I have been super focused on my craft room storage and organization this year and one of the main culprits was how to organize all the types of paint I have!
Why I Wrote This Post
I have tried almost every kind of paint organizing system out there and YES one of my hobbies is actually testing organizing and storage options for my craft collection!
My goals for paint storage are three fold:
- Visual – I have to be able to see my paints… if they are hidden away in boxes or closed bins they might as well not exist!
- Gathered – I have lots of different kinds of paint, fancy expensive paint, Tim Holtz Distress Paint and then medium fancy Amsterdam and other speciality paints. I don't need a system for ALL my paint but I do need a way to keep these kinds of categories together.
- Accessible – Along with seeing the paints, I have to be able to grab and go! I don't want to have to fuss around with high activity storage systems.
I need visual, macro storage solutions according to the Clutterbug Lady Cas. I am a “butterfly” and need to see all my stuff!
5 Ways To Store Paint In Your Visually Organized Craft Room
If you are not a visual type person, most of these “storage solutions” are going to be triggering for you. They are big and messy and not in any kind of specific order.
Oh and there are no labels… a super nice lady told me that she labels everything and “everything has its place”. That sounds like a lot of work to me so I give that idea a big ole NOPE!
How To Store Your Paints Walkthrough Video
1. Multi Level Spinner Trays
I got this spinner tray years ago at Hobby Lobby I think so I am sure it is no longer available, BUT I did find some cupcake trays on Amazon that might be similar if you wanted to try to recreate this look!
Things I Like:
- I love how much this can store! I have all my weird kinds of craft supplies in here and there is still tons of room to add more!
- The top two levels spin so I can see what is on the back easily.
- It is visually pleasing to me… this reminds me of a display in a craft store.
Things I Don't Like
- It is HUGE, like “have to get rid of shelf in my bookcase” huge. While it does store a lot, it takes up a pretty big footprint in my craft room.
- Things in the back part of the pie shape can get a little lost.
Overall I give this an 8 out 10 for paint storage!
2. Basket Storage for Larger Paints
I can't be bothered to line up and organize this large tubes of paint so a basket is the perfect solution… throw them in and go!
What I Like:
- This is a super easy way to corral a bunch of weird sized paint tubes.
- I actually like acrylic boxes better than this metal basket, but the functionality is the same… you can see your paints and what colors you have!
What I Don't Like
- I don't like that I have to dig for the paints on the bottom.
- The weird shape of this basket means that it takes up more than it's fair share of space in my Ikea Kallax cubes.
Overall I give this an 5 out 10 for paint storage!
3. Drawer Organization in an Alex Desk Unit
I used this method for a couple of years and it really did work out fine until I started to have a lot more paint!
What I Like
- I like that I can see all the colors that I have pretty easily.
- It was right beside where I work in the second down drawer so even thought it was in closed storage, I could just pull out the drawer and have my favorite paints close by!
- It held A LOT of paint!
What I Don't Like
- Once I got A LOT of paints it stopped working as well because I had to put them into layers instead of having them as flat lay.
- I don't love closed storage so having them in a drawer was not my favorite thing.
Overall I give this an 7 out 10 for paint storage!
4. Desktop Paint Spinner
I wanted to love this one so much, but I have to say that of all the solutions I have tried it is probably my least favorite… sigh.
What I Like
- I like that it is super visible, easily accessible and you can turn the spinner to see both sides.
- It is handy to have your paint available right on your desk.
What I Don't Like
- It takes up a surprising amount of space to store only 48 bottles of paint (I have SO MUCH PAINT!)
- It is heavy to pick up when it is loaded with paint and also the bottom falls down when you pick it up.
Overall I give this an 2 out 10 for paint storage!
- Type: A paint spinner that holds 48 paints.
- Challenges: Not suitable for more than 48 colors; difficult to move due to weight and design.
- Personal Experience: The blogger found it unsuitable due to space and mobility issues.
5. Repurposed Shelving Unit
I call this my rainbow storage box! I got this tray at a thrift store years ago and used it laying down for most of the time. Then I got the brilliant idea to sit it up and a perfect storage unit was born!
What I Like
- It easily holds 65 different paint bottles on open shelves and has room for many, many more!
- It sits on my desktop and I can grab and go with my paints.
- They are generally arranged by color so I have fussy places to put things back perfectly!
What I Don't Like
- The only thing I don't like is that I can't just pop out and buy another one of these because it was a vintage tray.
Overall I give this an 10 out 10 for paint storage!
5 Creative Ways To Store Paint Wrapup
This was such a fun post to write… I really was moving my paint around my craft room trying to figure out the “perfect solution” to storing LOTS AND LOTS of paint!
If you are reading this because you are struggling to organize your paint, just don't give up. Keep trying different solutions until you come upon one that makes your heart happy!
Here are some more craft room organization ideas you might like:
- How To Make An Acrylic Stamp Book
- 9 Creative Washi Tape Storage Ideas
- Good, Better, Best Ephemera Storage and Organization
