Storing Rhinestones: Effective and Accessible Solutions

In crafting, from rhinestoning to sewing, organization is key. Properly storing your tools and materials, especially rhinestones, in trays or boxes not only keeps them tidy but also prevents damage and makes finding the right size or colour easier. A good storage system saves time and keeps your rhinestone embellishments in top condition, ensuring you always find what you need quickly.

The most common challenges faced by crafters and blingers in keeping their rhinestones organised and undamaged, is finding a proper storage solution. Storing rhinestones correctly can be the difference between your craft project running smoothly or ending up looking unprofessional.

Understanding Rhinestone Storage Needs

Due to the many different types of rhinestones, for example hotfix vs non hotfix, varieties in size and colour, and different rhinestone shapes etc, it can be tricky finding a storage method that suits you and your chosen craft. For this reason, we would always recommend using storage trays, boxes or pots that have lots of compartments to allow for all the different types of rhinestones in your embellishment kit.

Apart from keeping your rhinestones organised by type, another huge advantage to proper storage is to protect the rhinestones from physical damage, dust and moisture. If rhinestones are kept loose, there is a risk of scratches to the crystal or the foil backing. Some bigger rhinestones can even get chipped if not stored properly.

Basic Storage Solutions

Using clear, compartmentalised containers such as trays with individual pots or boxes, has the benefit of visibility so you can easily find what you are looking for straight away. This is ideal if you like to work with different colours, shapes, or sizes of rhinestone. See-through pots or boxes are also handy if you have a client who wants to choose a colour, for example a nail artist can offer a portfolio of rhinestones for their client to choose from. This shows a level of professionalism in that you are treating the rhinestones with care and attention.

DIY Storage Solutions

If you have just started blinging as a hobby and your budget is low, why not try making your own storage for rhinestones? It is easy to create compartments in an empty shoe box for example, using cardboard. Or use recyclable materials such as egg boxes or ice cube trays for eco-friendly and cost-effective storage for smaller embellishments.

Maintaining an Organised Rhinestone Collection

To maintain a neat and organized rhinestone collection, it is important to regularly update, or add to, your storage system to make room for new additions. It is easy to fall into the lazy habit of trying to cram too many rhinestones into one box, or to mix colours if you’ve ran out of room. But this will lead to a disorganised and unprofessional looking mess, which will impact your efficiency when crafting.

With every new addition to your rhinestone collection, expand your storage. This gives you a good excuse to have a sort out of your stock, and you may find hidden gems that you’d forgotten about.

Advanced Storage Tips for Professionals

If you’re storing a large number of valuable rhinestones, such as Swarovski or Preciosa crystals for jewellery making, or chandelier and crystal lighting components, it is advisable to look into more secure storage options. Think about climate-controlled spaces to prevent long term damage, and locked storage units for those higher valued items.

Labelling and Cataloguing

No matter how big or small your rhinestone collection is, we always advise labelling your storage pots with the type, colour and size to ensure easy access and management of stock.

For businesses that regularly work with rhinestones in bulk, such as dressmakers, nail artists, costume designers, jewellery makers and bridal designers, it is important to keep an up to date, digital catalogue of stock. This could be through a cataloguing app, a Google document or spreadsheet. Keeping track of your rhinestones helps when purchasing new stock, to avoid duplication or missing rhinestones.

Conclusion and recommended storage solutions:

Let's highlight the advantages of trays and storage options for organizing rhinestones:

• Quick access to the desired rhinestone.
• Keeps rhinestones in pristine condition.
• Showcases a professional range of embellishments for clients.
• Reduces the risk of losing or wasting rhinestones.

A neatly organized collection enhances the crafting experience and boosts efficiency. Consider investing in our suggested storage solutions:

• 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.