Having an extensive set of drawing tools is every art enthusiast’s dream. Nevertheless, what spoils the fun is when you constantly find yourself helplessly looking for a specific art supply, such as a colored marker.
Knowing how to organize markers, pens, pencils, and other tools will save you time and energy!
Hence, this article will show you different art supply organization ideas to achieve a clutter-free workspace for quick access. Tips and tricks await to be discovered, so let us get started!
Table of Contents
Ways to Organize Markers, Pens, Pencils
1. Discard Unusable Items
Before anything else, you should be prepared to say goodbye to your dried-out pens and worn pencils. The last thing you want when you are in a hurry is to pick an art tool that doesn’t work!
The only way to separate working and unusable markers is by trying all of them on scratch paper. This may seem like a time-consuming step to organize coloring supplies, but it will be worth it.
2. Sorting Your Drawing Tools
You can also organize markers by color, type, function, or how often you use them. It’s all up to you! Just stick to the rule of thumb that you need to organize them in such a way that you can quickly identify the item you need.
- By color
A suggestion: if you’d like to arrange your drawing supplies by hue, why not try to place them according to the shades in the rainbow or the color wheel? Such an arrangement would create a very pleasing sight!
Another way to go about it is by categorizing the markers based on the main colors and their undertones. This way, coloring pens will be divided into warm, neutral, and cold hues. Note that each smaller group should have 12 items at most.
- By type
It’s also a good idea to sort markers into types, such as alcohol- and water-based markers. And as some different coloring pens may have varying lightfastness, consider classifying them based on this factor, especially if you don’t like a picture that fades unevenly.
Grouping the drawing tools you use for recreational or professional artwork is also a good idea. You can also place the pens, markers, or pencils you often use near you for better access.
3. Designating a Space
Taking into account the space available to organize art supplies is vital. In this manner, you can plan how to maximize it to store your collection.
Start by looking at your desk. Placing a pens and pencils organizer in the corner would be perfect since your markers will be at arm’s reach while you work.
Moreover, what about your desk drawers? Maybe you can also organize markers and crayons there to prevent your things from accumulating dust. Don’t just throw the pens in there haphazardly; make sure to use dividers to keep them organized and neat.
Utilizing the wall space will also be fantastic if you have limited space, plus it will keep your priced markers from your children’s reach. You can do this by installing wall shelves or a hanging cabinet in your workspace.
Do you have a spare cabinet? Perhaps you can turn it into your art supplies storage!
4. Choosing the Perfect Art Supplies Organizer for You
Organizing your markers, pens, and pencils means you’ll need to place them in suitable containers. We got it covered if you are looking for drawing tool organizer ideas!
- Marker Pen Case
A marker pen case will be perfect if you love to bring your drawing supplies with you when you travel. Depending on the specific models, some of these storage bags can fit more than 100 markers!
- Pen Caddy Organizer
Do you spend most of your time working at your desk? A caddy organizer is one of the best pen organization ideas for you!
This organizer has compartments where you can sort your drawing supplies. You can also place this organizer at arm’s reach, so grabbing your pens, pencils, and markers will be more convenient.
- Multi-Drawer Storage Chest
Do you have limited space for your art supplies? Well, a multi-drawer storage chest offers plenty of room for your pens, pencils, and markers. Moreover, this organizer is perfect for storing dual-tip markers horizontally.
- Art Marker Storage Rack
Art marker storage racks feature small slots to store an individual marker. As a result, the arrangement will come across as neater, making it easier to identify the exact color you need, especially if you sort your pens by hues.
- Rotating Marker Holders
Most of us want everything prepared before we start working. Likewise, it is logical to place the things we need near us for better access.
Therefore, a typical organizer will be a big help. However, consider a rotating marker holder if you want to be extra. It will not only hold your pens or markers, but you can also rotate it at 360° to select the pens you need.
- Repurposed Mugs/ Jars/ Small Tin Buckets
If you are looking for cheap pencil storage ideas, you can use your old mugs, jars, or small tin buckets.
Making DIY Storage Containers
Suppose you are feeling artistic and want to know DIY marker storage ideas. You might want to check the following.
- Tin Cans
Instead of throwing away your tin cans at home, you can make a DIY pen organizer or holder with them! Ensure you remove the sharp edges to avoid injuries. Then, paint or cover them with gift wrappers, yarn, beads, or ribbons to decorate the can.
- Plastic Cups on a Pegboard
An excellent way to organize your pens, pencils, and markers is by hanging a pegboard on your wall and attaching plastic cups on the board with zip ties.
For this method, you’ll need to make holes in the cups for the zip ties to pass through, so it’s best to use a cheap one with no sentimental value. If the cups’ aesthetic is not to your liking, simply decorate them with paint or ribbons.
- Baskets
If you don’t want to organize pens in a drawer, a small basket can also do wonders in keeping your pens and markers organized.
Depending on your needs and the size of your collection, you may need more than one. If this is the case, the baskets should match for a sense of cohesiveness.
- Cardboard or Carton
Using cardboard or carton boxes is a DIY project that you can also do to organize your drawing tools!
Assemble a box with cardboard or a carton based on the length or width you want for the organizer or how many compartments you want, such as in a drawer. After that, you can decorate it with gift wrappers or paint.
Tips to Organize Pens, Pencils, Markers, and More!
- Placing labels on compartments or drawers will remind you of how you should sort your pens, pencils, and markers. These labels will also help jog your memory later on when you need to identify the location of your art supplies quickly.
- You don’t have to store all your art supplies in one place. You can place them in different spots where you can access them efficiently.
- Organizing your art supplies does not end after you’ve designated a space for every item; you should also train yourself to put things back where you got them after you are finished working.
- If you cannot strictly follow the suggestion above and just want to lie down after a productive day, you can set a reminder in your phone when you must put things back in order.
- Go to art supply stores to see how they arrange the pens, pencils, and markers. They can be good pointers to help you organize yours.
- Organize pen cases by size, going from larger items to smaller ones. In other words, you should aim to stack smaller objects on top to prevent losing them.
What is the Best Way to Store Markers and Pens?
In general, storing pencils will give you the least headache, as you can keep them either horizontally or vertically. There’s no need to worry about ink flow or the tip drying out.
However, when it comes to other art supplies, the matter gets slightly more complicated. In this case, the best way to store pens and markers will depend on whether a marker has only one tip or dual tips.
Horizontally
Dual-tip markers are best stored horizontally so the ink is balanced between the two nibs. If you keep them upright, one of the tips will dry out since the ink will only flow to the lower nib.
Vertically
It would be best to store markers with single tips vertically and the nibs pointing down. Due to gravity, the ink will flow toward the nib, decreasing the possibility of the pens drying out.
Conclusion
There are different ways when it comes to how to organize markers, pens, pencils, and other art supplies. You can choose to purchase organizers in stores near you or create your own.
It is now up to your preference to choose from the list above! Whatever you pick, we know you’ll do great in your pursuit of a clutter-free workspace!
We hope our guide will help you to expand your collection continuously without cluttering up the space. Have a wonderful day!
Hi, I am Eveline Kessler, a content creator. My love for colors and arts draws me here to join the Intermediarts team with Leilani. I am responsible for testing new products and techniques with her and providing honest reviews and tips based on our experience. I have gained a lot of knowledge from this, and I believe you will find her suggestions to be invaluable as well.
