Lion Brand Notebook ®
January has come and gone, and with it, the pressures of a New Year’s Resolution. There’s one resolution we at Lion Brand make year after year, and we have to admit, we’ve never nailed it. Maybe you’ve made the same one, too? To finally organize our yarn, and stop the stash creep from taking over the world. But just when we’ve got it in our heads to get organized, once and for all, we meet a yarn that steals our hearts, and it starts all over again.
@ladyjaycrochet on Instagram. She loves Vanna’s Choice & Wool-Ease Thick & Quick!
If this sounds familiar, read on for some amazing suggestions from real Lion Brand crafters, including photos of storage ideas! We’ll take you through step by step, providing plenty of tips along the way.
When it comes to getting sorted, whether it’s in our papers, closets, or kitchens, it’s all about finding the system that works for YOU! It can be as simple or complex as makes sense to your style, but unless it’s the answer to your unique organization questions, it just won’t stick. The ‘best’ organizational system is the one that works!
@mylefthook on Instagram. We spy Hometown USA, Mandala, Shawl in a Ball, Scarfie, & more!
Could the always-growing stash really, ever, be organized? Are we doomed to a life of piles and tubs, skeins lost and repurchased, only to be found chewed by our naughtiest pet? You know in your heart that getting organized would bring you crafting peace, but every fiber of your being is screaming ‘It just can’t be!’
This past week, we posed the question to the followers of our Lion Brand Yarn Studio Instagram, and the responses were smart, hilarious, and so relatable.
A brave follower commented first, putting it all out there: “Organize? What does that mean? My yarn is in a glorious pile in about 4 huge boxes!” Much respect for kicking it off with candor! The first step is admitting you have a problem. Only from there can we learn to understand the creep, and strive to overcome.
Crafters weighed in, and many an ‘lol’ was had! Highlights included:
One crafter shared that she often accidentally purchases ‘extras’, because she didn’t realize where she’d stashed her yarn after the last trip to the store! Another bemoaned the time wasted searching through piles, only to find she didn’t have quite what she thought, and would have to postpone a fresh idea for a later date. If you’d rather spend more time crafting than getting ready to craft, we heartily agree! Let’s get started.
@liliknits on Instagram
Trying to fit your style into some generic scheme won’t help you find a lasting solution. We want to find the plan to get organized that will celebrate and elevate your crafting, however you do! We’re borrowing a tip from Marie Kondo’s book, ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’: dump it all out on the floor. To figure out where you’re at, you’ve gotta see what you’re working with. Often, we don’t know HOW we’d like to organize because we aren’t actually sure WHAT we’re trying to organize! Unload every basket, pin, tote, tub, from all the rooms your yarn has wandered into, and feast your eyes.
Image: Emma Welford
If you’re someone who falls in love with a color, and you know you just need to have it – organizing by color might be perfect for you! You trust that the pattern will come, and it’ll be inspiring to gaze at the colors available to you. Whether you prefer an ‘open’ system, like display shelves, or a ‘closed’ one (think clear plastic tubs), visibility is key to keep you visualizing your next project.
TIP: If you wind your yarn into cakes, try sticking the label in the center, so it doesn’t get lost!
Many crafters get organized by color categories: blues, reds, greens, yellows, and so on, like a rainbow. But you can personalize it to your taste! Perhaps ‘blues/purples’ look right to you, and ‘reds/pinks’ fit together nicely, too. Or maybe you’ve got a LOT of red in your stash, so it’s helpful to differentiate: cherry red, burgundy, tomato red… you get the idea.
@craftygirl21830 on Instagram. This is about half her stash!
Within each color category, you could bag yarns that come from the same dye lot, to keep them well-organized for when they’re needed.
TIP: Clear plastic bags that seal will keep your yarn safe from critters or allergens, and fresh for whenever it’s time to cast them on.
Maybe you find a particular pattern to try, and you don’t have your heart set on a color. For you, it could be all about organizing by weight! If yarn weight is your biggest consideration, separate your yarns into those piles first. Your categories can be as broad or specific as you like! Maybe all your finer yarns get grouped together, because you know you’ll adjust the gauge for a project based on what weight you choose. Or you can follow the Craft Yarn Council’s yarn weight symbols:
From there, you can organize based on what your next crafting decision would be! If you’ve found your pattern, and you’ve got your Bulky skeins in front of you, will you choose the color that suits the project best? Or reach out and give the skein a feel? Whether it’s color, fiber, or texure, let your instinct guide you to the next step in organization.
TIP: I find it easier to have the weights organized, even small bits of yarn, because you never know when you will need a red trim or extra blue.
@cuddlebunnyknits on Instagram
One crafter shared, “I buy project specific, so I lay the pattern and the yarn together on my shelf where they talk to me.” We love that! If you’re a project shopper & storer, how do you decide what you’d like to work up next? This might change depending on the season. Around the holidays, you might have a long list of gifts to create, and you’ll choose to craft in order of what will take most time to make. You could also organize by type of project – one bin for mittens & gloves, one for hats, a tub for sweaters, for example. Or you might categorize by size of project. We’re looking to create the system that reflects how you think about it in your head, so go with your gut!
TIP: I keep the project notes, patterns, and yarn together if possible.
We love this tip! When you get the inspiration, don’t let disorganization hold you back from casting on!
There are great reasons to organize your yarn by fiber! You or someone you’re crafting for might be sensitive or allergic to certain materials, so it’s key to keep them separated. Our crafters suggested the following fiber categories: cotton, wools, synthetic, plant, animal, and blends. If your first thought when considering a new project is how you’d like it to feel, the texture or weight of the material, then organizing fiber might fit right in with your train of thought.
@memmiescorner shares an anniversary gift from her hubby – a yarn cabinet!
These are just a few possibilities, but if none of them strike your fancy, we’d encourage you to keep brainstorming! You can organize by how expensive the yarn was, or by the producer. Another interesting tip was to organize by season, cool and warm. Let’s say you enjoy the thrill of the chase, and hunting through a pile of yarns feels practically decadent. Then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with chucking it all in one big basket!
First, you want to find your ‘where’. And your ‘where’ can be anywhere! We heard from crafters using hanging shoe organizers on the back of the bathroom door, and who are we to judge? Depending on what space you have available, it’s powerful to claim a space just for your crafting.
TIP: Wherever you stash, make it user friendly! If you use a closet or storage room, consider a touch light or hanging drop light. Make it easier to see colors, read labels, and grab what you need!
Whether it’s a trunk in the living room, bookshelf in the bedroom, a special closet outfitted just for your yarn needs, think creatively about where you can carve out a spot in your home for the hobby you love.
@nakitaleicreations on Instagram #goals
Once you have a ‘where’ in mind, the ‘how’ get’s a little bit easier. If you’re working with a small space, say a corner of your living room, maybe a shelf with some baskets to separate your yarns into. Maybe it’s a chest or trunk, so you can shut the lid and focus on your current WIP only. You can still work with trays, bags and baskets inside to get a better handle on what you have!
*We here at Lion Brand don’t specifically recommend IKEA, however, many of our crafters did!
The Gualov Storage Table is lovely for a small amount of yarn, and for the crafter who doesn’t mind mixing it all together. We would not suggest it for a home with pets! The PS Cabinet has shelving inside, and you can organize further into bags or baskets. I found a mint condition PS Cabinet on Craigslist for a fraction of the price!
@michellemckown on Instagram. She’s using the Gualov Storage Table & some sensible totes!
TIP: One crafter with pets opted for a glass-front display case! She said it was worth the extra cost, since looking at her yarns inspired her to craft more often, and use skeins she never thought she would, while keeping them safe from her pets.
Of course, there’s no need to splurge for a more expensive option! Great versions can be found at local thrift stores, garage sales, or on sale at your local retailers. Think outside the box – some commenters suggested hutches, dressers, and changing tables were a very popular idea!
@road.chick on Instagram. Check out her road case yarn storage!
If you need more portability, or have less space to work with, you could opt for a roller suitcase, or as pictured above, a road case that used to house a sound board.
These containers were all suggested by our lovely crafters! The Better Homes & Gardens Storage Cube is a great choice, since the fabric lining won’t snag yarns of any texture. The MDF Wood Crate could fit many skeins on-end, and you’d get a great glimpse of what you have! The Paper Rope Basket is pretty & handy, though you might want to be wary of the possibility of snagging skeins.
TIP: One commenter mentioned that her local coffee shop recycles milk crates. She plans to pick some up, spray paint them, and line the inside with scrap fabric to prevent snags. Brilliant!
We’re looking for the container that makes perfect sense to you. So if you don’t see something you love, shop around!
A closet can be surprisingly savvy, if there’s an unused one in your home, as you can work with hanging shoe organizers, hanging clothing racks for sweaters, and even small shelving inside. Hanging shoe organizers like this one were by far the most-recommended organizational tool! There are readily-available cubbies for organizing by color, weight, or brand, and they make the most of vertical space. Another crafter recommended an over-the-door organizer, with pockets of varying sizes for all your different skeins!
@hanksandneedles on Instagram shares her beautiful crafting space.
Ultimately, you’ll want to organize down to the degree that gives you peace.
If a basket full of ‘red’ looks inviting, stop there. But if you’d like to bag each color individually, then taking the extra step will be worth the minutes you spend! Some crafters were all about a sealing baggie, while others preferred a sturdier tupperware. Many people suggested labeling in some fashion; writing on a label you’ll stick to the bag, or making notes on a post-it you’ll seal inside. Anything to help you see clearly what you’ve got!
The most challenging step of any organizational system is… staying organized! Projects, yarn hauls, and life will get in the way, so having a plan will ensure your system stays intact.
@hanksandneedles on Instagram even stays organized while crafting!
Almost all of our crafters mentioned having a special place for their WIPs. Collapsible baskets, project bags, or trays by the couch, having a spot where your Works in Progress live can help you see just how many things you’re working on at one time! Depending on your project load, you might need a special container in your organizational system just for the WIPs. But don’t fret! This is the fate of every crafter, and acknowledging their presence means you’re more likely to get around to finishing them.
@daniellemrodier on Instagram #cartenvy
There will always be an irresistible skein, or a fabulous sale, we just can’t help ourselves! So we must prepare for the inevitable. This is where the idea of an ‘inbox’ comes in handy. Just as we suggested a special spot for your WIPs, we’d also recommend an ‘inbox’ for the new yarns that come into your life. This could be a basket at the entrance to your crafting space, or a special shelf reserved for Unorganized Yarns. It’s very easy for the ‘inbox’ to become more of a ‘dumping ground’, and from here, the stash can begin to creep. It helps if you empty your shopping bag, making the ‘mess’ visible, so you’ll notice it. It also helps to have a loose schedule of when you’ll handle your inbox, whether it’s at the end of a project, or once a month.
@knittingwonders on Instagram
Many crafters brought up great tips (and hilarious stories) about keeping yarn and pets in the same home. The colorful balls seem like an endless toy for cats and dogs alike, so open displays just might not be right if you have wily creatures in your house. Sealed containers are also ideal if you craft for anyone with allergies; reactions are often caused by pet dander, so while you might not see stray hairs in your fiber, allergens could still be present. Dust can also present allergy issues, so while it’s beautiful to have it out where you can see it, it might not be practical if it ends up sitting a spell!
TIP: One crafter suggested keeping your current project’s skein in a Ziploc bag, sealed except for the strand in use. When crafting for babies, especially, this keeps everything very clean.
Diane Hein on Facebook uses old mail slots from her office.
A couple creative crafters mentioned using sachets to keep their yarn fresh & free of fiber-eating-critters. Ingenious! One crafter knits her own sachets, to get some extra practice double-knitting, and fills them with her own dried herbs, as well as dried citrus rinds & cedar shavings. Another crafter loves lavender sachets in her yarn tubs.
One wildly organized crafter described the inventory spreadsheet she made listing brand, weight, color, and quantity. It’s on her computer, but she has access to it via her cell phone, so she can add any yarn while she’s standing in the checkout line. She also deletes yarn once it’s been used. She uses the Apple Numbers app, and describes her process on her blog. We bow down!
Our blogger All About Ami’s inspiring stash!
It was such a pleasure to read all your tips & tricks, and laugh out loud at our shared yarn obsession. We loved to see people connect with one another, commenting to share ideas, or ask for more details, united by the struggle of too much, yet somehow not enough yarn! We’re going to get our stashes under control this year, if it’s the last thing we do. How about you? Let us know which tips you liked, what you’re excited to try, and if you have any great ideas we missed! Let’s Mind the Stash in 2018.
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Carol D
Missed this originally – and have just read all these wonderful ideas! ‘
I guess we’ve all made that vow – “I’m not going to buy another bit of yarn til I use up some of this ever-growing stash!” – and that holds until we get that ad for that :special’ yarn we’ve had our eyes on – or just happen to find ourselves walking down the yarn aisle in the craft store (and HOW did I end up here???)
I have those inexpensive plastic cabinets with drawers – that are now stacked two high and almost completely fill the hallway from living room to bedroom! and, of course there are a couple more in the bedroom, plus the plastic blanket bins full of yarn that a friend gave me when she “de-stashed” her house! and then – oh dear! I saw this darling pattern and just HAD to buy the yarn for it while it was on sale, right? and, oh yeah – almost forgot there are three baskets full next to my chair in the living room for whichever WIP I might feel like working on at any given moment….I think I have a terrible case of stash-creep! and must find a cure….my mind is going in so many directions, it’s hard to make up my mind which project I want to finish first….but after reading this, I no longer feel like I’m alone!
Ally Carey
Thank you for sharing, Carol! Ah, the stash-creep is SO real… You might like our latest post about yarn challenges! I don’t know if you’re on Facebook, but there’s a fun group called ‘Finish It February’, where folks post about which WIP their focusing on, and encourage one another to get to the cast off. 🙂
Barbara Kuehne
My yarn corner is overflowing! I just bought some milk crates at Wal-Mart and am planning to organize by project. Thanks for all the helpful ideas!
Ally Carey
How cute, Barbara! Milk crates are classic. 🙂
Sally Schneider
I am very new to knitting about one month in and already have 3 large storage totes filled with yarn. They are not exaxtly organized but i know what i am making with most of it. I have organized my patterns by yarn weight in a binder with dividers & put a stcky note on tge pattern page with the yarn info that I have purchased for those. I have yarn that i bought in the beginning because of the feel & colour now i have to find patterns. Thanks for the tips we are moving this year & then I will have an entire room devoted to my crafts.
Ally Carey
Sally, this binder tip is awesome! We might need to update the blog to share… Isn’t it funny how savvy we can be about one organizational idea, and then need a little help on another part of it? Best wishes to you with your move, and we’d love to see a photo of your craft room when it’s done – sounds dreamy!
Mary Ellen Eckels
Love this totally! It’s time for me to empty and see what’s in all those bins and bags. Thanks so much. Great, great tips – and I love the laughs as well. If you can’t look at this with humor you’ve made the job alot harder than it has to be.
Ally Carey
Mary Ellen, we couldn’t agree more. We must laugh through the pain! 🙂
Makenzie Alvarez
Thank you Lions Brand Yarn for including me in your blog. As a former personal organizer I find it truly helps to be organized, it inspires me to create and design. Knowing where everything is makes it easier and frustration-free.
Happy creating âž°
Ally Carey
Makenzie, such a pleasure to follow you on Instagram & see all your crafting! Thank you for sharing your space, it’s an inspiration. 🙂
Debbie McLane
Thanks for all the great tips. I started with plastic tubs several years ago and use all of the above ideas. One tub is just for babies, one for novelty, one for brand (lion wool in 4 colors), one for projects, one for color, one for scraps and one for “I just had to have it”. But, don’t wait too long to use something in your stash. I decided to make my sister a lovely sweater I saw with some yarn I bought 25 years ago. I thought I had stored it right, but when knitting with this wool, some skeins started to split and I ended up with lots of pieces from one foot to three feet long and only had enough to make the sweater with short sleeves. I hunted for more on many web sites, but never found any. Keep buying, but use it too!
Ally Carey
Wise advice, Debbie! Yes, much of the organizing advice is about making things easy to see and access, so we don’t have to trouble-shoot (though it sounds like you did a great job!). A special tub for baby-yarn is a great idea!
Andrea Starn
Last summer we had a yard sale, and I did the unthinkable… I went through my stash of yarn and sold all the skeins that I didn’t like the weight/color/feel of and that I didn’t have as part of a project already. When I first started knitting on a larger scale, I would buy yarn that was on sale because “I’m sure I can use it some day” LOL . Now I only buy yarn I love, for projects that I’ve planned, and keep them each in either a cloth tote from the fabric store, or a plastic tote with a lid with the instructions to the project inside. It cut down on my frustration of looking through all the yarn, AND I delighted other crafters as they found yarn in colors that they were looking for. One woman kept coming back, as her mother had projects she needed various colors for, and we had it for low prices. It wasn’t as hard as I thought to part with, and it was a joy to know someone else could use it happily.
Ally Carey
Andrea, what a fabulous idea! I might have to write a second blog, with all these extra tips. I don’t know if you’ve read ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’, but that’s a beautiful idea the author shares, which you’ve said here – it’s a joy to give items a second life by giving them away to someone who will get more use out of them!
Joan Bray
What to do with the one and a half skeins left over from a project? There IS a charity knitting group in your town that would love to have it.
Ally Carey
Joan – great idea! I might have to write a second post, people are sharing so many more great ideas in their comments! This is a very generous way to share the love of crafting, and the resources to participate.
Kathy Hoover
I bought 2 of the large 4 drawer plastic containers at Walmart and put my yarn in the drawers according to color. I have 2 units stacked one on top of each other. This has worked well for me. I bought the turquoise color and the containers are in my crafts closet so it looks very pretty! I also bought 2 sets of the same containers but in the smaller size and stacked them as well for other things. The whole room is nothing but shelves – it is truly a dream closet for crafters!!
I do not like using baskets or any other open containers because then things get dusty. Therefore all of my containers are closed with lids or in drawers. A lot of my containers are those very pretty boxes that you find at Michael’s and Joann’s – all on sale of course!! Those are my favorite! When giving a gift, I will often purchase one of those and put the gift in one of those and then the person receiving the gift actually has two gifts!
Ally Carey
Kathy, what a great idea! Several great ideas, but especially gifting the item in a reusable container! Definitely cuts down on waste, as well. 🙂
Catherine Brown
Glad to know I’m not alone!
Ally Carey
Of course not, Catherine! We’re all in this together… for better or worse! 🙂
Becky Murphy
Finally some ideas on organizing yarn. Thank you. I’d also like ideas on organizing needles. I’ve organized my circular needles in a binder in those inexpensive, zippered, clear plastic pencil cases but don’t know what to do with everything else.
Ally Carey
Hi, Becky – great question! I’m considering a ‘Part 2’ based on all the great tips & questions coming up in these comments. I’ll get to work on that, stay tuned!
Nancy Duda
I had to laugh at the hint to put everything on the floor so you could see all your yarn. I don’t have enough floor for all my yarn. lol I sort by fiber, then weight, then manufacturer, then color, and finally dye lot. This has worked for me for several years.
Ally Carey
Haha, yes, it’s a pretty bold move! I tried it once with my books before a big move, couldn’t walk anywhere for hours. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your method!
Wendy Connelly
Giving to good causes with any yarns that are either left over from projects or ones that no longer interest me.
I give to churches and groups that knit for children or older people who need a shawl, or warm clothing.
Ally Carey
Wendy, this is a beautiful idea – I’ll be sure to include this idea in a follow-up post!
Cheryll McGehee
I have decided that once past the organization set up that the trick to staying that way is accessibility. Your stuff has to be easy to get to & easy to put away; otherwise, it just piles up in some “convenient” place that is anything but “organized.”
Because I have trouble with critters in my workroom, I have learned to use clear fairly flat containers with latch down lids.
I tend to sort by color but like the yarn weight sort idea as well.
I store project ideas in loose-leaf binders & use dividers with pockets. I only pull out the pattern when I’m ready to start the project.
I also store hooks, needles, scissors & other accessories in clear plastic containers: crochet in one & knitting needles in another. I’ve added extra scissors & everything else so I won’t continuously be on the hunt.
I also have sorted books & magazines by subject, but storage for those items to keep them accessible is more difficult.
I wish I was as organized as the gal who does the spreadsheet on her computer!
Ally Carey
Cheryll… it sounds like you’re an amazing organizer! I am going to include some of your ideas in a follow-up post (as many great tips & questions have been shared in the comments). We all wish we could use a spreadsheet… #goals
Lissy Gulick
I am re-purposing a former tiny bedroom in our century house: it is now a “lumber room” (storage space). If I have more than one skein of the same yarn left from a project, it gets weighed and stored in a plastic bag, with the number of oz written on the outside in magic marker. I do the same with the yarns left over from a multi-color project (i.e., roving wool yarns left from my fav helmet hat project). The plastic bags can be stored upright on a shelf and grabbed easily when you want to use them!
Ally Carey
Lissy, great idea! Knowing how many ounces you have is a brilliant tip, I’ll include that in a follow-up post!
Tammy Decker
My stash is in a laundry basket, overflowing into project bags. I also just won 40 skeins of premium yarn. So I definitely need to make this happen!
Ally Carey
Tammy, it sounds like it might be time to let your organizational ideas shine! Also, congrats on the big win! 🙂
Miriam Young
You can also use Ravelry to keep a record of your stash. I have taken pictures of all my yarn and uploaded them into the my Ravelry stash database. You can search by weight, color, content, etc. Or you can just browse through your stash online – default sort seems to be color. It’s a lot of work to set up, but is absolutely wonderful once it’s done. I try to add yarn as I get it, but usually just set aside a day once a month or so to add all the new stuff.
I store the yarn itself by color categories, with special bins for “onesies”. Makes it easier when I’m looking for a single skein for a small project.
Ally Carey
Miriam, what a great tip! I’m going to write a follow-up post, as so many great ideas have come up in the comments. Thanks for sharing!
Melvia Wong
I love these tips. I just downsized from a house to an apartment so one can imagine the dilemma I’ve been in trying to manage my stash. I like using the fabric cubes and clear plastic bins: cubes for WIPs and bins for out of season weight yarns. I like the tip of sorting by weight.. I too keep a inventory spreadsheet, but that needs updating. Thanks again. Question: how and where do you store the finished projects? Any tips?
Ally Carey
Hi, Melvia – thank you! Yes, that sounds like quite the project, but you seem to have great ideas! And thank you for your question – I plan to write a follow-up post, since so many good questions & ideas have come up in the comments. Let me clarify – are these finished projects for you, or gifts waiting to be given?
Karen Asfour
I loved this article. I think I have things organized but after reading this…I need to re-evaluate. I do have a WIP area by my rocker where I crochet and I have a closet in which I keep my yarn hanging in tote bags from the clothes rod. My utensils are all in a LARGE tote bag with my WIP. One thing I try to do that is necessary if you put things away to “finish later” is to keep the hook you are working with woven in the item or stuffed in the skein. Otherwise you can forget which hook you used. I crochet very loose and usually do not use the hook called for in the directions or on the yarn label.
Ally Carey
Hi, Karen – well, you’ve added a GREAT tip yourself! I am now planning a follow-up post, since so many good ideas have come up in the comments. Keeping the tool with the project seems like a no-brainer, but I’ve never thought of it before! Thanks!
Elizabeth Lewis
All of these ideas are great! I had to organize my stash when I realized my cat was eating the plastic bags. I bought clear boxes from the Container store. They are all the same size so they stack evenly. I arranged them by yarn Weight then by color. I have a hall closet where I store them. I use two cloth bags with zippers to store my circular needles. They are divided by smaller and larger. I also LOVE the Yarn Pop bags. These are great bags for storing a project. They come in different sizes. They have grommets on the front sobthe Yarn doesn’t get tangled. They are also great if you like to knit on the train or plane. Needles, notions, yarn and project are in one bag with a zip top so stitches tend to stay on the needles, I don’t forget my stitch markers or measuring tape. I can’t say enough about these wonderful bags. They are made in Portland Oregon.
Ally Carey
Elizabeth, this is a great tip, and thank you for suggesting your favorite product! I’ll do some research, and include them in a follow-up post (since so many good ideas have been mentioned in these comments!).
Louise Cote
This tip made me LOL: . She plans to pick some up, spray paint them, and line the inside with scrap fabric to prevent skeins.
Prevent skeins. ROFL!
Ally Carey
Louise, now I am laughing too! Good catch. Ahahaha!
Diana Gastrau
Dazz carousel organizer from Walmart costs about $15.00 hangs on closet rod and rotates. Has about 40 pockets that easily hold a skein of yarn. Also has some Cubbies as well. Easy to store yarn by brand, color, etc.
Anne Hayes
I like these storage ideas, just need a bigger house with a special me-cave. .Since I’m not computer-savvy or have a Smart Phone, I keep my inventory in composition notebooks. Each variety gets its own page with the colors and color #s listed along with a copy of the catalog’s description (ex. AC Moore, Michaels, Herrschners, Mary Maxim, Premier, Caron, etc.) on one side and on the back page I tape a yarn label to it. That way I have all the yarn’s info handy. And it’s fun taking them to the store when there’s a sale so I don’t over purchase. LOL. I keep the skeins in large clear vacuum space saver bags so critters and dust don’t get to them. When I see patterns, my mind goes into overdrive with ideas…just don’t get time enough to do all my project ideas. Gotta figure how to get less sleep to free up more time. My husband says I could open my own yarn store…nope.
Ela Ackley
My daughter made a shelf to go completely around the 4 walls of the spare room about 18 inches below the ceiling. My stash (well, a lot of it) is now in see-thru bins, sorted by color and weight. I can see what I want from the floor before I pull out the step stool to get it.
Thanks for some great ideas for the rest of what I have…and maybe some future “retirement savings” skeins.
Ellyn Holloway
I love the idea of open shelves or boxes attached to the wall, such as this from Make and Do Crew: https://makeanddocrew.com/diy-yarn-storage-shelves/
My husband was all set to build them with me!
Then… somehow we have cloth moths. I think they came in on a gifted sweater. It’s been a nightmare. Every time we think we’ve got them all killed, a couple months go by, and we find a new hiding place. They seem to especially like our dogs fur that she sheds, so they’ll actually attach themselves to any clothing or yarn if it has a little dog fur. I’ve got yarn all bagged separately now, and then in plastic totes, So that if the eggs are on something, at least it will be isolated. It’s kind of a nightmare. I’ve lost a lot of animal fiber hanks of yarn, just thrown right out because it’s all chewed to bits. Very depressing.
Cathy Deavy
First, I loved this article!! There were a lot of amazing tips in the article and from other readers that I plan on using. I have a large Ikea cube storage unit that I use in my craft room (so many hobbies, so little time). I call it my “Wall of Shame”. I store patterns on the top shelves. Larger patterns in binders and smaller books in photo storage boxes on the top shelves. I then organize the stash according to weight, fibre and type (baby, novelty, etc.). I recently bought some cloth cube boxes to use as drawers as the cubes are quite deep and it can be hard to find things at the back. But I’m always re-organizing it for one reason or another. I also cull my stash at least once a year and get rid of yarns that I’ve had for too long so that someone else can use them.
Alta Rice
I hesitate to use sachets or anything scented if I am working on a project for someone else. In fact, I make sure I wash my hands with unscented soap before handling the materials for a gift item. Babies can be quite sensitive to scents. The same type of caution goes for a household with a smoker. Odors can be particularly strong after being sealed up in a box and wrapping paper.
Melissa Kleiderer
My yarn stash was getting overwhelming, so I donated the majority of it to a women’s ministry at a local church. They make prayer shawls and baby items for charitable causes so I knew it would bring joy and comfort to many people. Then, I sorted through the remaining yarn and put it in large glass jars on a bookshelf by color. It’s decorative, makes me happy when I look at it, and it’s easy for me to choose which yarn I want to work with for my next project.
Brenda Finnegan
When my husband made me give up the spare bedroom (my yarn room) for an office, I declared that there had to be something in it for me. So we went to Ikea and bought two large storage shelves with a total of 24 sections. I put fabric cubes in the bottom 6 sections to stop our small dog from getting to those. We added a couple drawer sections to store needles, crochet hooks, and other necessary tools, and a couple cabinet fronts for the stuff I just need to, well, stuff somewhere. It is now christened “The Yarn Wall.” It sits in the den facing two comfy leather recliners perfect for relaxing. There is a large screen TV on top (for him), flanked by pictures of the grandkids and my largest glass vases filled with teeny tiny balls of (you guessed it) yarn. I actually like it more than the yarn room. I can go “shop” my own Yarn Wall for a new project! Now if I could just find some place to store my pattern books and notebooks!
Virginia Hoban
I recently organized my huge yarn stash by purchasing storage units that hold baskets of my yarn. They are fabric baskets that don’t snag the yarn. I have 2 large units in my bedroom. And one smaller unit in my living room. I like to organize mostly by yarn weight, but also have some baskets for my amigurumi projects, yarn for charity blankets, and any Wips I am currently working on. My Christmas yarns will go into a tub or plastic bin of some kind. Then, because I had so much yarn I felt I would never have time to use, or had leftover from other projects, I boxed it all up (3 large boxes) and sent to the charity group I meet with each week where we crochet blankets for Project Linus. They were so happy to get this and I am happy to finally get organized. A win win situation!
Teamoy Knitting Bag Yarn Storage Tote Review
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Judy Brohammer
Damaging moths
I keep most of my stash in my mother’s cedar chest. It Avery large Lane and at least 80 years old. I did have a WIP that did get moths, so I put it in the extra refrigerator freezer (kills moths and eggs. I forgot about it and on Thanksgiving I sent my daughter (who works in senior care) to get something from that freezer. She took a picture and immediately posted on Facebook with the caption, “Do you think my mom needs our professional services?” Rotten child. I need to organize what is in there so I don’t have to pull everything out looking for one thing. Thanks for the ideas.