The Long Haul Organizing Art Supplies

Finding Joy in the Chaos of Art Supplies

Over the past six months, I’ve been on a mission: to finally organize the mountains of art supplies I’ve collected over the years. If you're an artist, you probably know the feeling—brushes multiplying in drawers, paints you forgot you owned, papers tucked into odd corners. I didn’t start with a perfect plan, just the desire to feel less overwhelmed and more connected to the materials I love. Slowly, box by box, shelf by shelf, I’ve been digging in.

I started documenting parts of this journey on YouTube in a new video series called Come Explore Art Supplies With Me. These aren’t just supply hauls or product reviews (though I love those too)—they're real-time looks at sorting through forgotten treasures, making decisions about what stays, what goes, and what sparks joy in my creative process. It's been equal parts satisfying and surprising. If you’re curious or just want a little motivation to tackle your own art room, I’d love for you to join me there.

In this blog, I’ll start sharing more of the behind-the-scenes thinking: how I choose what containers to use, how I sort media like collage ephemera, inks, or found objects, and how organization helps me reconnect with my materials. I’ll also reflect on what this process teaches me about my creative habits. Whether you're a fellow mixed media artist or just someone who loves a peek into another maker’s studio, I hope you'll follow along.