How to Declutter a Craft Room Step by Step
Get the steps you need on how to declutter a craft room that will guide you on the best way to remove the excess stuff and open things up. A clutter-free creative space is the best way to work free of distractions.
This how to declutter guide will help you turn your crap room into a craft room you love.
If you have a craft room, it is probably safe to say that you struggle to keep it tidy. Whether you are an organized person or not, any room with so many supplies can be a challenging space to keep neat and organized.
Today we are going to get the exact steps you need to learn how to declutter a craft room. And no matter what type of hot mess your room is in now, these tips will help you create a room you truly love.
Yes, this project is going to be anything but fun. Let’s face it, going through the supplies, half-finished projects, random pieces, half-used paints, scraps of fabric, and the many (so many!) tools is going to take some time.
No, this is not the fun part, it’s the hard-working part, but it is crucial to a job well done. Now don’t panic; I’m not going to ask you to get rid of your beloved entire Christmas fabric stash; what we will do instead is create a more reasonable collection rather than an overwhelming one.
If you are shaking your head right now because you think this job will be impossible, let’s talk just a bit.
I know exactly how you feel right now. You see, my craft room used to be the very worst room in our home. There was so much random stuff, supplies, and miscellaneous items shoved inside that space that I avoided it like the plague.
Even if I wanted to work on a crafting project, the fact that my room was so chaotic kept me from going in there to do what I love. DIY something amazing out of random scraps and supplies.
No, it wasn’t easy, and yes, it took time, but it was also rewarding and even a little fun.
If you want to get from a hot mess to a room you love, read on, and let’s get you a simple step-by-step list that you can use just to follow along and declutter your craft room the (much) easier way.
Before we dive in, it is best for you to break this project down into smaller, easier bite-sized pieces. There’s nothing worse than being faced with the monumental task of decluttering a full and extremely chaotic room.
By breaking things down into smaller projects, you will remove the overwhelm and bring with it a little hope that you just might be able to do this.
First, let’s done a bit of planning.
1. What is your why?
This was a part of decluttering I would routinely skip over and because of that most of my projects never really got finished. You need to have a why a vision for this space. This will be your motivation the one thing that will drive you to keep going when it gets boring and hard.
Ask yourself why you want your room to be tidy and clutter-free. A few reasons to think about are:
- I want to craft in a space that doesn’t make me want to pull my hair out.
- I would love to finish a project on time.
- I would like to know just where my supplies are right when I need them.
- I want to enjoy time in my creative space so I can unwind from a stressful day or week.
2. Pick a “Complete By” Date
Choosing a date when you want this project to be completed is an essential part of any decluttering project because it gives you a finish line—that line in the sand when this room needs to be done.
When you give yourself a deadline, you are, in turn, giving importance to the job itself. And it’s that importance that will help motivate you to keep going even when you don’t want to.
3. Assess the situation
Go into the room and take a look at how much work needs to be done. Get a ballpark idea of the minutes or hours you will need to spend in this space each day to finish the project on time.
Once you have this total time estimate you will be able to break things down much more easily.
4. make a plan
Next, you will want to decide on what days you will dedicate to this project. Will, you just work in here on the weekends, or is it better to tackle this room a little each day before you head off to bed?
This will all depend on your weekly schedule and the stage of life you are in now. What that means is, if you have young children at home then working alone will probably be the best use of your time.
Now, you have a plan! The four key components to creating a decluttering plan you can actually succeed with.
- What is your why? This is your motivator.
- When do you need to have this room completed? This is your finish line.
- How much time you will work? This will help you to create a plan you can live with.
- What will be your workdays/times? This will be your schedule and will keep you on track.
How to declutter a craft room
Step #1. Three Core Steps
If this is your first time here, you may not be familiar with the Three Core Steps. If not, let’s go over them quickly. The three core steps are the things you want to do before you start decluttering any room or area in your home. They are crucial steps yet simple and will help you pare down the actual clutter you need to work on, making it less overwhelming.
READ: The Three Core Steps to Take BEFORE You Declutter
Remove the trash – Arm yourself with a trash bag and walk the space you are decluttering. Gather up any papers, debris, and any broken items that you can get rid of right now
Remove any recyclables – Again, using another trash bag, walk the room looking for any items you can recycle such as cardboard boxes, empty water bottles, cans, newspaper Etc. Please do not over-think these first two steps. As a crafter myself, I understand how easy it can be to get stuck on whether or not you want to keep those toilet paper rolls for a possible future project.
Remember, we are starting fresh, so go ahead and toss them and save the hard decisions for later on.
Put away items – Gather up any items that belong somewhere else – this is anything that is kept in a different area in your home. I like to use a sturdy laundry basket for this step. Not only are these baskets durable enough to carry a myriad of items, but it is also comfortable to hold one on your hip as you do this step.
Once the basket is full, you will then want to walk your home putting items away as you go along.
Step #2 Sorting Area
Next up is creating a sorting area that you can easily work with. A sorting area should consist of a box for each destination, 5 to be exact. Let’s go over them quickly so you understand how each one will work.
- Toss – any items you missed during the previous step that you can throw away or recycle.
- Donate – any items you can easily give away to charity or other organizations such as a daycare center or nursing home.
- Give Away – any items you would like to give to a friend or family member. This is a great way to remove items that you no longer need, use, or love without the guilt of giving it to someone you don’t know. Some ideas are:
- A collection of material for a niece that is just starting to sew.
- Paints for a friend that is homeschooling her kids.
- Wood supplies for your brother that is a scout leader
- Sell – any large and/or expensive items you feel confident you can sell.
- Keep – any items that you are going to keep and return back into this space. This is mainly for items that you do not have a designated home for yet.
Once you have your boxes found and labeled you will want to set them up in an area that is close to the room you are working on and easy to get to while you are working. This could be in the room itself or in the hallway if you are short on space.
Step #3. Remember your Plan
Refer to your plan above as to what days you plan to work this week and the time of day you selected that is distraction-free. Set a reminder on your phone and/or calendar for your decluttering session so you know that you will not forget.
On your decluttering days, you will want to set a timer for the amount of time you plan to work. Do not skip this step.
There is nothing quite as motivating as a ticking countdown timer. Remember, decluttering is not anyone’s idea of a good time so you will want to use all the tools you can to help you get the job done fast.
Step #4. Get Busy
Pick a spot in your room to begin. You can start in a corner, work on your crafting table, or even the center of the room. Begin by picking up an item and deciding if you will be keeping it or removing it. If you are keeping it, put it in the keep box. If you are removing it, then choose the box where it belongs either give-away, donate, sell, or toss.
D/M PRO TIP: Do not leave things where they are unless they are already where you plan to keep them. For decluttering to take hold in your mind, you need to have hands-on every single item.
This will help you to know for sure that you did not get rid of anything important and keep you from going back into a sorting box forcing yourself to unnecessarily make difficult decisions more than once.
In the beginning, it will take you a bit to decide if you are going to keep an item or get rid of it. When you get stuck ask yourself this question: Do I need it, love it, or use it? If the answer is no, put it into your sorting area. If it is yes, put it into the keep box or put it away.
Remember, don’t overthink things by getting stuck on free items. If you have a stash of orange juice lids for example that you have had for months or even years, get rid of them.
You can easily replace that stash and until you do you will be freeing up space for more important crafting, sewing, and painting supplies.
Continue working your way through your things one at a time. As you fill a box in your sorting area for donation, seal it up and label it.
Each time you close up a donation box but it into your vehicle’s trunk so it is completely out of your home. Next time you are out running errands drop any boxes off.
Step #5. Keep Going
This might be the hardest part. Getting prepped is one thing but keeping up with the work is a whole other ball game. Whatever you do, don’t stop. Stick to your guns. If you are struggling with your motivation here are a few tips to help.
- Remember your why. Revisit the reason you are doing this in the first place and visualize that finished organized room. You are totally worth the work you are doing right now and you deserve this space. A craft room that is all your own.
- Remember your finish line. Revisit the deadline you created so you can remember just where that finish line is. If you are behind maybe you can add in more weekly work sessions to get caught up.
- Create a decluttering distraction. Download a playlist of your favorite tunes to your phone and put on those earbuds. Make a list that matches the time sessions you are setting up to work in. Not only will the music keep you motivated and moving but the number of songs will double as your countdown timer. Five 4-minute songs equal a 20-minute work session.
- Call in the troops. Ask a friend to help or one of our kids. Get them to take out the trash, carry out full donation boxes or do a bit of cleaning. Just the company alone can be enough to keep us working.
Decluttering a room may not make the top 10 of our most favorite things-to-do list, but the results definitely will. Having a space that is free of mess and chaos is a joy for any creative person to have.
Use the steps outlined here to help you declutter a craft room so you can then take the next step to organize it into a space you not only deserve but one you love to be in as well.
Thanks for the wonderful tips.
Now I think, I can declutter my super messy craft Room.