When it comes to crafting, whether it’s rhinestoning, papercraft, cardmaking, sewing or scrapbooking, there is a need for good organization of tools and craft components; look after your tools and they will look after you. Keeping your craft embellishments neat and organized with the use of trays, storage pots or boxes is essential for maintaining their life span.
For the organization of rhinestones in particular, having a good storage solution will not only keep your rhinestones neat and tidy, it also helps with locating the correct crystals for your project, keeps them free of dust and prevents scratches or chips. A proper storage solution can also save time and frustration when it comes to finding the right size or colour - no more searching for that specific shade of pink that you know you have somewhere, but can’t find because it’s right at the bottom of your drawer!
Section 1: The Need for Rhinestone Organization
Keeping your rhinestones organized is crucial for all types of rhinestone craft, whether you’re sewing beads or buttons onto your crochet project, embellishing your clothing or applying rhinestones for nail art. Sorting rhinestones by colour or size means that you have easy access to what you need, quickly. This saves time and is crucial when it comes to appearing professional. If you do your craft as a job or know that you are being observed such as a nail artist, tooth gem application, presenter, workshop leader or stylist, it is important to be able to put your hands on the desired embellishment straight away.
Another benefit of organizing your rhinestones into boxes or pots is that you avoid mixing different types or sizes of stones which can lead to waste. Plus, it is easy for you to keep stock of what you have in your kit and what you need to replenish, this is useful for preventing you purchasing something you already have.
Section 2: Sorting by Size
There is a vast array of rhinestones available on the market, all coming in different sizes. Many crafts require multiple sizes so it is useful to know the different rhinestone sizes and what they are used for. Rhinestones for nail art and tooth gem application start at a tiny 1.5mm, whereas rhinestones for dancewear and costume making come in sizes 4mm – 6mm, and the larger sizes 7mm, 8mm and 11mm are more popular for embellishing Irish dance dresses.
When you’re starting a project that requires various crystal sizes, it can be a challenge if the rhinestones are not organized by size; you may end up using the wrong size stone or realise that you don’t have a particular size that you actually need. The advantage of keeping rhinestones in size order, particularly if you have a client who will be purchasing your goods, is that you can show them all the available options, giving them a choice of size. Storage pots are particularly handy for nail technicians who work with a range of sizes, the see-through nature of the small pots makes it easy for them to see which rhinestones they are selecting, and allows the client to pick and choose.
Section 3: Sorting by Colour
Another great way of organizing your rhinestones is by colour. There is a huge range of crystal colours and effects available on the market, and with the majority of crafts benefitting from having multiple colour options, it is essential that your craft kit contains a strong base of different shades. With colour trends constantly changing, and the different seasons or events in the calendar having an impact on what is popular, many crafters and designers need to have easy and quick access to the current trending colour.
When it comes to choosing the right colour for a project, it is often down to personal preference or the preference of the client. For example, an Irish dancer may want to have a dragon fire themed dress so will want to see all the different shades of red, orange and yellow. Or a customer in your nail salon might be coming in for a Valentine’s manicure so will want to see all the shades of pink on offer. Having your rhinestones organized by colour will help massively with time saving, choosing the perfect colour and appearing professional.
Our favourite way to store rhinestones is in rainbow order, as the colours flow easily from one to the next. Group your Clear and AB rhinestones, then go into shades of gold, brown, black, and silver, this allows you to quickly identify the desired colour, plus it helps with matching and bending colours. If you’re looking to create an ombre effect using rhinestones, this way of storing your stones is ideal.
Section 4: Sorting by Type
With so many different types of rhinestone, it can be tricky knowing how to organise them. If you’re a costume designer or bridal designer you may be used to working with Hotfix and Non Hotfix rhinestones, as well as beads, pearls and sew on stones. Because performance costumes, dancewear and bridal wear often requires multiple application methods, such as embellishing with hotfix rhinestones, embellishing with sew on stones or ironing on a rhinestone transfer, your kit probably includes many different types of embellishment, so this would be a good way to store them, rather than by colour or size. It is important that you are able to distinguish between types, so you can quickly and easily access the right stone for your project and avoid making application errors.
Nail artists may find it useful to organize rhinestones by type rather than colour, if they offer lots of different crystals types such as flatback crystals, flatback pearls, caviar beads, crystal shapes and pointy back crystals. This way, the technician and the client can easily see what’s on offer before making their choice.
Section 5: Recommended Rhinestone Trays and Storage Solutions
There are a number of great storage solutions out there, here are some we recommend:
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Clear storage tray with pots - The most popular and best selling storage solution for rhinestones are the trays of individual, see through pots. The tray contains 30 pots with screw lids, that are perfectly clear, allowing you to see at a glance what’s inside. They are perfect for storing and organizing rhinestones by size or colour. The trays are also handy for separating the different rhinestone types, for example you could have a flatbacks tray, a beads tray, a pearls tray, a hotfix tray etc.
- Storage box with flip lid pots – As above, the clear plastic boxes are handy for storing embellishments, though these ones have a flip lid rather than screw top lid. You need to be a little more careful with these to ensure the lids don’t pop open at the wrong time. However, the flip lid is great for quick and easy access.
- Grip seal bags – The grip seal bags are good for storing and organizing larger rhinestones such as sew on stones for costumes, fancy stones for jewellery making or large pearls for Irish dance. Again, they are see through which is ideal for seeing what’s inside, and they come in varying sizes to suit your requirements. They can be easily labelled and stored in a larger tray.
- Heart storage and flipper trays – These handy little trays are perfect for keeping your rhinestones in overnight when you are mid-way through a project. They come with a secure lid so are also great for transporting your rhinestones. They are particularly popular for mobile nail artists who move around a lot. They also double up as a flipper tray – simply give it a gentle shake and the rhinestones will flip onto their flat bottom, so the shiny side is facing upwards.
Section 6: Tips for Effective Rhinestone Organization
Good rhinestone organization is vital for maintaining the effectiveness and durability of the rhinestones, keeping them clean and making your life easier when you come to start a project. Here are some useful tips on how to easily keep your rhinestones organized:
- Purchase a storage box, tray, set of jars or bags, as discussed above, to separate rhinestones into size, type or colour for easy identification.
- If organizing by colour, keep similar shades together so you can easily see which colours work well together for matching and blending.
- If organizing by size, keep them in numerical order so it is easy to compare sizes.
- Label each pot or bag with the correct product so you can quickly see what you are running low on and need to replace.
- Regularly sort and declutter your kit to keep it neat and tidy.
- Store the rhinestones in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight to prevent damage.
- If you are storing larger crystals such as sew on stones or fancy stones, consider individually wrapping, or tight group wrapping them, to prevent scratches and chips.
*Handy tip for storing mixed packs of rhinestones:
Many jewellery designers, card makers and nail artists like to use our crystal mixes, when they can’t decide on a particular colour. Because they contain different colours, sizes and sometime different types of crystal in one mix, it can be hard to store them. Should you separate each crystal or keep them together? We suggest keeping the mixed crystals together in one pot, then empty them out onto a flipper tray when you’re ready to use them. This way you can see all the crystals and choose your favourite for your current project. Then simply pour them back into your labelled pot for next time.
So, let’s go over the key benefits of using trays and storage solutions for rhinestone organization.
- Easy access to the correct rhinestone
- Keeps rhinestones scratch-free and clean
- Presents a professional portfolio of embellishments to offer your clients
- Prevents rhinestone loss and wastage
Remember, a well organized rhinestone collection can make crafting more enjoyable and efficient, so why not invest in one of our recommended storage accessories.