Crafts are great hobbies to have - they give you something to do with your hands away from phone screens, they can be really mindful activities, and you can create something beautiful that you can be super proud of too.
As a life-long crafter, I know all too well that most of these creative activities come with a whole lot of equipment and accessories, and diamond painting is definitely in that category, with the diamonds (also known as drills), applicators, wax and more.
It can get really messy if you don’t have the right storage for all your bits and bobs, and it’s much more enjoyable to get crafty in a clean and organised space, without things getting in your way or struggling to find the items you need.
So here are 5 clever ways to keep your diamond painting equipment neat and tidy.
1. Use a storage case for excess diamonds
Usually with diamond painting kits, you’re given more drills than you need for the design - it would be silly to throw them away, but it can get messy if you don’t have proper storage for them.
The 12 Compartment Storage Box from The Range (currently £1.69 in the sale) is really affordable, and I would keep the drills in the bags they come in inside each compartment, so that they’re easy to get out. You can then label the lid with the colour code, making it really quick to find what you need for your diamond painting project.
Or you could use a set of small drawers - this Iris Storage Cabinet (£57.89) has 64 drawers, so you could keep so many different coloured drills in this! Again, I would label each drawer with the colour code, so that you can find specific drills.
2. Get a clear file folder for your finished diamond art
If you’re an avid diamond painter, I can imagine you’re finishing more projects than you have wall space for! But you don’t want to just give or throw away your diamond paintings when you’ve spent so much time on them.
A great way to keep your finished diamond paintings safe and organised is to keep them in a folder - if they’re A4 size or smaller, it’s really easy to find ring binders and clear pockets in your local stationery shop, or you could use plastic document wallets.
For larger diamond art, a portfolio case is a fantastic solution - this Mapac portfolio (from £24.99) is really good quality, and comes in sizes A4 to A1. You can get plastic inserts to pop each diamond painting in, to keep them dry, safe and organised.
3. Stackable trays or crates to keep new projects and WIPs handy
Hands up if you like to have multiple projects on the go at once? Hands up if you also buy hauls of diamond painting kits, and then put them away out of view and forget about them?
Keeping all your works in progress (WIPs) tidy can be tricky, but letter trays could be the answer you’re looking for.
These Multiform Self Stacking Trays from Colemans (£4.99) come in loads of different colours, and they have a handy flat area on the front where you could stick a label with information about which diamond painting design is stored in each tray.
Or you could use some of those trendy stackable and foldable crates, which are available in every colour you could imagine, and are useful for so many different things. These crates from Mon Pote (£12.99) would comfortably fit diamond paintings between A4-A3 size.
4. Store rolled diamond paintings in a vinyl holder
If you’re ordering online, lots of diamond paintings arrive rolled, especially those that are on the larger side.
You can get these brilliant hanging vinyl roll holders with lots of compartments (this one has 24 and is £12.99) so you can store so many diamond paintings. It’s a great space-saver, and keeps things tidy and organised, plus you could hang it up behind a door to utilise an often un-used corner of your home.
5. Use a tool box to store diamond painting equipment
To store your drill applicators, wax, diamond trays, tweezers, and any other tools you use for diamond painting, why not use a tool box?
You could get a cheap and cheerful basic toolbox from B&Q (£4.99) and cover it in drills if you don’t like the colour, or treat yourself to a classy Cass Art Wooden Storage Box (£34.50) with gold clasps.
I don’t know about you, but all this talk of organising has got me wanting to spring clean my crafting space.
To learn more about diamond painting, head to my beginners blog series:
- 6 diamond painting tips & techniques for beginners
- 6 diamond painting mistakes every beginner makes, and how to avoid them
- 5 small projects to get beginners started with diamond painting
If you’re someone who enjoys lots of different crafts, you might also like my similar blog post about 5 clever products for keeping your cross stitching super organised, and I’ve written loads more helpful and inspirational cross stitch and diamond painting posts on the Meloca Designs blog.