8 great tips: convert a closet into an art studio

I don't know about you, but searching for art supplies in a cluttered office kills my inspiration to create!

Being unorganized is the enemy of creativity. Fight that enemy with a few easy tips!

As an artist, I collected materials for projects over the years, but a smaller space meant making some hard decisions. Storage space was limited; What to keep? What to give away?

After down-sizing my office and studio into one, small room, I wanted to share a few ideas that helped me enjoy creating again.

I maximized every square inch in the room - starting with opening up the closet and turning it into a mini-studio.

TIPS:

1. Convert a closet. It's the perfect option for working and storage space. Remove the closet doors for easy access. Removing the rod creates a more aesthetically pleasing area. Add floating shelves.
2. Do an inventory of materials and tools you use all the time versus the ones you rarely use.
3. Sort your supplies and group items by category when possible. Once you have sorted, your categories will determine the size and type of containers or shelves you need.
4. Label your storage containers, even clear boxes! Labeled containers makes it easy to in a glance find what you need, or send a helper to retrieve something for you. While decorative boxes help eliminate clutter, they make it impossible to tell what is inside. Hiding the little items that are difficult to organize is great - but you still need to be able to find them.
5. Purge everything that is a distraction. Donate to a thrift store, magnet school or someone you know who works in your medium. If you have not used an item in a year, chances are you are not going to get to it, let someone else benefit from it.
6. Store materials and tools according to frequency of use. Upper shelves; store items you use the least. Display on easy to reach floating shelves the materials you use constantly.
7. Add utility lighting, and a strip extension cord for plugging in electronics.
8. Make it beautiful. Displaying inspiring art and decor items with your supplies makes the space feel like an art studio.

When you have a space that truly inspires you and everything is in place, creativity will follow. The organized closet allowed me two working spaces. Separating my creative process from my work desk, was a luxury. No more fighting for space or looking for supplies. Make your creative space inspiring, fun and and FUNCTIONAL, remember life is full of art opportunities.

If you want to get more storage ideas I would recommend you check out Stylish Storage by Paige Gilchrist at your local library.