My creative studio is always evolving because I constantly need more storage. (Necessity is the mother of invention, right?) Organizing a creative studio is key to creativity. Over the years, I’ve collected various cheap storage solutions that also spark creativity as I work. I’m not satisfied with just storage, it needs to be decorative, too. And I never want to spend a lot of money on it either. So, the hunt is always on for how I can organize my creative studio to make it more functional.

One of the first things a friend donated to me was an old picture frame. I covered the glass with chalkboard paint and painted the frame black. Then I adhered cork pieces to the board with heavy duty tape so I could pin up my fabrics. I use this to organize samples from my current collections found on my website.

Then, I found an old fence gate at a junk store to hold my favorite samples. I simply clip them to the fence using old fashioned clothespins. It’s always changing depending on what I’m loving at the moment.

Anything you can hang on the wall is ideal organization for a creative studio.

A large metal garbage can holds bolts of fabrics waiting to be used. It doesn’t take long to fill up and I could probably use another one!

I even use wall space above my sewing machine to pin up various samples that I want to keep in mind for future projects. Simple push pins keeps everything organized so I can brainstorm ideas as I work.

And let’s just talk about how handy filing cabinets are! First, they are super cheap and I can always find them on Craigslist. This one cost $20 and I used leftover wallpaper to cover the bland exterior. Filing cabinets store my leftover fabrics. You can read about that makeover by clicking here.

And finally here’s my bookcase! Just last weekend my neighbor gave me this large pine bookcase…so four of us hauled it across the street into my studio.

It is the perfect place to store my textiles from around the world. It can also house paints and anything else I might need in the future. Don’t you just love the scallops?

Storage doesn’t have to be expensive or uninspiring…especially in a creative studio. I love surrounding myself with colorful fabrics. It keeps the juices flowing while at the same time providing much needed storage. When organizing your studio, think outside the box. Look for free and cheap solutions and put your own spin on them. You’ll be inspired and organized at the same time. I’ve got a video showing how I store all my fabrics and you can watch that by clicking here. If you would like to see a full tour of my studio, you can click here to watch!