Paint By Number: Basket Labeling System

Being the paint lover and DIYer that I am, keeping all those painting supplies organized is very important to me.  So this week, I decided it was time to tackle a couple of projects to help me be a little more efficient when it comes to whipping out a quick paint project. 

A while back I shared my favorite paint supplies, and then I was asked, "Where do you keep all of your painting tools?"

The short answer is, in some cheapo white baskets on the top shelf in the laundry room.

For over a year now, the baskets have been doing their job keeping the supplies wrangled and concealed {clear bins would add visual clutter}.  But it stopped there.  Every single time I wanted to whip out a quick project, I would pull every bin down and search for the specific supply I needed.  Where did I toss the paint can opener the last time I used it?  Which bin had my favorite paint brush?  We need to quickly fill a hole in the wall, where is that spackle again?  Guessing and searching isn't my idea of a good time, especially when I just want to get the project wrapped up.  And without labels, the baskets were never guaranteed to make their way back to the same location on the shelf.

So, I started out by loosely categorizing each bin, and sorted accordingly.

Caulks, putties and adhesives in one, miscellaneous painting tools in another and paint applicators in the third.

I brainstormed all sorts of labeling ideas.  Luggage tags, laminated labels, etc... but in the end, there didn't seem to be straight forward way to label all of the contents that were in each bin; there were so many miscellaneous items in each one that I would never be able to read the small print from down below.

A simple 1, 2, 3 label would do the trick.  I like how they look, and I could just create a simple reference list down at ground level.

Each basket received a spray painted house number, and the contents in each basket were listed on a printable I quickly whipped up.

I decided to hang the list in a frame since it is a laundry room and it is exposed to lint and cleaning supplies and sprays.  Since the contents of the bins rarely change, it would be no biggie to pull it out of the frame and add to the list.

Now I know what is in each bin without question!  Time to get painting!

A labeling system that is easy as 1, 2, 3!  {Sorry, couldn't resist!}

This method could be applied in so many areas around the home, I especially love the idea of using it for managing storage bin contents in a garage or storage room.  We also use the 1, 2, 3 system frequently around the home for the kids and it has been a huge time life saver!  Each kid understands their birth order number and everything from their bathroom hooks to their water bottles are labeled with their designated number.  Quick, easy and effective!

How has a numbering system worked for you in the past?   Do you looove it as much as I do?