Craft Organization - File Cabinet Die Storage (Sizzix original/Bigz)
Some might argue that being crafty is all about making things. I think sometimes it's about using what you have and making it work for you.
I took an unused file cabinet and made it store the thick, steel-rule dies.
Along the right side, you can see the magnetic labels I made to help find dies easier.
Thin plywood lines the bottom of the drawers and create dividers to help keep rows and themes separate, even if the drawers get slammed shut. This can fit Sizzix original, Bigz, XL, etc. - the small and medium dies could fit, but might be a little difficult to take out. The only ones that wouldn't fit are the Pro sized dies. If I were to put the small or medium ones in here, I'd probably put them in boxes or baskets to make it easier to get to them. I didn't try that because I have them in other areas.
Thanks for checking my idea out. Hope you're doing well and hope that maybe I sparked a bit of creativity or courage in you!
(On with the yammer. . .)
The wood is white on one side. It's a little thin, so for the bigger dividers between the rows of dies, I've glued two pieces together. I took some white, acrylic craft paint and painted the edges. Smaller dividers had their edges, corners, and backs painted. It isn't necessary, but was just something I did to help wind down before going to bed for a few nights. To keep them propped up and prevent any sticking to my table or ruining the paint, I used a few lids from various plastic jars (I now keep a few lids for such things).
(On with the yammer. . .)
While unpacking my craft supplies and trying to set up my craft corner, I decided to try using an "extra" file cabinet that was sitting around to store my steel-rule dies. I had just decided to start using the Totally Tiffany system, so I lined up all my dies according to their theme as I unpacked them. I started to put them into the drawers, but the drawer design has an uneven bottom and made it difficult to grab some of the dies. (I didn't notice before because hanging files have always blocked the bottom.)
To combat this, I ended up using a piece of plywood that was originally the back piece from my IKEA closet. When we moved, I had to disassemble and reassemble it. Hubs didn't think the thin backing was strong enough to keep the shape, so he got a new one and added brackets (it was a little wonky, but I thought it was me and my assembly skills, not the materials).
When I cut the back into pieces to line the drawer bottoms, I measured things out to use the "scraps" to create dividers to help keep rows separate (they slid around when the drawer open and closed - and would switch places when a die or two was taken out) - and then to divide them up with the help of my Dymo label maker.
To place the bottom into the drawer, I had to remove the drawer's divider - the metal sliding piece that helps support file folders. It's super easy, but since I'm not using a video or have any pictures, I want to make sure I'm clear - just lift the lever used to adjust it and push it all the way to the back. Once it's pushed back, the two extended side strips/supports can be lifted out of the tracks and it can be removed from the drawer. To accommodate dies in one drawer, I had to remove the metal divider permanently - I ended up moving it to the bottom drawer to help keep things from sliding around.
After cutting the plywood, I ended up sanding the corners of the dividers down. While I do like the look better, it was because I didn't want to bump into sharp edges. I remembered seeing a salesperson at a scrapbook expo use a Corner Chomper from We R Memory Keepers on a clipboard. . . . this wood seemed very similar, so I used my Corner Chomper. It worked great for awhile, but the wood was too hard on it and I ended up damaging it. (I didn't throw it away - I can still use the unbroken side, let my kids use it, or maybe do another experiment with it without doing any costly damage.)
The wood is white on one side. It's a little thin, so for the bigger dividers between the rows of dies, I've glued two pieces together. I took some white, acrylic craft paint and painted the edges. Smaller dividers had their edges, corners, and backs painted. It isn't necessary, but was just something I did to help wind down before going to bed for a few nights. To keep them propped up and prevent any sticking to my table or ruining the paint, I used a few lids from various plastic jars (I now keep a few lids for such things).
I took some foil tape used for duct work and covered some cardboard. I used it to cut out labels using a Sizzix bookplate die. I printed out the inside of the labels, glued them to the labels, and cut around them. I glued some magnets I've gotten in the mail from various places to the back so I could move the labels, if I ever needed to (or remove them, if I didn't like/need them anymore without damaging anything).
Since I was liking the smaller decoupaged file cabinet, I decided to try it on this one too. . .
I don't see this view while sitting at my table, I see the side view - and it does seem nicer and made the time spent worthwhile.
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