Making jewelry and beading are great hobbies, as you probably have probably already figured out if you are reading this. I want to share my top pick for organizing beads. It’s basically just a clear plastic divided box that can be used for pretty much anything, but makes a great jewelry organizer.
You can find them at hardware stores because they are great for organizing screws, mollies and other hardware. And you often see them used in bead stores without their lids because bead stores have figured out that they are great for this purpose also!
This is the 12 compartment box that I have had for years. I like this one because it has different size compartments, so I keep wires and needles in the long compartments and beads in the smaller ones. It can even hold really small vials of special beads. But, the thing I like about this one most is that it’s easily portable. It is small enough to fit in my purse so that I can take some beading with me when I’m waiting at the doctors office, for example.
Here are some things to think about when picking one:
1. Size: I’ve seen them as big as 10 x 10 with 24 compartments – great for lots and lots of beads, and also other crafts.
2. Materials: I prefer clear plastic, because, obviously, you can see the colors through the lid without opening. Acrylic plastic is much more clear than typical cloudy plastics that you find which makes it even easier to see.
3. Lids: Some have sliding lids, some have hinged lids. I like the hinged lids better because sometimes the sliding lids get stuck and make your beads “jump” and then they risk getting mixed up.
Another great thing about these boxes is that if you ever stop beading, you can easily find another use for them around your home. From the nails in the garage to pills in the bathroom, you will never lack a reason to use these divided boxes.