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If beading is a hobby of yours or you want to buy a beading fan a gift, why not consider some new bead storage container options. Beads are great for craft projects and jewelry making but organizing them whilst you’re working with them or in between work sessions needs a plan.

Over time you will collect more and more beads and accessories so to stay productive when you’re working, you need to be well organized. You need to contain, manage and store your beads for more efficient beading.

Reasons for having storage for beads

  • Due to their nature you will have lots and lots of teeny beads of different sizes and colors and you don’t want to drop them all over the floor or get them all mixed up together.
  • You don’t want to waste precious beading time, looking for that perfect bead that you know you have somewhere but can’t find.
  • You don’t want to buy beads that you already have but can’t find. Any purchases should be on new beads not duplicates.

If you invest in a good storage option, your beads will be secure, you will know where each one is and you will be able to see at a glance when it is time to reorder.

Types of bead craft storage

When you start looking for plastic bead storage options, you will find that there are many options available to you, including vials, cases, organizers, storage drawers, tubes and plastic bags. Which will best suit you depends on your collection of beads and how much storage space you have.

Vials or tubes – are small containers perfect for seed bead storage. They often come with a case to keep them all together and secure and are either completely clear or have at least a clear top so you can see which beads are inside without having to open them. You may not even have to buy these types of containers as beads are often sold in them so you can just keep and reuse ones that are now empty. Just make sure their lids are secure – sticking some tape over the lid can be a wise move.

Cases – bead cases are great for traveling but can also be used at home. There are a number of different styles and features to look out for including non slip surfaces and magnets to hold needles.

Organizers – as their name suggests the primary intent of these cases is to organize your beads. They comprise a number of boxes that are held within a bigger box. The smaller boxes often vary in size making them suitable for your collection of different sized beads. Alternative but similar systems include small boxes that can be joined together in some way, either side by side or stacking into a tower. Some bead storage organizers are compartmentalized rather than individual boxes. These are often not as ideal as they sound as beads will often slip across dividers and get mixed up. They are also more difficult to empty in a planned fashion when you want to reorganize. Some organizers come in totes – these make the whole storage system more portable.

Storage drawers – mini sets of bead storage drawers are good to store all of your beading accessories, including needles, thread, wires, tweezers and scoops and even half finished pieces. They are often clear so you can see exactly what is stored in each drawer. Drawer sets can be nice if the drawers are removable as you can take the drawers that you need to your worktable one at a time. These sets can also be stacked one of top of another and fixed to the wall to be more space efficient.

Plastic bags – are only really suited to storing strands of large beads. Small loose beads will be too difficult to manage and too easy to spill if stored in bags. They do take up less space than other forms of storage but unless you buy quality, ie, thicker bags, they split easily after a time.

Things to consider before you buy a bead storage system

Buying the wrong beading storage system will be a waste of money so give some thought to your needs including future needs before buying.

  • What size beads do you use and want to store?
  • How many beads do you use and want to store?
  • Do you want to travel with your beading supplies?
  • Where are you going to store your beading containers? If you have a dedicated beading table where your organizers or storage drawers can sit permanently, you will be able to use different storage options to someone who has to pack everything away off the table every night. Daily tidying away will be more suited to storage systems that are on wheels.

Qualities to look for in bead storage boxes

Transparent material – to ensure you can find the exact beads you want quickly and easily, your containers should be see through and ideally labelled. If you find yourself using opaque containers, try taking a photo of your beads and sticking a photo to the container.

Individual access – containers with one lid covering all bead compartments can be problematic if you want to fill or pour out the contents. Beads can also get mixed up if your box gets accidentally knocked over. Having access to individual bead piles is much more practical.

Secure lids – boxes that close securely will mean that if they get dropped or knocked, your beads will not end up in a big mess all over the floor.

Shallow sides - makes access to your beads easier.

Flexibility – some bead boxes come with removable or adjustable dividers. These are ideal as they allow for flexibility and customization of your storage. Over time, the size of the beads you want to store may change and with moveable dividers you can rearrange the box to suit.

On the move designs – if you often work on your beading on the move or when away from home, look for a storage option that doubles up as a bag. Some are specially designed for working out and about as they have boxes for all of your beads as well as storage for your tools as well as a board to work on. The whole bag folds up, fastens securely and has a comfy handle.

Repurpose containers you may already have

When money is tight, you may need to find containers that you already have to use to store your beads. Here are some ideas of what you may already own that you could use:

  • Fishing tackle boxes
  • Plastic storage boxes meant for screws and nails
  • Candy tins, eg, Tic Tac containers
  • Medicine bottles
  • Camera film containers
  • Plastic shoe boxes
  • Baby food jars
  • Margarine containers
  • Spice racks that turn
  • Glass or clear plastic food jars
  • Any clear container with a screw top lid

Our favorite bead storage containers

Darice Bead Storage Container with 28 Storage Jars

This plastic beading case comes with 28 clear plastic stackable jars that can be stored securely inside the case with its two hinged snap closures. It measures approx. 9″ x 6″ x 1″ and being clear you can easily see which beads are inside. 26 of the jars are half an inch deep whilst two are three times the size for larger beads. The jars screw together and stack neatly in the grooved and durable case.

Beadsmith Bead Tube Tower

This beads storage system is for tubes of beads. It can hold 38 small tubes of 2-3″ in length and 69 larger tubes of 5-6″ in length or an assortment of 9/16″ diameter tubes, none of which are included. It can also hold beading tools so offers a complete storage option. It is made of plastic and canvas for easy folding and can be stored upright or flat. It is practical for beading on the move or to take to the shops so you know what beads you already have. It also holds all of your beads in an easy to see manner but can be tidied away quickly and easily.

Bead Stacked Storage Organizer

Being stackable and compartmentalized, this bead organizer is the perfect solution. It has 40 different compartments spread over five layers and each layer slips over a central tube and then locks into place. It is made from strong plastic and secures your beads in place with snap latches. The nesting design looks very tidy and you can even store small tools in the central tube. It is smaller than it looks being only a 7″ cube but the individual compartments are ideal for beading. The only downside would be having to take off up to four layers to get to the one you want.

Bead Organizer Rolling Tote

This rolling bead tote is great for beaders on the move or for those of us with limited space to store our wares as we can just pack it up and roll it out of the way when we’re finished. The tote’s construction is reinforced and very durable being made of heavy duty black canvas. It has carrying handles on both sides as well as a pull out handle extending to 40 inches so you don’t have to bend over whilst pulling it along. Inside there are four black canvas storage pockets, a bead board and separate pocket, five small and one large translucent storage trays, straps to keep everything in place and 3″ of storage space for books and notepads.

The canvas storage pockets are removable and have a see through window on the front so you can easily see what is inside. They use velcro to stay in place and have zipper closures. There are three smaller pockets and one large one. The clear plastic storage trays come with internal dividers that can be removed and slip latch closures. Overall this tote measures 16″ x 16″ x 11″ so there is plenty of space for all of your equipment and the front can be used as a portable work bench.

Deluxe Spinning Beaders Carousel

This attractive carousel is the perfect space saving storage option taking up only 10″ of space on your work table. With its 60 clear, round bead containers, you can separate and store all of your small beads and then easily rotate the entire carousel to quickly find what you are looking for. The containers are 2.5″ in diameter and almost an inch deep and come with a snap tight lid. It comes fully assembled so you can get to work straight away and would make a great gift.

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