Trick or Treat! Halloween is drawing near, and we're checking in with Carlee Krtolica, the blogger and designer behind Styled To Sparkle. Get ready to dive into her current world of Halloween crafts and discover how she organizes her DreamBox for the holidays.
Navigating the challenges of holiday organization
Halloween presents a similar challenge to other seasonal holidays such as Easter or even Christmas. Craft kits, specific project tools (e.g. pumpkin carving, pumpkin stencils), and certain colored materials are only used for a few weeks a year - and then what do you do with them?
I’ve had this problem for a number of years and often forgot about supplies I already had on hand because they were tucked away in a storage room box in the basement.
I’ve also always struggled with space to complete my projects, or to leave them while they’re still ongoing and in progress. Having tools and materials within reach instead of all in one big box that you have to sort through to find what you need is also a necessity.
Finding a Solution
The DreamBox solved my storage problems because it gave me storage that I could keep well organized, with easy access to the materials and tools that I require for whatever I’m doing plus an ample workspace!
Here are a few organization tips I use to keep my DreamBox and craft space in order:
Prioritize clear storage and lids
I love to keep “evergreen” or “everyday” items within arms reach and in plain view and then store seasonal items out of sight, but still with easy access for when I need them. I’ve utilized the InView Totes with their snap-on lids to store seasonal tools and supplies on the lower shelves of my DreamBox. The lids allow me to stack them which gives me more storage! I also use the dividers inside the InView Totes to keep smaller items separate.
Organize by project or crafting type
I use the Medium InView Totes for craft kits and kid-friendly items because they’re easy for kids to take in and out without spilling the contents (the deeper format is easier for them!). My girls have craft drawers of their own in their playroom and I’ve used various sizes of the Totes and Jars within those drawers as well. Their use is not limited to just the DreamBox!
Create labels for seasonal supplies
The InView Totes themselves are still clear so they don’t require labels if you don’t want to go that route. This way I can pull out the appropriate items when I need them and then store them down below for next year, but without forgetting that they exist entirely!
Decorating for Halloween
I like to decorate for the holidays! I like to do it in a simple way with a countdown on my whiteboard panel and sometimes a cute little festive banner.
Halloween is one of my favorite crafting holidays. I really love fall holidays because you can integrate natural materials into your projects. I love having somewhere that I can store all the tools I need for working with these materials and I use the Create Room Cutting Mat because it is an easier surface to keep clean for these types of projects.
I always lean towards “cute” Halloween rather than “scary,” and I love picking up simple craft kits for my little ones. It's great being able to replicate the projects included in these kits by saving the instructions for the following year.
Meet The Creator: Carlee Krtolica
Hi! I’m Carlee Krtolica and I’m a lifestyle blogger, content creator, interior designer, entrepreneur, business owner, best-selling author, and busy mom of two little girls. I’m someone who always has more projects than I can count at any given time!
What crafts do you do and how did you first discover them?
I have always been crafty! I’ve dabbled in scrapbooking, painting, calligraphy, and more. I love being able to do something creative and fun.
I also do a lot of crafting with my Cricut machine for business, which is really how I got into this particular crafting space (almost out of necessity). I make clothing with logos, cut vinyl decals for various displays and gear, and really anything we need! I do a lot of design and product design for retail packaging. Crafting really helps to be able to get the look and feel of something like this.
Could you tell us how your Create Room furniture has helped you make space for pursuing and creating things you love?
I am a mom of two toddlers and ended up converting my main floor office into their dedicated playroom. This left me with the problem of where to store my craft supplies and even a suitable workspace for projects. It’s such a pain when you have to set up and tear down a project space before and after each project. It also leaves no wiggle room for anything that might be a work in progress. My DreamBox has solved this problem.
First off, it has given me a dedicated office space, which is great. But for my crafting, it’s allowed me to do my projects in stages when I have the time rather than feeling rushed to complete something because I have to tidy up to devote the space to something else.
I also believe in “a place for everything and everything in its place” coupled with using clear storage so you always know what you have in your personal inventory of items/supplies. The extensive space of the DreamBox holds more than I could ever properly describe but allows me to keep it in plain view (or “in view” wink!).
I also love to draft ideas and adding the Whiteboard Panels has been incredibly helpful for me. I can write to-do lists, hang project mock-ups or even use this space to spec out new products and prototypes for my other business.
Is there anything else you’d like creators to know about you?
I love creative problem-solving, particularly for workspaces and home organization. You don’t have to be crafty to find a use for a DreamBox in your home! Having the ability to customize something to fit your needs is key and Create Room knocked it out of the park.
Want to see more of Carlee and her organization tips? Take a look at her website, Instagram @styledtosparkle, or Facebook!