Craft Room Storage Ideas for Ribbon and Thread

The best craft room storage ideas for ribbon and thread share one rule: keep it shallow and visible. Spools fit on shelves only 3 inches deep or so, ribbon belongs on a rod, and anything precious goes behind a door.

If you've ever pulled a spool and come up with a tangled nest of three colors, you're in good company. Here's how to organize a small craft room corner so you can find things and still enjoy looking at it.

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Start by sorting what you own

Storage should follow the collection, not the other way around. A quilter with a couple hundred spools needs something very different from someone who wraps gifts with thick wired ribbon. Thread spools want shelves about 3 inches deep, while large ribbon spools can need up to 6 inches. Mixing both in one bin usually ends in a pile.

Then sort by how often you reach for things:

• Within arm's reach of your seat (roughly 14 to 16 inches): the white and black thread, scissors, the tape measure.
• On wall shelves or racks you can see: the colors you rotate through.
• In high cabinets or opaque bins: bulk back-stock and seasonal ribbon.

How do you store thread on a wall?

Go vertical and go shallow. A picture ledge or spice rack, typically 2.5 to 4 inches deep, holds one row of spools so nothing gets pushed to the back and forgotten. A standard 10-12 inch shelf invites double-stacking, and then you never see the back row. If deep shelves are all you have, tiered "stadium" organizers make the back rows visible.

Pegboard is the simple, modular option. You can rearrange it as your hobby changes without patching drywall. Paint it the wall color and the supplies become the decoration instead of a garage backdrop.

Dowels for ribbon

A dowel between two brackets turns each spool into a dispenser. As an architect, I'd mount it at least 18 inches above the work surface so the hanging tails stay out of your project. Use a 3/8 or 1/2 inch wooden dowel, since thinner ones bow under full spools.

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Which drawers and closed storage work best?

Open display is pretty, but sunlight fades ribbon and can weaken thread over time. For silk thread, vintage ribbon, or anything in a sunny room, I recommend closed storage. Shallow drawer units work well, and so does a closet fitted with shelves if you're after a boutique look (see how to create a craft closet that looks like a boutique).

Drawers need dividers. Clear acrylic inserts or honeycomb dividers keep spools upright and stop them unwinding every time you open the drawer. For bulkier supplies, a lidded storage ottoman doubles as a seat.

If you live with pets

Loose thread and ribbon are a real hazard for cats and dogs, because swallowed string can cause serious internal problems. Check with your vet if your pet has gotten into any. I recommend closed cabinets with latches, or keeping dangling ribbon racks well above jumping height, around 48 inches or more for most animals.

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A simple DIY idea for renters: the frame method

This is one of the easiest craft room storage ideas DIY fans can try, and it suits a budget. Take a large vintage picture frame, remove the glass and backing, and mount it to the wall. Inside, add narrow wood strips as little shelves for thread, or horizontal tension rods for ribbon. The frame gives the supplies a boundary, so the wall reads as an arrangement instead of clutter.

• Leave about 1.5 inches between the top of the largest spool and the rod above, so you can lift it out freely.
• Tension rods suit light spools. For heavy 50-yard satin rolls, use screw-in cup hooks with wooden dowels.

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Desktop and portable options

If you sew at the dining table and store supplies elsewhere, use a caddy. Tiered metal or wood stands made for cupcakes or mugs save desk space, and a lazy Susan keeps spools in reach.

Glass jars protect against dust and look good, but they're poor for dispensing. Use them for scraps, buttons and things you grab by the handful. Sorting short ribbon scraps by color in small jars keeps them visible without mixing them with full rolls.

For a tight space, the ideas in how to organize a small house with no storage and how to decorate corner shelves also help.

Make it easy to use and nice to look at

Sort spools by color so your eye knows where to scan. Strip off crinkly plastic wrap, and wind loose ribbon around wooden clothespins for a uniform look. Label opaque bins consistently, whether with a label maker or handwritten kraft tags.

You also can't match colors in poor light. New Mexico State University's guide to sewing and hobby centers says lighting experts recommend at least 150 watts incandescent or 40 watts fluorescent shaded lighting for most hobbies. In my practice I'd add a daylight-leaning bulb, around 3500K to 4000K with a high color rendering index, so navy doesn't read as black.

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Frequently asked questions