This is one of those things that I want to do a lot more than I do, but keeping up with a craft supplies inventory is a great way to know what you have, where it is and how much of it there is so you don’t overbuy.
What Is a Craft Supplies Inventory?
A craft supplies inventory is just a running list of the different craft supplies that you have, how much/what kinds and where they are located in your house. This is a great help if you’re crafting without a craft room or have things stored in different places that you might not remember what is where.
It doesn’t have to be fancy or take a lot of time to put together, but once you’ve done it (and as long as you regularly keep it with it) it can be a big help.
What are the Benefits?
To build your craft supplies inventory list, you’ll need to go through and organize all your things, which can be a great start for decluttering your craft supplies.
It will also help you think about what things should go together and where it makes the most sense to put them.
Once you have your inventory set up, you’ll be able to find that thing you’re sure you have but you don’t remember where you put it. This will keep you from buying another grommet maker or more blue cotton yarn if you know where you can find what you already have.
It might also encourage you to use what you have because just flipping through your lists can be inspiring. Or when you notice you have 3 tubes of the same shade of green paint, maybe you’ll decide to use it in a project.
How to Set it Up
There are lots of different ways you can start a craft supply inventory for yourself. Lots of people like digital options so they can have it with them at all times (to avoid thinking you don’t have something when you’re at the store only to realize you already have that thing).
If you have a lot of yarn and knitting needles/crochet hooks, Ravelry can be a good resource for logging that stash. I am too impatient to log every single ball of yarn I have (there are a lot of them!) but if you have a smaller stash or more patience that’s a great way to go.
You could also list things in the notes app on your phone, or if you use OneNote or another note taking product, you can have a section for each location and list everything that is there.
Or you can use paper. If you keep a bullet journal you can make pages for different locations and include what is there and mark off things as you use them and add new things as they arrive. Or use an index card or the printables below.
Craft Supplies Inventory Free Printable
I made up a quick printable that you can use to help organize your craft supply stash. It includes two pages: one for a general list of supplies along with their quantity, location and any additional notes (color, size, project ideas, etc.) and one you can use for a specific location like a box or a closet.
It would also be a great idea to make copies of the inventory for each particular area and keep them in a binder or folder together so you can find what you need without going into every location to check their inventory.
You can grab the PDFs here.
