DIY studio organization update

Last month I mentioned that I've been moving things around in my studio space.  For it to be an efficient workspace it needs to be organized but because I spend so much time here I also want it to be comfortable and pleasing with colors I enjoy and by having items around that are meaningful.
The first thing I tackled was the need for more organized shelf space for papers and supplies. Since I never seem to be able to find exactly what I need to fit a particular space I turned to Pinterest for some help and cardboard was the answer. 

I started out with these large cereal boxes from Costco. These boxes are made from thin corrugated cardboard but you could also use the ones with thinner cardboard from the grocery store they just might need a little more reinforcement. The extra cardboard pieces are for the shelves that will be added. 
Two cereal boxes were glued together by holding them in place with bull clips in the 

front and with tape on the back.
I used Elmers Glue only because I had two bottles and the nozzle made it easy to get into tight spaces. Any white glue should work just fine. That helps to keep it square while the glue is drying. The shelves are glued in between the side reinforcement cardboard pieces so they go all the way to the edge and sit on top for extra strength.

For sturdiness of the shelves it's important to make sure the corrugated lines of the cardboard are running side to side rather than front to back. It's stronger and much less likely to bend and buckle under weight. For the same reason the side reinforcements should have the corrugated lines running vertically. The 2 drawers were made by  taping cardboard pieces together to make open boxes that fit the shelf space.
​Lastly I covered the shelves, drawers and the outside of the box with fabric. I applied the

glue with a brush to keep it to a very thin coat. If you use too much glue it will seep through the fabric and show on the front. This sheet I found at the thrift store was the perfect neutral color I was looking for, though I'd probably go with a solid color next time - the orderliness in me needed to spend extra time to get those stripes lined up : ) Now I just need to find a cute idea for some kind of knobs for the pull out drawers. I'll be looking to see if Pinterest will help me out again.

I've had my brushes, pencils, rulers and exacto blades stored in tin cans and a few random ceramic jars I found at yard sales. Those tins cans were not the most attractive things on my table so I finally got around to covering them with some scrap book paper. Then I spray painted the turn table with some paint I had in the basement that coordinated nicely with the paper.  This is so much prettier to look at now.  


​If you're in need of some storage inspiration, take a look at the Pinterest board I put together.  There are lots of ideas for making efficient storage along with a few other tips I found interesting.