Guest post by Rachel of The Analytical Mommy / Post may include affiliate links.
If you're a busy mom like me, it's hard to balance everything that you have to do at home and work. It seems like the list of things is never-ending and is constantly growing too! That's why I've found that setting up a creative workspace in my home, helps me focus on work while also helping the kids stay organized, inspired, and creating. PLUS I have a place to work when creativity strikes (and I have a moment)!
Hi! I'm Rachel, a busy working mom of 3 young boys who also blogs over at TheAnalyticalMommy.com. I'm a big fan of my DreamBox. So much so that I literally talk about it all the time. I swear that it's changed the entire dynamic of our house for the better. Who knew that what appears to be a regular armoire when closed could make magic like this happen?
Plus, I've even found out a way to have a kids craft storage and a homework station, all in one!
If you're ready to learn how I use my DreamBox to organize my crafts, my home life, my job AND my business, then read on! I'm excited to share all my secrets and tips with you! Plus, head over to my DreamBox Storage Craft Room Makeover Reveal for more tips on how to organize and decorate any craft room!
How my DreamBox helps me juggle life as a busy working mom and entrepreneur
When I first got my DreamBox I thought it would just be a great way to organize craft supplies and be able to easily store all our stuff. I knew I had a lot of craft supplies for the kids (and myself!) but didn’t realize how much until I pulled everything together.
It was then that I realized that my craft collection should be called organized chaos at best! I mean... My Cricut lived on the floor of my living room. That's pretty bad, right?
Fast forward to a few months since getting my DreamBox…
My Cricut has a new special home!
The DreamBox is the perfect place to store your Cricut Machine.
Why my kids love our DreamBox
All three of my kids (2, 6, and 11) and I love our DreamBox.
If you're on the fence about getting a DreamBox, I hope this post will convince you to take the plunge!
My 6 and 11-year-old use it for their virtual art class and are always on top of their game. My 11 and 2 year old now have a thing where the two of them play with fuse beads together at the DreamBox (it’s their thing - my 2-year-old won’t do fuse beads with anyone else or anywhere else) and use that as their bonding time as well. It's so cute! I love to see their love of art and crafting flourish!
They also gladly play with stickers, beads and anything else they can find!
And for me...Let me count the ways that the DreamBox has made me more efficient in every aspect of my life!
More than just a creative workspace
The DreamBox is more than just a creative workspace. I use it for crafting AND for my day job AND for blogging (so I spend more than half my day there). I LITERALLY USE IT FOR EVERYTHING.
I use it when I have to work and occupy my 2-year-old at the same time. I’ll give him activities like stringing beads on pipe cleaners, putting pompoms on paper with glue, or painting with watercolor paint so he’s occupied while I work! I love that we're able to sit at the DreamBox table together while I work!
Depending on what we’re doing at the DreamBox, almost all of us can easily use the table that comes with the DreamBox at the same time!
What I’ve learned about how to make the DreamBox work perfectly for our family
1. PLACEMENT
I try as best as I can to make one half of the DreamBox dedicated to kid-friendly supplies so that the kids know which side they can take stuff from without having to ask. I want to encourage them to be creative and use the box - but some things are just for mom still!
I try to put the stuff that the youngest shouldn’t get to without supervision out of reach. (like paint and dye to tie-dye)
I put my office supplies in a separate section too so that I can grab that stuff when I’m working and not get as distracted by my craft supplies!
2. MODULAR
My favorite thing about the DreamBox is that it's modular! In just the few months that I've had it, I have moved things around a few times and I love how easy that is to do! The New Tote Tracks definitely make moving things around SO much easier! I share my DreamBox Tote Track Review on my blog if you'd like to learn more about them!
Because they are so modular, I've been able to tinker a bit and found some cool storage methods that I love!
I use one of the rods on the swing door for paper towel which comes in handy when the kids use the DreamBox (and me too)!
I also use space in the swing door to hold my most used vinyl for easy access!
3. LABELING TOTES
I label the kid totes with different looking labels so that it’s clear even to my youngest which are his and I use a fun rainbow font so that it’s inviting!
Click here to grab a copy of my labels that you can use too!
4. TOTE LINERS
I use tote liners to keep the box looking clean and neat and use mostly solid-colored liners (plain black) to keep it neutral, clean, and calm.
The DreamBox is big with lots of stuff which can be overwhelming for young kids so I try to make it simple for them so they don’t feel overwhelmed and lose their drive to create with it!
I have a whole post on my blog that describes how I decorate and organize my craft room and DreamBox in more detail and you can download my Tote Liner templates there! I used the SVGs Create Room provides (Thanks CreateRoom!) and turned them into a PDF for those of you who need to cut your Tote Liners by hand, and a PNG that includes all 3 sizes prepositioned for cutting on a 12x12 piece of cardstock! You won't have to worry about arranging them just right in Design Space again!
DreamBox accessories that keep me productive
DreamBox Accessories to help stay organized in your creative workspace.
Paper Organizer: I have vinyl and heat transfer sheets for my Cricut, watercolor paper for me and the kids, transfer paper, cardstock, etc. I store it all in my Paper Organizer and that takes up so much less space than if I put each type in its own tote! I'm also able to see how much I have which is so convenient when I catch a sale and want to see what I'm running low on! I’ve also stored my vinyl rolls in it before but have since moved it to another area.
Tote Tracks: I got the upgraded Tote Tracks which have been amazing! They are so much more stable than the pegs and are so much easier to remove and move around which means that reconfiguring the DreamBox as our needs change is a breeze! The tote tracks also let you put more in the DreamBox and you don’t need shelves which means that you can fit more totes! Also, since I got the new upgraded shelves with the tote tracks, I was able to repurpose my older thin shelves to make a mini vinyl roll organizer! To learn more about these new tote tracks and why I love them, check out my post: NEW DreamBox Tote Tracks – Are they worth it? (and a COUPON!)
Cutting Mat: This is my newest accessory and I love it! Yes, it’s great that it’s self healing and protects the table when I’m cutting with my x-acto knife and other things! It’s also great protection from toddlers though! Now I don’t have to worry about permanent marker or gashes from being hit with a train or other toy!! It's also super light and easy to move so we add it when we need it and store it when we don't! Easy peasy! It gives me peace of mind that my table will stay in great shape for years! I think it's great for all crafters but definitely a must have for mommy-crafters!
DreamBox Self Healing Cutting Mat helps protect your table from cuts and toddlers!
Tips when purchasing a DreamBox
If you're on the fence about purchasing a DreamBox, just remember this...
The DreamBox isn't just for crafting and it's not JUST about organizing. The DreamBox is a beautiful piece of furniture that can help you and your family stay organized and inspired!
When closed, the DreamBox protects and stores your precious supplies and tools. When opened, it's a place you and your kids can work, play, and create all at once and so much more!
Because everything is within reach and view, you will always know what you have, and what you're low on. Imagine being inspired by your collection of materials rather than being frustrated because you get stuck mid way through a project because you're missing something.
If you don't have a ton of space, you can still fit a DreamBox into your home! Using our DreamBox we were able to turn a wall in our guest room into our craft space as you can see from the photo below! When we have company over, we close the DreamBox up, but that's only a few days a year! The rest of the year, that room is my craft room!
Imagine how amazing it would be to create a craft room in your home by adding just one piece of furniture ... to create the most amazing creative workspace!
Click here and use my affiliate code "CREATEMOM" to save $100 on your DreamBox or click on any of these posts to read more of my posts about how and why I use my DreamBox:
- CreateRoom DreamBox Review + Coupon!: How To Organize Your Craft Room- NEW DreamBox Tote Tracks - Are they worth it? (and a COUPON!)
- DreamBox Storage Craft Room Makeover – Plus Decorating and Organizing Tips