ORGANIZE YOUR TOOLS & SUPPLIES- RACHEL TURKAL

Organize Your Tools & Supplies to Create a Space that Works for You!

In this crazy time where we’re spending more and more time at home and having a functional space to work and to create has become a necessity. No longer can we simply work from the couch or create at the kitchen/dining table. We need a space to call our own.

This post is the beginning of my personal  journey in creating a space that works for me. My space IS messy, disorganized, and cluttered. I currently do NOT have a pristine space (nor will I ever, most likely). What I am striving for is a functional space. I often get caught up in the pictures of organizational perfection that are shared across print and social media. We somehow think these amazing pictures are what we need to strive for and forget to focus on what actually works for us; finding a way to better utilize the tools and supplies we already have.

I am sharing  my REAL journey to a space that works for me. This will NOT happen overnight and most likely will be a years long endeavor. Don’t forget that when organizing your space that it all doesn't happen in one fell swoop; it takes time. Give yourself grace and enjoy the journey.

One area that, I think, that is often overlooked is wall space. I need a  place to organize and store my most used tools and supplies. We get distracted by dramatic before and after pictures and often forget the journey it took to get there. Much like our life is a journey and personal  evolutionary process so is creating the space we live in.

Thank you for joining me on my journey!

Here we go. when in doubt start small.  I’m only tackling this wall and not the rest of the room. This is the space that is in desperate need of transformation:

As you can see it’s a hot mess, and I have a lot of unused wall space. I want to utilize this vertical space to its fullest potential.

Keep these questions in mind when designing or thinking about your space’s layout:

* What are the items that I reach/use for most?

* Is this practical?

* Am I being honest with myself about X or do I just want it for the sake of FOMO (fear of missing out)?

I researched and looked for inspiration everywhere and what most spoke to me was this system of wall organization called Wall Control, which is used mainly in workshops and can be found at big box home improvement stores. Here are the wall panels that I have chosen to install:

Tech specs: These panels are 16” wide, which means that if you have 16” on-center studs, your panels will mount perfectly and be very securely to your wall. The provided screws were drilled directly into the studs and no wall anchors were needed. Additionally the panels are a wall-scaling 48” tall; shorter panels are available starting at 16” tall.

Now you don’t have to use these wall panels. You could use removable wallpaper or vinyl to define your space and use nails to hang told and supplies.  Alternatively you could mount a larger picture frame (maybe from a thrift shop) directly on the wall with removable velcro strips and hang supplies inside it with any variety of hooks. There are many different pegboard systems out there, so find the one that works for you physically and is within your price range.

I need a place to organize my paper punches, stamps (the most frequently used & hard to store), and Xyron Creative Stations.

I definitely use paper towels when creating so having a reachable place that works for me is essential.

I’m beginning to add my small collection of Crop-a-diles to my wall organization, and eventually I’ll have all of them hung. I haven’t decided where works best, and that’s the beauty of this pegboard system, and any modular system really, is that it grows and changes with you as your needs change.  Give yourself permission to change your space; give yourself permission to embrace the imperfection in the journey or organizing. I think we can all attest to the fact that organization is a journey. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will the organization of my crafting space be.

Easy access to my Teresa Collins washi is also important, as well as Teresa Collins’ Essentials. (For the Essentials tubes I simply screwed  hooks into the top of the cork stopper. I found the hooks in a picture hanging kit.  Use what you have!)

To crown this space I can think of nothing more apropos, since I’m a Leo,  than this lovely Lion from one of Teresa’s most recent digital file releases. Paired with an edited Sun Medallion, this matte gold medallion in  removable vinyl is perfection and caps off the industrial chic aesthetic I’m striving for.

Of course I needed to add some of that oh-so-inspiring Art Prints with Teresa’s empowerment quotes to finish everything off! One small slice of my room done, for now, and many more to come!

My space is not complete and neither is my creative journey. As Teresa says, “Progress Over Perfection.”

Thank you so much for reading! Follow me on all things social for my continued journey in the pursuit of a functionally chic organized space!

@ninja_crafty  on Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/ninja_crafty/> & Twitter <https://twitter.com/ninja_crafty>

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