Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Homemade Button Storage

I am just in love with my new "button storage system."
(I know, I sound like an infomercial.)
It all started when we were clearing out my grandmother's apartment. My mother already had a wine rack, so she offered grandma's to me. Add in a $10.00 box of wide mouth, quart-sized Ball jars, some circles cut out of card stock, some double sided tape and viola!

Neatly organized buttons.

No more sorting through zip-locks for me. Plus, I love that every time I look at the rack on my shelf, it reminds me of my grandmother. Though, to be completely honest, I have more buttons than will fit in the rack and I did have to liberate a few of my husband's empty honey jars. I say I need another rack, but my husband thinks I just need fewer buttons. Despite my admitted hoarding tendencies, I do use them - every pair of mittens I make gets at least two buttons.

If you have an old wine rack laying around, and don't want to spend any money on jars, the large size Wal-Mart peanut butter jars fit in my rack as well. I was just so excited to organize that I couldn't wait. We go through a lot of peanut butter, but it would have taken quite a while for me to collect that many.

17 comments:

Marcia said...

Great idea! You are so organized.

Allie said...

Great idea - it looks very neat! And the best is that it reminds you of your grandmother.

stitching under oaks said...

That is an impressive button collect. I aspire to that some day...but alas, I am no where near that quantitiy of buttons yet. Love your storage system.

stitching under oaks said...

collection - I meant that is an impressive button collection. My mind went wild after seeing all your buttons and I obviously couldn't even spell correctly.

Casey-Finding_Serenity said...

Very cute idea! I love jars. I use them to organize a lot of craft items.

I love the mittens. Can I find them in stores on Mackinac Island?

Erin said...

I'm floored by how many buttons you have.

Melody said...

Very cute Liz!

cindi said...

what a great idea! I just sorted a TON of buttonsi got from my grandma and put them in baby food jars. I am definately going to watch for a wine rack when I am thrift shopping...

Brigide said...

Very clever! I don't have that many buttons yet, but I'm trying. My main organizational need is for copious amounts of ribbon and felt.

Indy Mom said...

I can't believe you have that many buttons!!! Love the storage idea.

The WoodLand School said...

What a spectacular way to display your impressive collection! I just love every single thing about this -- the jars, the rack, the buttons. Lovely, lovely :-)

Else said...

It looks verry good!!

SMS said...

Buttons from grandma ~ so neat. My mom has my grandmas button can. I should start my own. It's not to late at 51?

CindyLou said...

Ohhh I am so sad. I just left a wine rack like that at the Goodwill on 1/2 off Saturday! It looked like such good storage, but for what??? I have one that I use for interfacing, what do I need another one for?? (That little voice trying to restrain me is in trouble!!)Great idea!

joanyspot said...

LOVE,LOVE,LOVE The button storage system!!!

Melissa said...

This is both brilliant and beautiful. I shared it on my tumblr. http://storagegeek.tumblr.com/

Anonymous said...

Small world! I had to leave a comment and let you know I was here.
I worked on the island for a few summers recently and was a follower of your blog and the Mackinac Mittens.
Nothing new, I'm sure many summer workers come and go, but my sister's still there. She just completed her 7th summer and is going through her second winter, working all year at Doud's.
(If you see her {tall, LONG brown hair} say "Hi" from her sister for me, that'll throw her)

Point is, I was on Pinerest.com looking for a good way to organize buttons and your jars on a wine rack came up first.

Thanks for sharing the idea! Some time soon, I will have a wine rack of buttons.

Have a great winter!