Storing beads.

This photo and storage method is from Floor Kaspers, a bead collector and frequent contributer to Bead Collector Network.

She took plastic cylinders used for buttons they have small holes in the cap of each. With wire she attached one bead to the outside end of the cap, she then filled the tubes with that particular bead.

You can also hot glue the bead on the end, this works much quicker and is great for inexpensive beads if you aren't worried about needing that last bead on the end cap.

"My collectible beads are not in there, but my more common beads are. A good thing compared to boxing them is that I can see exactly which ones I have at a glance"

She has a fair amount of her smaller beads colour coordinated in this picture with her larger focal beads in a separate spot.

She says it took quite some time but in the end the convenience was more than worth the effort. She stores the tubes in inexpensive CD shelving.

You can see some of her larger beads in this shot. What a great way to be able to quickly survey what you have to work with, especially when you have as many great beads as Floor does!

I don't know about you but I am totally rethinking my boxes of beads in little ziplock baggies...

Organizing your shelves.

Once you get your shelves in (everywhere you can cram them in my case) it is time to think about how to organize what you put on them.

For this, I am a HUGE fan of see through boxes. Most of mine are Sterilite, though there are many brands to choose from. Clear containers are the only way to go. You want to be able to see what is in your boxes with as little work as possible!

You can buy these boxes anywhere from grocery stores, to big box places (they have the best prices) I purchased many of mine online here, buying in bulk you get the best price. Try to choose the squarest boxes you can find and make sure they "nest" well. Boxes with large round corners or domed lids may look "prettier" but take up much more space than the plainer ones, and worst of all, they hold less!

After learning the hard way, I now have 2 boxes I can't live without, you can see them in the photos. I use these small boxes for storing the tons of bags of rhinestones I have, things like snaps, and small tools. The medium boxes hold everything from spools of ribbon to completed pouches, my children's art supplies, patterns, fat quarters etc.

You can also see in this photo there are some very inexpensive (.99) hinged lid pencil boxes with colored lids that I picked up at my local big box store. I use these for sharpies, buttons, rotary cutters and their blades etc.

I also use some larger boxes up high to store light stuff like yarn, fiberfill, faux fur and fleece. You don't want to be on a ladder taking down really heavy stuff!