Okay, a little contact paper I found these items now have a second useful life.

1. Square icecream plastic tubs: My buttons are now neatly stacked and stored by colors.

2. Oatmeal round containers: Zippers, velcro, ribbon ends, salvage edges (or crumbs.

3. Zippered pen/pencil holders for notebooks: Pens, marking pens, seam rippers, small rulers

4. Shoe Boxes: Perfect with for patterns, projects (UFOS)

5. Paper bags from stores (like Bath and Body Works) with handles: Keeps my projects, supplies, patterns, etc. all in one easy to grab project and go place.

I am sure that there are dozens of other ideas I hope that everyone shares. I have been buying plastic container forever and when we move or I reorganize it seems that they are no longer useful and I am left with expensive plastic containers I sell at a yard sale at next to nothing only to wish months later I had them. Now all I don't feel so guilty if I have to throw them away after a while.

Good ideas and going green is great!! :D
I also use lots of plastic tubs- seems like I fill them up and then empty them all over the house.
Just yesterday my son needed some and took a bunch of empties :) We use them a lot b/c with all our cats it keeps things cat hair freer :)

I save all my plastic for small things

Great ideas thanks!!

I like your ideas Lisa! Going green IS a good idea, always, & you can color coordinate your contac paper to your room. We used to do this all the time for our kids toys that had small pcs -- don't know why I didn't think of it for quilting stuff! Duh!

These are great ideas. Thanks for sharing. I like to go the 'square' route because I don't have any round shelves heheheh I know, duh. :)

When both daughters were still home, they fixed up their room with shelves all along one wall. They were allowed to buy huge concrete blocks with 2 holes. Then they padded them and covered them with heavy knitted old bedspread material and sewed it tightly to fit. Then they covered old boards they sanded down (under parental pressure) with matching or contrasting fabrics and thin padding. THEN they took old cardboard boxes and cut them to fit the bookcases, taped and glued them together and covered THEM with matching fabrics to store things in. They also made lids to fit. This kept them from arguing for weeks as they worked together!!!!
I've more or less added some like that to my shelves to store this and that.
Now if I'd only remembered to label them~

sams sells mini brownie bites.. Well who doesn't love brownies!!!! I recycle the container for my scrap blocks.. Put the lid back on and its stack-able..

Fabulous

I love the new school supplies they bring out each fall and to find unique ways to use in my sewing room. The magnetic pencil holders are great on back of sewing machine for scissors, seam rippers or reading glasses. If your machine is plastic, just use velcro. The retractable name tag holders are great to keep scissors close by either on table or on your clothes. Everyone has such unique ideas that I always love to use.

I recently bought new panels for my living room windows. They came in those small, clear bags with zippers. I am using them to sort cut scraps into for my scrappy quilts. They stand up beautifully on the shelf side by side and I can easily slide one out part way to see what size blocks are inside, and slide it right back in if it's the wrong one or wrong colors.

That is a wonderful idea. I put sewing patterns in the smaller ones since i can not get the patterns back the way they come in the envelopes.

Thanks for posting the storage ideas!

I am using plastic food containers to store cut out tumbler blocks I hope to sell at a craft fair. The container are perfect packaging.

I used one similar to the brownie bites to give a gift of rolled up 1 1/5 inch strips. Perfect for wrapping:)

I use tons of zip-loc bags. I use them to store almost anything. Love them.
Sue

I use the rectangular plastic containers with clear lids from Chinese "take-out" for storing many sewing items. One contains all my markers and pigma pens, another one contains items for hand sewing, like my Clover needle threader, thimbles, needles, bees wax, etc. I have 4 or 5 of them. And they stack beautifully.

But its such a good source of fiber! :)

I use the lids of the butter containers to make templates.

I really enjoy the "Crystal Light" drink mix containers. They are narrow and only 6.5 inches long, great for traveling to retreats, as they take very little space. The label on the container peels right off exposing a clear, see though view of what you have stored in it, or ID it.

great ideas guys

This isn't strictly a storage type of idea, but it has changed my sewing life (grin). Clean out a large or small coffee creamer bottle (like the Coffee-mate ones with the red tops), fill with water, and use it to fill your iron. No more spilling water all over the place; these things never drip, and the tops close tightly and don't leak, just in case you're a klutz like me and keep knocking it off the ironing board. I have a small-sized bottle to take to classes, and the bigger size for home.

I've bought a bunch of the small plastic schoolboxes/pencil boxes at the back-to-school sales this year. I use those for everything! I have small cabinets that I store all of my sewing stuff in, and I can stack those little boxes on the shelves and still be able to close the doors.

Oh, and just one more idea... those little rectangular plastic Gerber baby food containers. The lids lock nice and tightly and they're great for storing small items. Now I just have to find someone with a baby because the little boy my Mom used to babysit is almost 4 and doesn't eat baby food anymore (but I still have a stash of containers from when he did eat baby food!).

I use zipper containers that sheets, pillowcases, etc. come in for projects. I can see what is there, put a paper with information so I can read it. UFO's work well in these zipper bags. Then I have a wire basket on a shelf that holds them all. Can't forget about them that way and I do get them finished eventually.

I us the clear containers that cookies/lettuce come in from the grocery store. They have a nice cover, and being able to see everything inside is nice. Great for small project containers, or for take-along blocks/hand sewing.

I reuse the 2" tall and 6 1/2" square Ziploc square containers for "on the go" projects like for basting fabric to the 1" paper hexagons for my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. I cut a bunch of 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" fabric squares and put them in the container with a bunch of paper hexes, a spool of thread, a small fabric square with pins and a needle, a chunk of beeswax and a small pair of scissors. Truly, all that fits in there with room to spare for the completed hexes. It fits neatly in my purse and goes everywhere with me. It's amazing how many you can get done if you're the passenger in a car or waiting for someone, etc. And, when watching TV at night I just grab my container and sit there watching a movie and making hexes.

Great idea! Just a thought - wouldn't these Ziplock containers work great for binding to keep it organized as you are sewing it on to your quilt? I'm going to save one and try it! I'll let you know how it works...

Ate at KFC one night and they put the potatoes and cole slaw in small round plastic containers with lids. I washed them and they are perfect for small stuff. Bobbins, needles, etc. Many containers can be reused for different things. I re-use what I can.

Good ideas. Thanks for sharing.

I use ziploc bags for kits or projects that aren't completed yet but intend to get to *some day*. Also make up kits for days when I just have to do something and don't want to take the time to choose fabric from my stash and cut it up. I just bought the ziploc 2 1/2 gallon size. Those are for ufo's and quilts I want to make. I put everything in one bag, fabric, thread, pattern etc.

I use the little the resealable baggies that walgreens puts prescriptions in to put the pieces for each block in so that they stay together. I also use them for cut up scrap pieces for latter scrap quilts as I can see what color and size they are and I can also write the info on the bags. My DH and I get at least 10 of these every month. I also use the $1.00 storage boxes to store all my fat quarters.

Plastic Gerber baby food containers (rectangular, clear, snap-on lids) are great for button sets, small notions, and protection for you sewing machine feet like rufflers, binders, and much more. One of my sons has twins. My DIL saves these for me.

I bought a five gallon bucket from Lowes and then I bought a mans tool holder for this bucket.It has lots and lots of places inside and out to put your sewing notions in them.You just slide them in.Like little open pockets.This slips over the bucket so you have inside and out side pockets.Plus you have the whole indide of bucket to put bigger things like plastic containers to hold pens and needles.Your sewing machinecords,rulers,zip loc baggies any thing that will fill your bucket.It has a nice handle that has a sponge around it for easy carring where ever you need it.I carry it to quilt classes and keep it next to me at home so I just reach down and grab what ever I need.Every thing is at finger tips.I fit rains just put a plastic bag over the handle and slide down the bucket to cover every thing. I love it.I will take a picture of it and try to send.

sew many great ideas....ty

I use the divided lunch style zip lock container for carry around applique. The "sandwich" side holds the pieces, thread and scissors. The skinnier "carrot stick or whatever" side holds my magnetic pin holder. Now my magnet and scissors don't get all tangled up and I can take my scissors out without de-pinning them. The snap on lid keeps everything neat and the shape fits in a tote bag or on the stack of books next to my chair.

I use empty, washed out very good, dish detergent bottles to fill my iron. Works very good, no spills, unless you miss the iron hole....lol Love this thread!

P.S. I use pizza boxes for quilt blocks, plastic sheets for patterns and all my patterns that have been cut out, i.e. sunbonnet sue, etc. These boxes stack really well. Every time I go to a pizza place I ask to buy a couple boxes. I have different sizes.

Oh my GK are addicted to hot chocolate in the winter time and we go through lots of Nestle's Quick. Like an earlier post, these are square (ish) and tall so fit like books on a bookshelf. Yeah the Gerber baby food containers are great--just need to find a baby and mom close by now that Sam's one.

I use old pillowcases to put my larger pieces of fabric in (the backing ones) to keep them out of the light and dust free until I'm ready for them. Then I just pin a little piece of paper on the outside letting me know which fabric it is and how much there is of it.

great recycle ideas, thanks for posting this.

I buy parmesan cheese in the large container at SAm's. It's perfect for storage of small spools. The animal cracker containers are perfect for larger spools.

Yes, I love these containers. It is surprising how much can be stored in them. One of mine carries scissors, thread, needles, and anything else I need for a mini travel sewing kit. I keep one by my chair in the living room and one in my embroidery bag with my projects. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

What great ideas. I use the ice cream squares for scraps when at a class. Love the ziploc squares, especially teh ones that have twist on lids now. Great for buttons and clips for binding, etc. I use the baby squares for Project Linus labels. Can't lose them that way. Now I have to write down some of these ideas. Thanks.