Spring Cleaning: Art Cupboard

Got one of these?
Let me see, moldy play-dough, dried up paint tubes, really dirty paint brushes, leftovers from about ten different projects. I’m sad to say this, my friends, is my cupboard. So it’s all me.
No getting out of it by blaming the kids.

So, first things first.
Get everything out of the cupboard. Everything.

Evaluate what stays and what goes. Soul searching might be required if you are getting worked up about whether or not to toss that picture frame that you bought but then decided you hate. But you can’t just toss it out! It’s perfectly good!
Ok Ok, breathe.
You’ll make three piles.
Keep: the things you know you will use
Donate: The things you don’t use but are still in good shape.
Trash: The things that are used up or beyond repair.

See easy right?
Ok, pack up the donation pile and go put in the trunk of your car right now or it will sit in the corner of the garage until your husband yells at you about it.
Then go throw out the trash.
Ahhhh. So nice!

Next you’ll group like things together.

So, that’s where all the putty knives were?

Oh, and perhaps a fourth pile might be necessary: Stuff that needs to go back to the supply closet at work.

Uh huh, busted.

Now that you have all you things in piles you’ll put them in organizers then put them in your cupboard. Done!
Well for you maybe. But if you’re like me you’ll need to go one further and create sub-categories!
Yeah woowhooo!
Let me elaborate:

You’ll note long handled brushes in one section, short handled brushes in the other.
Hot, yes!?
My paint was the same story. More sub-categories!

Sort by color…

then I arranged them into bins.

You guys, look at all the room I have for more paint!