Yesterday I shared with you my favorite way to store ribbon, today it is all about punch storage ideas. Once again, I have tried everything, from Iris bins/drawers, to cut apart cereal boxes (yes, I have tried this), tried standing them up, tried stacking them up (this is the worst idea ever – the one you need is always on the bottom) and then someone posted years ago to use towel bars. Ahhh, it was like a Calgon moment. Then, we changed punch styles, back to the drawing board, why? These new punches are bigger (well, for most of them) and heavier. At first I resisted the new punch style.
Then it was kinda like how I felt about the internet – I realized they weren't a fad, and they were here to stay. Now I get bummed anytime I need to use the "old school" punch. Go figure.
But how was I going to store them?
Yesterday, I received a request for more detail on the ribbon storage, a bigger picture. And this way you can see how it all works together. So I had the ribbon under control – and then one day, it was like a punch fell out of the sky and whacked me in the head – I was doing a video and I needed to stash a punch, get it out of my way, and I had just cleaned up one of my ribbon holders, so there were a couple inches of space, and I threw my punch up there.
I am a simple person, and it is quite easy for me to be in awe of something cool. Even though I was doing a video, I completely stopped stamping/talking and just stared at the punch, sitting there, invading the ribbon space, and just stared. What happened next is true: I grabbed my keys and went to IKEA (it is 7 minutes from my house) and bought another hangy down spice rack. Came home, assembled it (it took me two tries to assemble it) and hung it from the original punch storing bar and filled it with punches, singing and dancing with excitement as I did this. Then I realized that my video camera was still recording….
****NOTE: YOU MUST use Molly bolt to attach the bars to your walls. If you just use screws, you will be, well, screwed – out will come your drywall, you will have a punch graveyard and you will come crying to me that your papercrafting world is over – and I do not want this for you, my friend. If you do not know how to put in a Molly bolt, remember that YouTube can be your friend. So what am I saying? USE MOLLY BOLTS!****
All total, I have four of these hangy down spice racks. I will try to clean up enough around the fourth one to share with you how I store the smaller punches, but it won't be today! Today I am cutting a ton of cardstock, filling in for my parents and in-laws for grandparents day at lunch with Emily, post office to mail 10 Second Bow Makers™, I am shipping one to Australia again today – that is way cool! And then I get to work on a way cool project I have been building for you all for the past couple of months, and then card class tonight! I have a feeling that it will be a great day and a day filled with Dr. Pepper!
Let me know what you think of this idea in the comments below!
I am laughing hysterically at the visual of you dashing out your door with the camera still on. Wow, that was some bolt of inspiration you got hit with.
Now unfortunately, my Ikea is two hours away. We actually drove there over the weekend–for the first time– to check it out. I finally got some Bygel rails. They only sell them in-store, not online. I also looked in my store and the only spice racks they have are wooden. Yours look metallic. By any chance do you know the name of them?
Thank you for sharing your awesome storage tips. I know that having an organized workspace where every inch is maximized is a big deal to a lot of us!
I’m going to try the box with holes for my ribbons for now. I don’t have a handyman and I’m worthless with tools. I usually have my son-in-law do handy things for me. But I could borrow him for a week and it still be enough time! But I do like your idea though, but it would take forever to hang the shelves up!
My hubby does a lot of stuff to help out my mom when we go visit. I always tell him that it’s his payment for her good job in raising me. (I am usually rewarded with an eye roll 🙂 Let me know how it goes Maryjane!