My Portable Swatch Organizer
by Lindsay on March 10, 2009
Do you ever find yourself out and about and run across an item that you think might be perfect in your home? Then, you hem and you haw and question it’s dimensions, it’s shapes, it’s color. You decide that you can either buy the item and go through the process of returning it (if the store allows returns) if it doesn’t work or you can run home, check the measurements, and hope the item is still there when you return to the store.
What do you do? I’m of the school of buy it now, worry about it later. And, uh, yeah. I also have a lot of random stuff shoved in my craft closet.
A few months ago, I came up with the most brilliant idea in the history of the world to solve this problem. Meet my Swatch Organizer.
My Swatch Organizer is a roughly 4×6 inch plastic envelope that only costs a few dollars from most stores. I used to carry my swatches in a Ziploc baggie, but it just wasn’t organized enough for me and got all wadded up at the bottom of my purse. It drove me insane. Yeah, I’m totally that person.
The envelope has dividers inside that allows me to sort all sorts of home dec goodies and ideas by room. I think it was originally sold as a photograph organizer. It stays closed due to the wonders of Velcro.
Within each divider, I keep fabric swatches, paint chips, and trim samples for each room in my home. I also include a slip of paper with the measurements of a specific location if I am looking for something for that room. For example, if I needed a table for my entry way, I’d have a slip of paper with the dimensions of the area I want that piece to fit. I also have a list of needs for each room, such as frames, pillows, etc.
This is what can currently be found in my “Master Bedroom” section.
It slips into my purse, so I carry it with me everywhere I go. I have a fairly large purse, but the Swatch Organizer could also fit neatly into your glove compartment or in a diaper bag.
My Swatch Organizer has been invaluable to me as I go through the process of decorating my home. If I see a plate I want for the wall above my bed, I can pull out my swatches to see if the plate blends with my color scheme. If I see a lamp at Goodwill that I think would be a perfect repurposing project, I can look in the dividers and see which room needs a new lamp. Or if I see a great piece of art for my wall, I can check the measurements to see if it would fit in the little space I imagine it hanging.
I’m heading out of town tomorrow for a week and a half vacation with my son and my parents. I’m excited to have new thrift stores to check out and new fabric stores to visit. You better believe that I have double- and triple-checked to make sure my Swatch Organizer is safely in my purse!
Don’t you love the Swatch Organizer idea? You can run out to a Big Box store today and pick one up. Or, you can get your Five Dollar Challenge entry ready to link up on March 30th. I’m including a Swatch Organizer as another piece of the Grand Prize!
I hope the Swatch Organizer idea works for you as well as it works for me! Thanks to Kristen at
We Are THAT Family for hosting Works for Me Wednesdays on her great blog.
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Tagged as:
Five Dollar Challenge,
Home Dec,
Inspiration,
Living with Lindsay
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
What a great idea, Lindsay! I am definitely going to use this tip. Thanks
What a clever idea! Thank you!
Word…you a genius.
this is a great idea, how wonderful to have this around!
Well, I’ve been carrying around a fabric swatch loose in my purse, but this would be great.
Great idea. We both posted on the same theme: organizing.
I love your photos. They are beautiful.
cool idea. I use a binder but this seems more portable.
Oh my gosh, what a fantasticly fabulouso idea! Girl, you “learned” me something today. Thanks! This thing could save me money and time!
Great idea, Lindsay! I always say I’m gonna do an organizer like that with all my home stuff, but I never have gotten around to it. I know it’s a time saver. Of course, I don’t have a lot more room to bring stuff in my house, but it’s great having it all in one spot!
You are so organized! YAY! I love it and I do use those little plastic envelopes for my Etsy shop patterns. I used to keep them in a zip lock, too! It drove me nuts trying to find something. Love your purse!
Have fun on your vacation.
~Kim
That is an amazing idea! I bet a $1 coupon organizer would work for this idea, too. I have the same VB purse, BTW – I love it!
Doh – I’ve got three fabric swatches in my billfold right now – looking pretty much worse for the wear! And my other swatches are scattered all over the house! Good idea!
I’m totally impressed. This level of organization completely intimidates me. Home decor is not my forte’. Want to come decorate my house? I mean, I haven’t even done Zoodle’s bedroom yet. Though I’m determined to do it. Soon. Maybe it’ll be his first birthday present. (Gah, that is so embarrassing!)
Brilliant idea! I use the ziplock baggie and a small notepad right now. This is a much better way to go.
that is a great idea!
wow, now that organized! Clever girl!
What a great idea!
that’s some smart thinking girl!!
I need to be getting me a little plastic holder thing now. And then get me some swatches of my stuff. And lovin’ your Mod Floral Pink Vera! I have one too. The cutest print ever!
Brilliant idea!! I am going to do that. I always need my fabric or a paint chip!!
This is SUCH a great idea! Thanks for telling me about it–I might have to adopt a version of this!