Whether you run a sewing business from your home or you've just started scrapbooking for fun, you may have noticed that crafting supplies have an alarming tendency to take up more and more space. Crafting clothing, knitted goods, or even paper goods can be a fulfilling hobby or business but tends to require a solid commitment of space.
Using a storage unit for the overflow can help you save closet and attic space in your home, help you keep stored crafting supplies together for better organization, and cut down on distracting clutter in your living space. Here are some tips for successfully storing crafting supplies in a storage unit.
1. Choose a Climate-Controlled Option
Climate-controlled storage units are the best bet for keeping your stash in perfect condition for the longest time. And unless you expect your stash to have complete turnover every couple of months, you should be aiming for that outcome. Climate-controlled storage helps prevent high humidity, which can foster mold and pests, as well as temperature extremes.
In addition to being your best bet for long-term storage, climate control is really a nonnegotiable for many crafting supplies.
2. Protect from Pest Damage
Most of the packaging and organizing techniques you'll need for a storage unit will be similar to those you'd use in any storage space. But when you're storing supplies away from home, it's especially critical to protect them from pests. They're not under your watchful eye every day, so any pest damage could have serious consequences.
If your crafting hobby involves yarn, you're probably well aware of the constant threat of wool moths and carpet beetles. It doesn't matter how spotlessly disinfected the storage unit is; a clothes moth could sneak in any time you open the door to the unit and then start producing yarn-munching larvae in your stash.
However, yarn isn't the only thing these pests will munch. Anything made of natural fibers, especially animal fibers, can suffer the same fate. This includes wool crafting felt, taxidermy pieces, hats, feathers, bolts of fabric, embroidery or sewing thread, vintage clothing, naturally sourced brush bristles, and many other craft-related items.
Check your crafting supplies for items with natural fiber content and store them in wool-proof containers. Airtight plastic bags, such as the space-saving vacuum bags, are ideal for keeping bugs out. If your items can't be stored safely in airtight plastic (because they're antiques, for instance), a tight-zippered suitcase with tape placed over the end of the zipper may suffice.
You can also use mothballs. But since they're highly toxic and only work in enclosed environments, simply making the extra effort to ensure moths can't get to your items is less hazardous. You should also invest in moth pheromone traps (these monitor for infestations but don't control them). You'll need one set for webbing moths and one for casemaking moths.
3. Make an Inventory
You may find it difficult to believe that you'll ever forget where you put that gorgeous bolt of fabric. You need your brainpower for more creative tasks though, and if your stash is large, you'll inevitably lose track of things.
Make a list of all the items you put in each bin, number the bins, and keep a master inventory list and schematic of your unit. This may take a couple of extra hours but is preferable compared to losing an hour each time you can't find something in the future — especially since you may be in a time crunch at the time.
These three tips will help you get your stash storage under control with the creative and well-organized use of a self-storage unit. If you'd like to take advantage of one of the units at Tysons Self Storage
, get in touch today to learn more about our locations, pricing, and availability.
