Crafty tools – how do you keep yours?

I was clearing up some crafting materials yesterday, which lead me to realise just how many long tools I have stashed out of sight – knitting needles and paint brushes in particular.

Being put away is good in a way in that it keeps my flat nice and tidy – the downside is that I don’t see them, so forget they’re there, it’s one of the reasons I’m not using them as much as I perhaps should be.

I would like to at least get them neat and tidy but visible. Current thinking is that I have a number of house plant pots that I’m not using right now, which could be useful once cleaned up.

Meanwhile flatter items are kept in big plastic boxes on top of a wardrobe. This contain things like fabric scraps, stamps, papers, some charts and patterns etc. Buttons are kept in a small opaque multipurpose plastic box I use exclusively for this. Wool is kept in a cardboard box – simply because it’s what I had at the time!

WIPS (at least theoretical ones!) are stored in big plastic envelopes in my living room with all bits required to complete together in one piece. I also have a biscuit tin – dont we all! – that contains needles, cotton thread etc.

So how do you store your crafty tools? Do you have a separate craft room or do you have your tools placed around your living space (or neatly thrown into your wardrobe like me?).