6 Easy Ways to Store Sewing Tools

As you start sewing you start accumulating... projects, fabric, and of course tools. I have three main ways that I organize all of my use-all-the-time-small-tools and another 3 ways that I organized the use-some-of-the-time tools.

You check out the full video here:

The All The Time Tools

The most important thing for me here is that the tools are available and easy to access.

#1: The Pegboard

I absolutely love my pegboard here and have them all over the Hartford Stitch too. Now I know you have to have a sewing room and wall space to put it up, but everything is right where you need it. can have a hook for my scissors, my thread boards, and rulers. I even have little trays that I keep chargers or glue sticks or tape-- anything that I want really easy access to.

#2: The Coffee Can

My next favorite thing is the coffee can, I know that seems super simple, but I have so many of these. I have at least three on my sewing table right now and these are the ones that I use for the tools that I need to grab. So if I'm doing a project and it has a paper pattern, my paper scissors are there. My fabric scissors are there. Anything that's specific to this project that I don't want to have to keep putting away and looking for, I keep in my cans.

I also keep a can next to each machine. So my cover stitch, my surgery and my regular sewing machine all use different tools or different screwdrivers or have different accessories. So I keep all the specific accessories and tools for that machine in the can right by the machine and that way I know exactly where they are when I need them.

#3: The Sewing Box

I know that you can't always keep everything spread out in your sewing space like I do and that's where the sewing box comes in. You can get plenty of awesome sewing boxes at craft stores or my favorite vintage stores. My kids use this box right here.

I got this for Christmas some 25 years back and it was filled with choolate saws and hammers. I don't know how it survived all those years but it's perfect to store the kids tools in. Not only is it small, but it has a locking lid so they can tuck it away when they're not using it. Something like this is perfect if you don't a sewing space where you set up all the time or, if you do, but you really like to declutter in between projects. I've seen people use tackle boxes too and those are great because they often have the little drawers and compartments to put everything in.

The Not-All-the-Time Tools

So the big things are now organized, but we also know that there's all sorts of little things that need their own separate storage. So for the small little items I have plenty of little boxes and bins around, but these three are the ones that I go back to time and time again both in my home sewing room and over at the studio.

#1: The Take Out Container

The first one is the takeout container (and that's totally a real life photo-- fuzz everywhere!). Now I don't know about where you are, but where I am you actually can't recycle the black plastic. So whenever we get takeout these always end up in my sewing room. So right now this one is full clips, but I have ones full of buttons, I have some bullet zippers, I have one full of safety pins. Anything that I don't use all that frequently, but I want to store it in its own container usually gets a takeout container.

#2: The Small Compartment Organizer

Sometimes you need some more compartments though. So for my needles, I have this little case here. I bought this at Home Depot and I'm sure it's for screws or nails or fasteners. I love this for needles because I can put different size needles in different compartments or different purpose needles in different compartments.

If you're just getting started and you're thinking, "why do I even need more than one kind of needle?" Don't worry about it! You may want to check out one of our in studio classes or our Kids Learn to Sew Video E-course, where we go through all those details.

But I can have my hand sewing needles, my thimbles and everything I need here. So this keeps things super organized, so I'm not running to look for a needle when I break one.

#3: The Big Compartment Organizer

Last but not least is this guy. This is where I put all of those kind of one-off little tools that you don't use with any frequency, but you want to have them when you need them. So I have in here all sorts of different presser feet, my buttonhole cutter, rotary blades, and apparently I have even more needles-- those need to make it into the other one. I have a hera marker, which I've used once, but if I ever need it, I know where it is. I have some razor blades that came out of a vintage sewing kit which I just learned the other day was used before seam rippers were around. Anyways, lots of little things in this one, super organized.

So there you have it, nothing all that fancy really. A couple of specialty boxes here and there, but I like things where I can find them when I need them. So if it's a tool that I use all the time, it's the pegboard, the tin can, or the toolbox. And if it's something that I don't use all that frequently, but I to know where it is, it's the takeout container or one of those little compartment boxes.

If you're looking for more Sewing Room Inspiration please check out:

-5 Essential Parts of a Sewing Room and How to Keep It Comfy

-How to Organize All Your Projects

-My Sewing Room Tour and 3 Tips for a Clean Sewing Room

Thanks for joining me here and Happy Stitching!

Laura