8 Easy DIY Fabric Storage Ideas

Keeping your fabric collection organized is much easier when you have a storage system that works for the space you have and the amount of fabric you need to store. These DIY fabric storage ideas will help you keep everything from large fabric rolls to smaller scraps neatly organized, easy to find, and ready for your next sewing or decorating project.

I have a lot of fabric left over from decorating and DIY projects, and keeping it all organized in my craft room can be a challenge.

Between large rolls of fabric, smaller pieces, and odd-shaped scraps, there’s no single storage solution that works for everything.

I also like to be able to see what I have so I can easily find the right fabric when I’m working on a new project.

Over the years, I’ve used several DIY fabric storage ideas that help me make the most of the space in my craft room while keeping everything neat and organized.

Some of them are simple projects that don’t take much time or money, while others are a little more involved.

But they all help me keep my fabric collection under control and make my craft room a more functional space to work in.

1 | Put folded fabric on shelves

This is the solution I use for almost all of my scrap fabric. I cut some 10″ x 10″ cards out of foam board, and wrap the fabric around it.

Then I put them on a bookshelf like a book.

It works great for odd shaped pieces and sizes because they all end up being about the same height and depth so you know they’re going to fit on the shelf.

And you don’t have to spend a bunch of time making sure that they are all folded to the same size.

To get all the details, read how to fold fabric for storage.

2 | Or file it

This idea from prodigalpieces.com is quite similar to the “wrap on a card” idea, but wraps the fabric on file hangers and puts them in a filing cabinet.

If your room happens to get a lot of sunlight, this would also keep your fabric from fading.

3 | Hang fabric from hangers

For the pieces of fabric that don’t fit well on cards, regular clothes hangers work really well.

I hung the larger fabric pieces from hangers.

And the smaller ones with skirt hangers.

Or hanging hooks.

Then put them up on a closet rod. (Or in my case, under my drafting table.

4 | Hang small pieces with clothes pins

If you have smaller scraps, you can hang them with clothespins.

You could put up clothes lines along the wall and then clip the fabric to it.

Or glue the clothes pins to a board and put the board up on the wall like this office space from muymolon.com.

If you color code the rows, it almost looks like artwork!

5 | DIY fabric roll storage

If you have a lot of fabric stored on rolls, this DIY fabric roll storage rack is a great way to keep them organized and easy to access.

It keeps the rolls off the floor and lets you see what you have at a glance.

Plus, you can customize it to fit your space and the number of rolls you need to store.

Read the DIY fabric roll storage rack tutorial for the step-by-step instructions on how to make it.

6 | DIY fabric ladder

This DIY fabric ladder is inspired by a Pottery Barn blanket ladder, but it works just as well for storing larger pieces of folded fabric.

Simply drape the fabric over the rungs to keep everything organized and easy to see, while adding some color and pattern to your sewing room.

It’s a great way to turn your fabric collection into part of the decor, and you can make your own for a fraction of the cost of the original.

Read the DIY fabric storage ladder tutorial for more details.

7 | Use baskets for “utility” fabrics

A fairly large basket that fits on the shelf works well for all of the “utility” type fabrics like lining and interfacing.

Generally, they aren’t that pretty to look at, and are relatively thin. So you can fit quite a lot of them into one basket.

It’s really easy just to pull out the basket to find what you need. Or find out that you don’t have enough to do what you need 🙂

8 | Store Small Scraps In Clear Storage Boxes

If you’re a quilter and need to save really small pieces of fabric, clear storage boxes are a good way to go.

You can organize by color like this picture from withinaquarterinch.com and then easily see which box to grab.

Adding labels makes sure that you will remember where things go.

Have comments or questions about our DIY fabric storage ideas? Tell us in the section below.