The Yarn Storage Hack That Your Craft Room Has Been Missing

While storing yarn in open baskets or bags is fairly common, this genius craft room organization hack is a sleeker and smarter way to keep your yarn safe, neat, and ready to use. Surprisingly, a plastic ornament storage container is all you need to whip your knitting or crocheting supplies into shape. Not only will this style of container keep your skeins protected from dust, but you can also drill a hole in the plastic of each compartment so that you can easily pull the strands through. Now, you'll be able to store your yarn and work on a project at the same time, creating a mobile storage solution.

Because ornament boxes are often split up into sections, they should be able to hold one skein in each long slot. This works best with stackable ornament storage such as the seasonal organizer that costs about $28 on Amazon. The zip-up ornament box for $23 at Joann would also be a good choice, though you'd have to remove the horizontal dividers. With larger skeins or chunkier yarns, holiday storage bins without compartments, like the 7-gallon latching storage tote for $9 from Target, are the best option. For those with huge collections of regular-size skeins, the seven layer stackable storage container on Amazon for $24 is a great choice, though you'll need to take out some of the dividers. With just an ornament box, you can keep your craft room spick and span and have your yarn ready for whenever you need it.

Before you alter your plastic storage to thread the yarn through, place your skeins inside to ensure they fit in the compartments. If they don't, try shifting the dividers around to get the right size. With the yarn inside, use a marker to make a dot where the center of the skein is on the side of the container to guide you when you're ready to drill. Remove all the yarn and drill a ⅜-inch hole wherever you've made a mark. The size of the opening can be adjusted for different yarn widths. 

While you could leave your project like this and simply thread the yarn through the hole, any rough edges could pull apart or damage your material. Instead, use eyelets to make a smooth surface for your yarn to glide through. Grommet kits can be found at Joann for under $4, making this a simple and inexpensive addition. Place one half of the grommet on each side of the hole and hammer them together.

For larger bins and bigger skeins, you'll want to set your yarn upright in the container and make your holes in the lid rather than the side of the plastic. Double check how thick your yarn is before drilling your holes. Now, you can tuck your yarn away when you're not crafting, but quickly pull it out and start knitting when you're ready. This nifty hack is a great way to bring extreme organization to your craft supplies and keep them easily accessible.