Friday, January 15, 2010

Ribbon organization


This is an area I have always struggled with. As of yet I have not really found the perfect solution.

The photo above shows my ribbon spools displayed on a large pantry rack on the back of my craft room door. This really works fairly well and I can actually see all of my ribbons at a glance. The problem is that I don't have enough doors to fully display all the ribbon I really have so I had to choose:

1. Knock some holes in my walls and make a few more doors
2. Find another way

Well, I chose #2 mostly because it would be less work and much more cost effective! So I purchased a couple of the ribbon bags with the holes all over the outside. Well I love how condensed you can make it but there are a couple of issues. First my ribbon does get tangled up inside which is then a hassle to get in there and dig through all the ribbon to loosen it up. Second, if I pull a ribbon out a ways to see how it will work with my project there is no way to get it back in without again, you guessed it, digging inside.

So I will stick with what I have until I find something better. Who knows, maybe I will invent the perfect solution. Until then, I'd love to hear how you organize your ribbon. Post a comment here sharing your ribbon organization tips and a picture if you have one. On Monday I will draw a winner from all the posts to receive a nice little goodie bag full of ribbon from me!

28 comments:

LollyChops said...

You should totally try the ribbon ring! I totally love that thing and it keeps my ribbon organized, I can cart it over to my projects and lay each ribbon out one at a time to see what's going to work best!

You can read all about it here:
http://www.ribbonring.com/

HUGS! Hope that helps!

TesoriTrovati said...

Guess what doll? I have the perfect solution for you and it is in my *old* basement (just break in and you can have one!) I had some shelves with a steel rod created by my woodworking friend Larry. I have two. Since I have never used them since I got them, and since I will just find space for one of them in my new studio, you will be the recipient of one of them! All you need to do is say please! (Okay, you can have it even if you don't! But I will insist on a thank you! ;-) The wood is even unfinished so you can paint to match the cute decor of your room. Won't fit all your rolls but the ones you use the most...and if you want another I know the creator! Enjoy the day!
Erin
P.S. Thanks for lunch. I needed that. When will we do it again?

Melanie Stanczyk said...

Ya know, if you stayed out of the ribbon section at Michael's you wouldn't have this problem.

Just kidding!

I have my ribbon in glass jars by color.

jen said...

I haven't done it yet, but I'm planning on getting a vinyl gutter (from lowe's/home depot) to use as a trough of sorts for my ribbon. That way I'll still be able to see it & it won't get tangled. You can mount them on the wall....

D's Paper Studio said...

I have struggled beyond belief on this one too Lisa. I have just purchased at Michaels a Ribbon holder with a top shelf at Micheals. They have been running 40 and 50% off. But my small ribbon spools won't fit, so I have my stand by of the cropper hopper ribbon holder and still for all those pieces I had stuck in a jar I've purchasedthe larger plastic ribbon cards that have a hole in the top. I'm wrapping my pieces and I'll hang them on hooks I have on the edge of my scrap table. You know...I don't believe there is a perfect soluction.

Tona said...

I have my loose ribbon in big jars. It's pretty but takes some digging around some times. My spooled ribbon is in those clear plastic shoe box containers that I have stacked on top of each other just inside my closet door. That works pretty well because I see through the top as well as the sides to see what I have in each one.

lavendarrose29 said...

I believe there is a perfect solution but it is one that will work for you. My friend has a paper towel holder looking thing with her spools of ribbon on it. Another friends has a long ribbon looped through all her spools and has tied a knot in and hung on a hook over her table so its within reach. The ribbon rings work well for another friend. I have the stampin up ribbon holders times two set and I only allow myself what ribbon will fit in them so I am not overwhelmed with where to put things.

flowergirl said...

I really dont have a perfect solution..cause i dont really know how to store my ribbon either..like how does one store 1 yard pieces...and i love ribbon..so i just store it in a drawer..and my spools i have in a storage container

Laura1943 said...

I have mine in the biggest ribbon UNORGANIZER around !! It really is big...and I can fit a LOT of ribbon in there...I just have to RE-organize it myself...I do love ribbon and love ribbon swaps...that way you get bits of all different kinds...(I'm that way with buttons too !!)...Will post a pic in my FISKATEER gallery !!)....Thanks, Lisa !!

mustangkayla said...

I think ribbon is one of the hardest things to organize! Currently I have mine in zip lock bags according to style (all pom pom in one, all sheer in one, all off of a set I bought in one, etc). Then all the ziplock bags in a big tupprwear drawer. I'm looking for a new way though. I'm seriously contemplating a new system.

TracyM said...

I love using ribbons on LO's and cards. My storage is pretty low tech - just have the spools sitting vertically in shallow boxes with the shorter lengths a tangled mess together - looking forward to seeing everyone's ideas - will post a photo on the Fisk-a-teers gallery :o)

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Viji Siddharth said...

Oh I love your storage! Mine are all stacked in a box! neatly though..color coded!
viji5858

Unknown said...

http://www.fiskateers.com/community/photo/52787/

http://www.fiskateers.com/community/photo/52786/

this is how i store my ribbon!

the loose/short ones go in little containers and the spools go on dowel rods my husband made for me. and the really tiny spools go on pegs

KimJ said...

I use the cardboard photo storage boxes for my spools of ribbon. I cut a thin dowel X 2 lengthwise to fit the inside of the box. I am able to put the spools of ribbon on the dowels and can fit 2 rows in each box.

You can also punch holes in the side of the box and thread the ribbon through the holes.

bast830@comcas.net

Gail said...

I use ribbon storage from Michaels.
The top one I bought first, and is my favorite. It has a thin dowel and holds any size ribbon, and a magnetic closure.
The clear plastic one is NOT my favorite, but was all I could find at the time! It is in sections, so your ribbon has to fit just right.
My loose ribbon is in a flower pot my nephew gave me with the ends up over the top!
http://www.fiskateers.com/community/photo/52799/

Suzi said...

Rain gutters are the answer. You can buy them in metal or plastic. I have several lengths of white plastic attached to the front of my shelves where they don't take up any extra room. The ribbon is visible and doesn't unroll. The gutters are also great for most punches.

kellystar said...

Here is my storage idea...not perfect, but it works for me for now.

http://www.fiskateers.com/community/photo/52822/

Kelly Sas said...

My husband made me something out of wood for my ribbon. It is very simple and WORKS! I have peg board all over my craft room walls. He took dowels and put wood blocks on each end of the dowels and mounted that to my peg board. Now I have 3 rows of dowels ea. about 3 ft. long to put my rolls of ribbon on. I can see all of them and just reach up and cut the length off I need. He made one end of each dowel mount so that I can easily lift it out so I can put rolls on or off as needed. I LOVE it!
#6558

Anonymous said...

I take mine off the spools immediately and put it all into little baggies..each one individually and then put it in my ribbon drawer. It's always a little messy, but I can see at a glance what I have and what will work.

Picture on Fiskateers...Fiskateer #1485

Lesa said...

Hi, Lisa
I just reorganized my ribbon. I had it in one biggish bin and it would fall out and I would have to dig, etc. I purchased 6 stacking Sterilite shoe drawers. One for blacks, whites & neutrals, one for red to orange color families, one for blue, purple & green, one for holidays and one for laces and everything else. The last drawer stores paint for now. I do have the old timey clothes pins and am slowly wrapping the ribbons around those. They take up lots less room than the cardboard spools. Oh and I'm using the old bin to store my 3" wide Christmas ribbons in the closet with all my floral stuff.

isa dona said...

i organize my ribbons by color, in some box shoes

the mustik said...

No organization here ;-(
I'm going to read all the comments

guillauma said...

I'm a ribbon fan, but all my ribbons are on one big box.

guillauma said...

I'm a ribbon fan, but all my ribbons are on one big box.

la zaz said...

I have all my ribbons on transparency boxes. It's easier to visualize them

Alexandra said...

Love your post about the ribbon storage... i'm searching some solution because i have NONE !
And thanks for the chance to win some ribbon.

doverdi said...

It seems like ribbon storage is a big issue for a lot of people. Right now I have most of my ribbon stored in decorative jars. I take the ribbon off the spool and wrap it on round wooden clothes pins. Once done, I sort it by color in jars. I have smaller round clothes pins for the small lengths of ribbon.
Recently I bought an organizer desk at Michael's for 50% off and it has a ribbon drawer in it too. The maddening thing is the locking screws for the drawer fronts keep falling off so I have to resolve that issue & then I can keep ribbon in there too.
I did like the suggestion to NOT BUY and then there wouldn't be a problem organizing it. lol Like that would ever happen!!