised by type and colour.

I buy these great Tic Tac containers that fit inside 4×6inch plastic containers- easy to see and find what I want at a glance.

However these are only good for beads up to about 6mm (fine for me as I use seed beads mostly).

I store bigger beads in round stackable clear containers that I get from the same place as the tic tac containers.

For anything bigger (cabochons, buttons, chunky beads etc) i used clear screw top honey jars.

My stash is sorted by color in plastic divided containers (similar to the top photo in the article). I used a label maker to indicate the colors in each container.

Sterling silver and gold beads and findings are in a similar plastic container that has the tarnish preventing dividers.

Seed beads, etc. are in tubes and standing in wooden boards with holes in the base.

My tools hang upright on the edge of a small plastic storage cube, and stringing materials are stored inside the same cube.

I’ve only been seriously beading for about two years, so I’m sure as I continue I’ll be learning more tips and adapting my system to better ways. But storing by color, and keeping expensive findings in their own separate container, so far has worked the best for me.

I like the divided containers because I can see it all when I lift the lid. With little plastic bags I find I have to do a lot more picking up and getting a closer look.

I love to hear how others organize their stash!

This will be an intersting discussion – I’m trying to figure this out, too. I started with the small compartmentalized bead holders from the craft store but as my collection has expanded I’m moving towards the color sorting method but still seem to keep pearls separately and the artist beads/lampwork beads separate. Let’s not even go there with findings…I have one of those rolling carts with drawers that I use for my teddy bear making supplies (not mohair – that goes in the big bins with lids!) so am thinking it will work for beads, or at least some of them…

Hi all – I store my beads by color – pretty much. I purchased several sets of drawers – some are large drawers and some are small ones. I think I bought them at Lowes. Anyway, I stash most of them by color – some by type – my Swarski are separate.

I really like to keep them in the little bags they may come in when I purchase them that way. I have my seed beeds in a shoe box next to my beading area.

I have kept all my receipts – in chase I need to re-visit where I bought them. When I make a piece, I usually inventory it, and take a picture, I like to be able to identify what the piece is made of.

I am fortunate in that I have moved into our daughter’s room. She has been gone for around 10 years. I keep my beading, my stitching, my books, my stuffed Bernese Mountain Dogs, and other goodies in there.

The one thing I haven’t come up with is a way to travel with my beads. I am not too crazy about the little boxes with compartments; unless they have individual lids.

Sorry not to have a picture to attach at this time. Will try to get to that later this week.

I love this topic – to me, it never gets old.

Libby

I fell in love with “photo keepers” that I found at the craft store. There’s a larger plastic box that holds 6 smaller boxes. The boxes are meant to hold 4×6 photos. They’re organized by color or type and labeled. The problem is when I have too many of a particular color or type to fit in the little box. For those – I’ve moved on to “tupperware” (really, the store brand’s cheaper version) I also use individual screw top containers within the photo box for smaller findings and clasps.

And I keep most of my beads in their plastic bags with a tag that lets me know where I got them and what they cost me. Do all those bags look familiar!? LOL

All of this sits on or in bookshelves in my “office”. Move over teaching materials!

more photos

photos

See, containers like that look great but for me, I would go crazy sifting through all the little baggies to find what I want.

I have attached a group photo of all my storage items. Everything is see-through, so I know exactly what is in a specific container.

I also organize my beads by color. No matter what kind of bead – seed beads, pearls, glass, whatever – it goes in it’s designated bead box. I have 1-3 boxes for each color (for now!) and there’s NO mixing allowed! LOL If I run out of room for a particular color, I start a new box and it eventually gets filled with more beads of that one color thanks to my bead shopping addiction.

I use see through containers, and an old bedroom dresser…

See

Lynn and Ivy – you’re organiziation is amazing! I wish I could be so organized. Sometimes it is a pain to go through the plastic bags, but they enable me to label and price everything. which saves time in the long run.

I organize my beads by type and color. I lean predominantly towards gemstones so these are organized by color in the craftmate carrying totes that I love.

In my stacking organizer I keep my seed beads in the top two drawers in tubes – one drawer is for size 11 and the other drawer is for size 8 & 6. In addition I keep my backup supply of wire, stringing materials, gemstones etc in the other drawers.

My czech glass and other beads are sorted by color and then in baggies in the larger tuperware container.

Last but not least is I use a scrapbook tote for my tools and opened spools of beading wire.

Not a perfect solution but it works for the small amount of space that I have to work with. I look forward to having my own space and a desk where I can bead and stretch out

here are a few more photos

Oh, Mommykat, Can I move in with you?

I also sort by colors and found that my grandmother’s antique writing desk is the perfect storage that also doubles as a work space.

I have containers like Leigh D most recent photos. They’re smaller than other scrapbooking-fashioned containers, but what I like about them is that they require a little more coordination than little fingers can perform No swallowing hazards of the little beads when they’re in this kind of container. Also, they fit in a bag that zips closed, another preventative measure.

I might also add that I have an amazing space for my craft…

This is prior to a major clean up and is only half the space

I think in the end we all find ways to organize ourself, that suit us and our personalities.

Lynn, oh my gosh, that is the best space! Good for you, Lynn!

I store all my beads in plastic containers that are similar to tackle boxes, only with bigger sections (found in some craft sections). Each compartment can be made larger–good for large beads and my metal findings. I keep all my pearls in one box, crystals are separated by color, and all the other beads are sorted by color. Metals are sorted first by type and then by function.

Since my dining room doubles as my studio and the place I show my jewelry at home shows, all my beads and tools must be very portable. These boxes allow me to move them easily,and I like that I can see the bead color through the lid and sides.

My only problem is that I have to keep buying more containers, much to the frustration of my husband. Can’t keep away from all those shiny beads!

I also organize my beads by color no matter what texture and place in bead boxes designated by color. This works fine for me.

Right now I have to keep my hobby confined due to space limitations. I organize projects and supplies in a large sterlite underbed storage box. For projects in progress and grouping items for possible projects I use the black plastic microwavable containers which come with frozen meals; Stouffers and Boston Market brands. They stack really well and can be used for classes as well. Another underbed container holds my many beading magazines and catalogs. One other shoe box holds stones in baggies.

I just put away my bead room to turn it back into the dining room for Thanksgiving/Christmas. I’m thinking of moving to the guest room on a permanent basis. Before I packed, my bead space was an organizer’s nightmare. I don’t like to work that way, it just sorta happened. Now I get to start over with all of these great ideas I see here!

I have all the above containers!!! Also, I have about 15 totes, You see I have to take my “stuff” back & forth (to work & home) Sooooo, what starts out as a nice & neat system, always breaks down…………Some stuff here, some stuff there. Right now there’s absolutely no way I’m going to take a picture of my bead room!!!!!!!! Put it this way, if the doors open, my husband closes it!!!!!! LOL.. (Creative minds are rarely TIDY) How’s that for help, Ali?

I use the plastic see-through craft containers just like Ivy’s and I try to put all similar colors in one box, no matter what the type of material it is. I have separate containers for metal spacers and bead covers and a separate box/boxes for findings as well as charms, etc. Right now the room that I use is kinda dark and dreary, I am thinking of buying some of those drawer totes on wheels so that I can pull the whole thing out into my living room or kitchen, depending on where the light is best. (I never leave the door open to that room right now either because it is also used for storage and numerous other hobbies that I dabble in, so it is always scary!!!)

My husband built me a special area with shelves and a flat surface to bead on. First all my shelves are filled to the ceiling with plastic containers from craft stores and all are labeled like, Sterling, Gold, VinTaj, Winsy. My seed beads are either hanging on hanks or stored in glass tubes.Stones are boxed according to type; Turquoise, Jade, Agates. I have a special four drawer storage for my pendants, pearls,and semi-precious stones. My tools hang on a carrier much like the kind you carry around the house when you clean.

it still boggles the mind and turns into a big mess when my wheels start turning to create and I have to go to the dinning room table cause I get overwhelmed by the closeness.

I this space with, altered art, photo albums, and the computer.

I’m overwhelmed and I think I need to find some type of storage unit, perferably mobile to use….any ideas?

Sorry no picture but it’s like a closet with no door.

Ali, thanks for posting this one, who couldn’t relate to discussing how we can organize our beads???

I’m so happy to read comments and see photos from several folks here, Lynn, Ivy, Lorrie – thank you, these all give me great ideas. In particular it does make lots of sense to organize by color and bead size – sounds like it’s “easier” for smaller beads like seed beads, less so for the larger ones like cabochons and pendants. Like Anita I am NOT posting any pics of my beads right now, I gotta work on organizing my own stash first!!!

I would have thought working for a bead place you would have many ideas. I’m becoming a little lost in my own beads. I’m trying to get rid of clothes that I have also but I have yet to find a good resale shop. They are all nice dress clothes so I can’t just toss them in a bin to good will. I have a fairly large room but need to get more organized, it’s just having more time to do the things I want to do.

My beads have taken on a life of their own! Seems like everytime I try to organize them, they multiply! I have boxes (organized by color), bags, drawers, you name it. I have recently found the little tins my dog’s food comes in to be quite handy for holding beads that I’m working with at the time.
Now, if I can just find a little more room, I might be able to do some beading in the office/beading room instead of the living room!
Seems like everytime I try to organize, I find that bead that I thought I’d lost and I’m off to make something with it – or at least look for others to go with it – pulling out everything once again. That’s always when hubby comes around and makes a comment about how I never seem to get anything done!

Oh, Yeah! I totally hear you sdjohnson. That seems to happen a lot around here too. But I do like the idea of sorting by colors. Right now my glass is sorted by colors, generally speaking, and so are my stones. But they are not together, and the small beads (sizes 3-11) live in another area. Too many drawers and too many get misplaced.

I just marvel at how much stuff you all have! I have only just started and have a serving tray with tools, beads, wire, findings etc. etc on it. Beads are organised by colour in the plastic bags they came in and then per colour in a zip-lock freezer bag.All styles beads mixed as long as they have the same colour.

Here’s mine