There have been some notorious slobs in the world of art. Leonardo da Vinci, for one, kept his studio full of newts, maggots, and bats (the Mona Lisa had some strange company!). And we shudder to imagine Jackson Pollock's cleaning bills. Your kids may themselves be hip to the idea that great art requires dispensing with such square conventions as tidiness, and you probably try hard not to hover over them with a sponge while they're in the throes of creative passion. But the organization of craft supplies and their eccentric (read: messy) usage are altogether different matters. We suspect tidy supplies will inspire even greater creativity in your kids, since they will always be able to find exactly what they're looking for, in addition to some other things (hey, glitter glue!) they didn't even know they had.

With that in mind, we offer here our dream craft center. Don't be put off by its unearthly neatness--we were, after all, striving for perfection. Just pick and choose the ideas that suit your family. Most of our organizing tools are simply household items, such as magnetic knife strips, plastic bins, and shower caddies, that we've put to new use. With this inviting and user-friendly system, your craft projects won't begin with a frustrating preliminary scavenger hunt. And that, we hope, means you'll have more time for art (for art's sake).