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Setting-up A Hobby Space On A Budget

Updated on August 22, 2016

The majority of my free time is spent working on crafting projects, which I write about here and on my blogs. Some people are sports fans, but I am the ultimate art project groupie. So how do you set-up a hobby space on a budget? In years past I actually just did my arts and crafts at the kitchen table, but that can get kind of gross pretty quick if you accidentally get paint or glue on the table. Even when I put down newspapers this would often happen, so I finally decided a couple of years ago to set-up my own hobby space on a budget. In one corner of my bedroom I have a card table that is stocked with many of the supplies that I use for my projects. Look at the pictures and descriptions below to see how easy it is to create your own hobby space on a budget.

The Card Table

A card table is perfect for hobbies.
A card table is perfect for hobbies.

Since I did not want to spend a lot of money on a desk for my arts and crafts hobby space, I settled on this card table. It was on sale for about thirty dollars at Kmart in 2007, and you can buy a similar table at many stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, Lowes, and Home Depot. Actually, around the end of the school year Craigslist is also a great place to score a spare table because a lot of college students are moving away, and might want to earn a bit of extra cash.

Personally, I love how you can fold up the card table if you need more space, but I actually just keep it open all the time. I heard some people even use card tables when they have extra guests over for dinner, so these sturdy and collapsible little pieces of furniture can have many uses. I keep my card table free of paint by placing down newspaper, but occasionally a little bit does seep through. Since I am not eating off this table I am not as worried as I would be with a dining table, and I simply use a dampened cloth to clean up messes. Unlike a desk there is room under a card table, which lets me store some of my canvases and other supplies.

The Spinning Desk Organizer

I love the convenience of my spinning desk organizer.
I love the convenience of my spinning desk organizer.

This particular desk organizer was purchased at a local second hand store. Yes, I adore this organizer because it allows me to store all of my oil paints, and I can spin it around to look at the contents. In the center of the container is a spot for some of my paint brushes. Thrift stores are a great place to find desk organizer and other items needed for your hobby space. To save space I set my organizer on top of paper plates, which I use as disposable paint palettes.


Another Great Organizer

Every crafter needs more than one organizer.
Every crafter needs more than one organizer.

Here is another crafting organizer that I found at the thrift store. In this yellow container I store my wood burning pen, attachment pens, markers, pencils, paints, ruler, and extra paint brushes. Organizers can be used for anything and everything under the sun, so go pick up one if you need to get your crafting space in order! Next to my organizer I keep my collapsible easel, craft glue, and mod podge stored in an old Christmas mug. Christmas mugs are also great storage spaces for paint brushes and extra pencils, and lend a bit of year-around festiveness to a crafting area.

Paint Brush Jars

I use old mason jars to store my paint brushes.
I use old mason jars to store my paint brushes.

Old mason jars are ideal for storing paint brushes. When I am painting I can use the mason jar for cleaning my brushes, and then these become paint brush storage space once my project is completed. When I am done painting I rinse out the jars and simply store my brushes in these.

My mom loves to garden and cans fruit and vegetables for me every fall, so I enjoy recycling the mason jars rather than simply throwing these away. Cleaning my brushes with The Masters' Brush Saver is much easier than using the smelly old turpentine, and I simply dilute a bit of this solution with water in a mason jar to clean my paint brushes. If you do not have any mason jars, consider using glass jars that condiments like mayonnaise come in. It is better to reuse these jars than simply throw these in a landfill. Hopefully a few of the ideas above help you think of a few ways to create a hobby space on a budget.

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