How to store yarn and organize your stash [+mistakes to avoid]

[@NimbleNeedles]

There is a follow-up episode available on how to store knitting needles: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nn-mYnV_bZKjftE ☕️ Support my work and become a patron: www.patreon.com/nimbleneedlez

[@auntymarushkafah]

"You Are Worth It!" Love it! My philosophy entirely.

[@jubierivera4801]

Jr,com,@,567) the best way to go to sleep 😎 and the thing that is the thing to do is to go to do with it is not 😄 to be ko 😎😎🔥 and the world is the thing to do is the best way to go back to be ko 👍😎😎🔥

[@magelinekelley7536]

I just went ahead and subscribed annually to support your work! So happy to have found your channel. Thank you for your hard work

[@Danceswithfishes]

I'm glad I watched this video. I was about to get a cupboard with glass doors to store my yarn. I have seen this idea on Pinterest and I thought it looked lovely. However, your me too big the effect of sunlight on yarn made me reconsider.

[@gina2797]

I’m in Texas and I “organize” my stash by having it laying around everywhere. My closet is full of plastic bags. The only advantage of this system is that I am certain that my husband loves me and the things I knit for him because he doesn’t complain. I told him I am watching this video and he asked me to pay close attention. :)

[@NimbleNeedles]

haha...well...let's say my partner loves me dearly as well but..there has been a little complaint here and there as well over the years ;-)

[@HB-no4mu]

I can hear him now, "You want to go try these buckets to store? Somewhere together and safe? Here's my card!" My wife said this to me when I first brought up organizing my craft things!

[@kathyhill6409]

Lmao, I have that husband too. Instead of making him things, he watches me buy yarn and then give my projects away.

[@carolyncaverly2190]

Sisters separated at birth?

[@Ss-dz6cm]

I'm in Texas too. I also have a husband like yours. He may raise an eyebrow when I cast on yet another project without finishing others, but at this point he understands I cannot be monogamous with my knitting. As a matter of fact i have 3 projects in my living room right now and i worked on all of them today. We did attempt to organize a couple of times but it quickly goes back to weeds. We should start a support group.

[@stephaniem839]

I never thought about taping the label to be smaller as the skein is used! OH MY GOSH!!! Those hair clips are a GENIUS way to keep the cakes from unraveling!!! Thank you SOOOOO much!!

[@NimbleNeedles]

You are so welcome!

[@jenniferhaskell1921]

I just tuck the end of the yarn under a few strands of the outside of the cake or ball. I use a crochet hook to pull it through.

[@michigansews3115]

"It's there when I need something soft to pet" I can't stop laughing. Best reason ever to have yarn! Btw, this year I decided the best place to store the yarn is in a project.

[@aimee-made]

I'm in Maine and I'm the SAME WAY about my stash - plastic bins, plastic bags. I keep all the skeins that are the same dye lot stored together in their own ziploc bag. So, I've been doing the same storage method that you describe for a long time! :-D ALWAYS keep my yarn sealed away from moths and other little nasties, and limit its exposure to light! I watched another KZbinr recently who organized all her yarn "naked" and it gave me the chills! My yarn is a treasure and an investment in my own joy, so I treat it with care.

[@camellia8625]

Very true about exposure to light. Hadn’t thought of that

[@janicemetzner9582]

Norman, you are a treasure. I am 70 years young and just starting my knitting journey with you. I am a natural dyer ( fabrics/rust/earth pigments/eco-printing) and have dyed some beautiful yarns and am eager to learn to use them. I am a Kainai woman living in Kootenays BC. Our people are originally from and still reside in the plains of Alberta Canada. We are buffalo people. Try your Buffalo yarn in your interpretation of a buffalo robe. Buffalo robes are essential to our culture. Look them up. I know you will come up with something fantastic that is not cultural appropriation, but rather essential to who you are. I appreciate your sensitivity to the history of the yarn you are using. Blessings to you are yours...

[@putrescentcadaver]

I feel like I've visited a genuine friend after watching your videos Norman. You're so likeable and always have relevant content that either makes me a better knitter technically or great advice and info to consider in the fiber crafting world. Thank you for being you!

[@NimbleNeedles]

I appreciate that! thank you for your lovely feedback

[@Badoura]

Scotland - I stash in those dry cleaning bags for taking your duvet home after it's been cleaned

[@v.hormazabal1655]

I'm from the south of Chile, and I recently found your videos and I love your YT channel. I keep my yarn stash on plastic boxes in a small bookcase, it's a recent yarn stash because I began to knit again after decades, like an arms movement therapy after a car accident that I had almost a year ago. I didn't knew that guanaco yarn exist!, we have guanacos in my country and probably guanaco yarn but I don't think is sold here. Guanacos are so soft!, I had a rescue female guanaco when I was a child (then she went to a wildlife preserve) and I still remember the softness of her wool!

[@NimbleNeedles]

yeah, it is veeery hard to come by. I only know of one place that sells the yarn!

[@LindaGildaSmith]

I’ve always kept my yarn in plastic bins that I keep in a closet. I also created an excel spreadsheet for tracking yarn and what I plan to use it for. In the past year, I decided to only buy yarn for a specific project and not just because I found pretty yarn. There is always beautiful yarn available and I’m finding that for me, it’s better to wait for a beautiful pattern to pop up first and then find the perfect yarn for that project.

[@NimbleNeedles]

that sounds like a very sensible approach, Linda. And as I said in the video, I really do the same. Sometimes it's hard to give a beautiful skein a pass. But before I know whether I want to knit socks or a sweater with it, I feel it just doesn't make any sense to buy it.

[@HB-no4mu]

Spreadsheets 🥰 We love an organized crafter! (Also I feel you. I see pretty fabric and my brain immediately says "I'll totally use this sooner or later, buy! Buy!")

[@jennifertaylor7021]

That is how I am starting to look at things as well. I often forget what I have

[@lizardorita6110]

Love spreadsheets. I love the idea of my personal yarn database. Just got my bins from Amazon today. Exciting. :)

[@karenaemrich6253]

@@lizardorita6110 Have a feeling you will link your yarn to projects on another tab??!

[@nannasallynelson3990]

As I make mostly items for people experiencing homelessness, I use mostly acrylic. I purchase most of it from my local charity shops, and supply can be haphazard. I store it in boxes based on colour, zip lock bags for times I have several balls the same in those boxes. I like to use several strands at once, so I get through it pretty quickly. Love your tips.

[@NimbleNeedles]

thx for sharing, Nanna!

[@dauser4]

so the homeless are cold anyway. ou know acrylics dont keep you warm and make you sweat instead.

[@mmsd1108]

@@dauser4 What are you doing for the homeless?

[@cazkiwinz4300]

Whereas I buy mainly acrylic cos I like it….and I’m cheap… 😝 I ain’t gonna spend my dough on “cashmere” and “alpaca” or hanks of sock yarn…. as I don’t see the value in it. It’s also wayyy overpriced in NZ … where it freaking comes from… it’s cheaper overseas which is annoying. Also I say I’m “cheap” but really, that’s only with yarn ‘cos I sure can spend money like water on tools, notions, sewing machines and my other crafts…. I have full set syndrome too 😂 … but for crochet and knitting, acrylic does the job for me. Good on your for donating tho… I’m selfish as well, I HATE declutter/donate videos cos my stuff is all mine, hands off, I have no desire to clear it out and give it away! 😂

[@camellia8625]

@@dauser4 maybe you could donate some bags of pure wool yarn to her to knit up.

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

Thanks for this organization lesson. I live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in a very small appartment, with a photographer spouse who also has a lot of equipment, so I have to be careful not to have too much stash. I store my stash by projects according to what I intend to knit soon. I choose my projects according to what is needed in my wardrobe, except for lace shawls which I knit for pure pleasure and gift to knit-worthy people. I also have two decorative ladders to display my own shawls. I have been nick-named "Madame châle". 😉 Knitting is my pleasure and when I spend money on yarn, I think about the price of concert or sport events tickets, reflecting on how long the pleasure will last for. When I knit, a lace shawl or a sweater for 3 weeeks, if I divide the price of yarn by the hours of pleasure, I sure get a better value than a two hour concert, or an expensive meal at a great restaurant. I still go out to shows or to the restaurant once in a while, but I must admit I always compare the prices I pay for these moments to the yarn I could buy with that money. 🤭 I always have a sock project ready to go in case I might have to wait somewhere, which made me very patient during COVID. I now have enough socks for a long time so I knit socks for people I love, it is quite fun.

[@NimbleNeedles]

I love that comparission between a concert and the joy knitting with the yarn brings you. Thx for adding that Nicole!

[@kathyhill6409]

I did one shawl special. I've been on a poncho and afghan kick. Today I decided I am making myself something. A spring dress.

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

@@kathyhill6409 Are you on Ravelry, i'd like to go check you shawl

[@kathyhill6409]

@@nicolelafontaine1720 no, sorry. The shawl isn't posted anywhere. Probably my friend's facebook of last halloween. Spider shawl.

[@AVToth]

I use those same boxes, from wal mart. Every now and then I have a winding day. I buy it alot, but I HATE the hank! I would rather be poked in the eye with a sharp stick than after I find a pattern and think oh boy, I have it already! Yippy. I go to get it and it's all still in thanks. Aaggh! I want to knit right now this minute but no, I have to drag out my swift and ball roller. It dawned on me recently that I have two granddaughters who both want to learn to knit. Hahaha. I'm thinking that lesson number one is how to use the swift and ball winder. To do it properly it is vital to do this correctly and so they need to practice, practice, practice. Because I love them so much, I will make the sacrifice and let them practice on my stash.

[@Jacelyn5440]

Hi! For years, I stored my skeins from the store in a huge black, metal cabinet. About 1 1/2 years or so ago, I was out of space and running over. So, i got a large ball winder and wound all my skeins into cakes of yarn. I then rolled up the label and insert it into the center of the yarn cake. Voila! Now I can always know what type, size, color, etc. my yarn is. They can now stack neatly on top of each other. BUT, I still needed more room. So, I put them in the vacuum seal bags and removed the air from the bags. Now, I can put the reduced size bags of yarn cakes in my huge cabinet. I do still have more yarn, but it is mostly cotton for dishcloths and such and I store that in a filing cabinet drawer. I did put some of the left over balls of yarn from other projects into clear containers with lids and put them on top of the a filing cabinet. I put my Size 10 thread in clear containers and stash them under my sewing area tables. I live in the United States in the State of Louisiana. ETA: You mentioned buying yarn because you see it and it is beautiful, or you don't have that one yet. I did that for years. I have yarn that is well over 15 years old. I did give a couple of large bags away a bout 1 1/2 years or so ago, to a lady who loves to crochet, but is disabled and cannot afford yarn. So, I shared with her. I was going to give her more, but she developed a problem with her hands and could not crochet at the time. And, I also agree that to go "shopping" in your stash and get yarn for a project without having to go to the yarn shop is a wonderful feeling!

[@StoutsGMa]

I'm in New York. I have a LOT of large bins stacked up, then there are some tote bags, a few boxes... just lots of yarn! I need to "organize it". SABLE ~ it's all about the potential of the yarn....

[@susan.l.foulds3475]

Thank you Norman. I think that not only are you a super talented knitter but you have a talent for teaching in a most intelligent and pleasant manner. I have a giant stash of yarn. I store it in Rubbermaid-maid type large plastic bins. I sort by "weight" and also by special dyers (Wollmeise) and special fibers.( I have small amounts of quivit, cashmere, and alpaca--the latter given to me by a friend who had an alpaca farm. ) I seal the edges with duct tape if I know I will not use it for a while. I succumbed to the mania of buying too much yarn when sock knitting took off about 12-15 years ago and indie dyers products became the must-have yarn. The clubs that allowed access to special patterns etc and colours did me in. Also, I was sidelined for about 10 years with a dreadful illness and confined much of the time to the house. Visiting the huge number of yarn stores that came online was a great and, unfortunately, costly amusement. I know I am not alone in my experience. You are the voice of reason. Many thanks

[@NimbleNeedles]

yeah..i still remember when those indie yarn dyers became a thing...like Wollmeise and you desperately had to refersh your browser somewhen early in the morning and maaaaybeee get one skein..if you were lucky. It kind of enforced a....buy now ask later..habit :(

[@merkinidgit]

I was also side-lined for several years by that most dreaded of illnesses: parenthood. I joke. I love my two grown men and I’m proud of who they have become. But it SERIOUSLY slowed down my creativity for a couple of decades!

[@RonaldaCowcher]

Now I can get organised. Will place all the yarn I will not use and my old needles and take to the refugee centre and teach the ladies to knit. Thank you for waking me up!💕

[@witchywoman4139]

I love your vids so much, Norman! I'm in New Mexico (US), and for the last 20 years or so, I've had one single large plastic tub that has housed several skeins of leftover yarn I'd purchased for various crochet projects, along with a substantial stash of random types of yarn gifted to me by a friend. I stopped crocheting years ago because life got in the way, and recently took it up again; I'm also learning to knit, thanks in part to your oh-so-helpful videos! I decided to "upgrade" my yarn stash, and I must admit that I got a bit carried away, taking advantage of online sales. So now I have my old stash in its same tub, along with quite a few boxes of recently purchased yarn that have yet to be organized. I'm totally with you when it comes storing all my yarn in tubs, but I've spent all my money on yarn lol. I'll have to save up to buy some more tubs, so it's boxes for now, but eventually I'll have it all in tubs, as per your expert guidance. Thanks for all you do!

[@QiheartuQ]

I'm in California. I've got my stash all wound and hung on a pegboard in the laundry/craft room. It's organized by color. It lets me see all of my yarn so I am aware of exactly how much yarn I already have and it also helps dampen the sounds from the washer/dryer when they are running

[@tgrrl476]

Needed to hear you say that my stash is an acceptable hobby 😁 spent $150 on a crap-ton of my favorite yarn this morning, and have been second-guessing myself since. Oh, I'm DEFINITELY gonna use it, so now I'll store it in clear, airtight boxes to keep it all safe. ❤😊

[@Rebelmusedesign]

Once in a while, I go through my yarn, decide what I will not be using and I find someone who would really like to have it and use it and I give it to them so that something can be created out of it. It’s just my way of sharing the joy.❤

[@karendehaan9982]

Well hi Norman, my mother recently passed, she was a great knitter and left me with many "left overs" . So I now have a pleasant problem to deal with! Thanks for all the advice, from Australia.xxx

[@Kat-Knows]

Karen i have received many UFOs from friends of relatives who have passed of late & were knitters or crocheters. Some of the projects i finish, but some i just unravel the yarn to use in something else. Feel free to do what u feel is best for u. Have peace in ur hobbie.

[@XatxiFly]

The hairpin thing is a good tip, I ought to try that

[@michaeljensen900]

Denmark here. I've only recently started exploring yarn types, so most of my yarn is standard 8/4 cotton. Recently I started a blanket with all these old scraps. That way I can try out new techniques a little at a time and get rid of all those scraps. I keep unused yarn in a basket on a high shelf and used yarn in separate bags and boxes with only yarn for THAT project.

[@yarra352]

I'm currently in the Netherlands. Dutch houses are notoriusly small and I have to share the space with the rest of the family. A craft room was not posible, but since we are all very creative I created the hobby closet. It is a wall to wall cabinet I gor for free from an old lady that wanted get rid of it. I draged it home section by section (we live in an apartment complex with no elevator), striped it down, sanded, repaired and painted it. It hold all our hobby and crafting stuff. Paints, colors, papers, canvas, glitter, sewing, knitting, crochet, glitter, music, crafting books, did I mention glitter? My yarns and fabrics are stored in old leather suitcases and briefcases stacked on top. It looks great, and makes a big statement of who we are as a family. And everything is ofc proteced in airtight vacuum bags. It

[@Kat-Knows]

Thank you for making this yarn storage & organizing video. Folks need to learn the proper/best way for storing their yarn treasures. It makes me cringe when i see yarn just stored open, knowing how much dust & even bugs can get to it. I am living in Texas now in the country & it can get very dry & dust where i live. I do like u & store my yarn in plastic totes, i do the extra measure of putting skeins of yarn in plastic clear zipper slide freezer gallon or quart size bags. Its keeps the skeins secure & clean. While the rest of my house shows its dusty dirtiness from country living. I do get tired of cleaning & would rather knit or crochet or do my other hobbies. But i know my stored yarn is safe 😁

[@The_double_ewe]

I need to up my storage game 😅 I haven’t totally built a crazy stash but what I do have could probably be stored a little better. I do love that you have a ball of yarn to pet. I recently spun up some lamb wool and laughing about wanting to keep the hank in my lap like a kitten. It’s so soft.

[@NimbleNeedles]

Haha..well I can totally understand that. Some yarn is just..lovely!

[@noelleparris9451]

So much common sense. I definitely have SABLE but it´s not a problem. I buy yarn when I want to, sometimes for a project and sometimes because I just want that particular yarn. I catalog my collection so I know what I have, and when I am starting a new project, my collection is my first stop when choosing the yarn. I invariably have what I need and don´t need to buy anything. But having so much beautiful yarn does make me happy. I enjoyed watching you stroke and pet your luxury yarns!

[@kathleenhauck2175]

I LOVED your comments on the SABLE syndrome. You are so wise! Thank you.

[@NimbleNeedles]

You are so welcome, Kathleen

[@TheNika8000]

Hi, I'm living in Germany. I don't have a lot of yarn, so it all fits in two smaller boxes. I wind them on my big yarnwinder for the maxi yarnballs :D then store them in the boxes by fiber and projekt.

[@MD-gw9kj]

One thing I do with left over yarns is weigh the ball on a kitchen scale, and make a note if that on the label tag. This helps in hunting through the stash in planning another project to quickly see if there is enough yarn.

[@naomimay82]

I recently bought water-tight plastic totes to hold my stash. I almost only work with natural fibers, so I organize by fibers. I don’t have enough space to break it down by weight. I have wool and alpaca in one large tote and cotton, linen and hemp in the other large tote. The plastic tote I put my finished projects in is not water-tight, so I will take your advice and get one that is water-tight for my completed projects. My Mom taught me to crochet when I was 4 years old. My Mom is German; her mom came to the United States in 1956. All my German relatives crochet, which is totally awesome! They also knit. I learned that as a child also, but I have always preferred crochet.

[@ginafarokhmanesh3821]

I live in Missouri, U.S.A. I use a similar method of yarn storage. But I do sort by yarn weight and brand. It just helps me find a specific type of yarn quickly. The bins are stacked up in a spare bedroom. I have to sort and straighten it up occasionally cause I tend to root through the bins and create a mess!

[@NimbleNeedles]

ah.i know that too well. That's basically why I started using the hairpins. Going through the pins one time too often, left the skeins tangled ^^

[@MsElledubya]

Hello from central Oregon USA. I store my yarn in my closet in plastic bins sorted by weight as 90% of it is sheep wool. The few skeins of cotton and acrylic yarn are stored in separate bins. It is very dry where I live so I don’t worry about humidity at all. I also have several lavender bushes so there is no shortage of lavender sachets in my house😋

[@ΙΩΑΝΝΑΣΦΑΚΙΑΝΑΚΗ-χ8χ]

I am from Greece, Krete, and I storage my yarn in boxes from IKEA. Now I shall write the kind of yarn. I'm watching your videos, which I love them.

[@batya7]

I'm in Baltimore. I use Ravelry to organize my stash. I have no system of storage. I kind of "know" where the yarn is: plastic containers, cardboard file boxes, and yes, plastic grocery bags. 😮 Some yarns, like my plates of unspun Icelandic Plötulopi, are more pampered and isolated. 😊 Sometimes I forget where I've stored yarn 🤢, and it is a happy discovery when I finally locate it ... if I even remember I had it! 🥳 That's where my Ravelry list is valuable. I can document when I got it, if someone gave it to me in a destashing effort, or even where it is stored! I use yarn scraps on occasion as stitch markers. The bulky project I'm doing now is on 10.5 needles, too big for my other stitch markers. Going back to basics.

[@ramonademmon5951]

Western Canada here. No bugs or humidity thankfully. I keep my yarn in small open totes inside a 6' cupboard. I sort it according to type (wool , acrylic, cotton ) separate and brands of acrylic if I have lots of each. I also have a chest of drawers for all of the other stuff. Needles, finishing items, blocking pads, etc.

[@lisaw8202]

I live in Pennsylvania in the the NE US. It gets pretty warm and humid here in summer. I store my yarns in large boxes as you do, but my boxes are not airtight. I keep the boxes in my guest bedroom which is usually dark and unused. I recently ordered some toys online that arrived in very open plastic mesh bags, a bit stronger than the kind onions come in. I find these are fabulous for bundling sweater quantities of the same yarn so they aren't floating around the box. It's easy to see the yarns through them and much nicer than the zip-locks I used to use. They let air flow through and I can squish more yarn into the box this way lol. I only have 2 large boxes of yarn, and I'm working on knitting down my old stash. I'll be happier when I have just one box :-)

[@Blb477]

Thank you Norman! You’re a joy! I live in the mountains in Colorado. I have a 650 sq ft apt and some of my yarn is spread around to “look at” “sniff” and run across my face. Others are in bins and WIPS but I typically have my stash in baskets or bins first by fiber content and then weight in my closet. Looks like I’m under control too..it would take me about 4 years to knit all this up IF I don’t buy anything from now on! 😂❤ I’m fortunate that I’ll leave my stash in my will to one of my daughters who just took up the hobby! She’ll keep up the tradition to continue knitting those socks for cold feet. She’s in Minnesota. It’s cold in both areas. ❤❤

[@TMacD4U]

I'm in Manitoba, Canada, and I've only been knitting for about a year now. I was buying yarn only for planned projects, but now that my collection is growing keeping my yarn in hanging canvas bags isn't going to work for much longer. 😅 I will be switching to the clear tubs soon, I love this solution!

[@101kurtj]

Uncle Norman is supportive about getting our stash yarn, but within reason 😅❤

[@melissaclay8335]

Hello once again, Norman. I’ll say it again, I LOVE your channel! Whenever I have a question or need to know how to do something my first thought is “I’ll bet Norman has the answer” and go to your channel for help. I live in sunny, South Florida, USA. I have been thinking lately that I need to organize my stash in a different way and here is your video on organizing! I am happy to see I already organize my yarn in clear plastic bins just like you! So thankfully I can leave it the way it is. 😁 it’s probably not separated in a great way. I just have it labeled “good yarn” all my better yarns. “Mid grade yarn “ and “Yarn” which is just acrylic or cheaper yarns I have picked up. Thankfully my stash isn’t as big as I thought it was after seeing yours. 😜. I now only buy yarn if it’s for a specific project. Loved the tips Clips at the ends of cakes was a great one and I am now going to add lavender to the bins! Thanks for your videos! They, and you, truly are a godsend!

[@NimbleNeedles]

well, if you only have a small stash, I would say you don't need more boxes. I mean..you'd only end up with half-filled boxes and I'm not sure how helpful this would be. As all of my other videos, this is just some suggestions and you can pick whatever you feel sounds good to you. Either way, happy to hear you love my channel so much and I can be part of your knitting journey, Melissa!

[@TheSablelou]

I’m in Oregon and I have all my yarn stored in Ziploc bags. I also keep sachets of lavender with all my yarn. Lavender keeps all the pests away and smells great!

[@tracyevink647]

Norman, you are spot on every time. I started knitting before the first Covid shutdown and quickly built up a stash of yarn. Indie dyers are my favorite and I just 'had to' have so much. Earlier this year, when listing my stash on an excel spreadsheet, I realized that I had overdone it. So I am following your advice and not purchasing unless I have no other option for that 1 particular project. I really like your idea of totes. I have a cabinet and it is loaded with lavender (that I grow in my yard) but I did not think of dust and a possible loss of color. You are so wise-keep up the great work.

[@mariashepherd3319]

Hi I’m in California. I store my yarn in clear filling boxes. They are slightly larger and have a pop on lid. I could refine it, by labeling, that’s for sure. I like how you organize by fiber. Nice job. Good tips. Danke. I’m hailing out of Kaiserslautern, oh so many years ago. Your video made me smile. 😊

[@maaggie1]

It’s nice to get some validation! I’ve stored my yarn in those same boxes, at least the natural fibers. I sort by weight and label mine in that way after documenting them in my Ravelry stash. The boxes are just stacked on the floor at this point, but I have plans to put them on shelves in cabinets. I have not added the silica packets, but that’s a really good idea because I live in North Texas, and we do have to deal with humidity. I’ll have to go look for those!

[@AngelaKlassen-f8y]

I am new to knitting so my stash is currently in bags all over my house. I also love felting, so I have plastic bins of wool roving in stacks. My plan is to reorganize my “studio” (the spare bedroom) by moving my IKEA bookcases to use for all my wool/yarn. This video has really helped me plan that reorganizing. Thank you from Calgary Canada 🇨🇦

[@The1MightyPen]

I'm in Texas and I have a 12 by 16 foot workshop. I use those stuffed animal nets for some of my yarn, the ones I plan on using soon, and the rest goes in large plastic bins and they go up in the loft space. I use one net for crochet thread and one for yarn, when I get low, I pull down my bins and fill up my nets again.

[@jenniferchi2591]

Honestly, I came for the stash organizing tips but was pleasantly surprised by the self-care tip and commentary on capitalism/consumer culture. 👍

[@NimbleNeedles]

Glad you enjoyed that part. Never quite sure if I should or shouldn't add these parts...sometimes it feels like i am overreaching, lol. this is a knitting channel after all :P

[@rdreads1899]

I clicked on this video and am currently watching an ad when I saw this comment, I’m no longer sure what video I’m about to watch lol

[@CrowdedMinds]

I came here for basically the sane reason as Jennifer. I always enjoy your videos!

[@laurenwashington8922]

I'm in NC and I acquired a stash from someone else "dumping" it on me. Most of it is acrylic, but luckily, it's down to one plastic tote now, and I've planned projects for most of it. And then I have a few bags in my closet for specific projects (Christmas gifts because I have 2 little ones and can't wait until September to start lol). My future hope is to have 95% of my yarn be planned projects. Luckily, I dont mind having 10 WIPs and jumping around as needed! Learning to crochet last year is helping me use a lot of it up, too

[@shaunal3723]

I live in Florida, and right now my stash is in a china cabinet with a glass front. I try to remember to always stick my new yarn in the freezer for a few days when I buy something, and I periodically mist my yarn with a mixture of vodka and lavender essential oil. But after having listened to your point about other issues, I'm thinking I need to invest in some airtight containers. Thank you for these wonderful tips! And you are so correct on trying to curb one's stash boosting.

[@herelizasaint]

I live in the rural Midwest of the United States. I store my yarn predominantly in plastic totes, but there are a some of the inherited acrylic yarns that I have that are kept in old Avon boxes (that is how I got them). I buy yarn when I think it is pretty, on clearance/ sale, or soft. Lucky for me is I don't live close to many yarn stores so I don't get to go to them often and I don't shop for them online. That being said, I do have more yarn than I probably should because I am not a prolific knitter and am not a very diverse knitter. I don't have specific projects for most of my yarn, but I am also trying to improve and expand my knitting repertoire so I can use them.

[@debraraymer3386]

I'm in Idaho, and I organize by having a place for everything. We moved into a new house a year ago, and I thought all my knitting stuff would fit it one bedroom, which is my office. It turned out needing the closet and the bathroom and the second bedroom. I just got a big delivery from IKEA, and all my knitting stuff is now in drawers or on shelves. Even my Wips! Organization is another hobby I have.

[@GaminGawdess]

Norman thank you for your compassion and non-judgment of yarn hoarding… lol!!! I am recovering hoarder thank you and you made me feel so less guilty…🥰I am proud to know that I use the hair clip and label in the center of the ball techniques already.. yeah!

[@NimbleNeedles]

well...couldn't be too harsh on myself, could I *smirk* Seriously, though. I think ever since Marie Kondo people started feeling bad about hoarding and being maybe a tiny bit less clean and perfect. But we really need to talk about the fact that's not how everyone works. There's as much diversity in our outer appearance as there is in our mental landscape. And I wish we would start accepting it all and not act like everyone was the same (or needed to be).

[@Kat-Knows]

I so agree with u both. There is this KZbin channel i think its called clutterbug. But it has a website for testing to find out what type of person u r in ur organization & cleaning habits/methods. It was helpful for explaining why i like to organize my stuff/stash etc so i can see it.

[@eziocorvo8793]

I'm from Ohio and my stash is currently in Rubbermaid containers. I used to have them out on shelves but I think I like the containers better. Your organization method is really smart. I think I'll organize mine the same!

[@ChristieArcher]

Thank you for sharing your storage solutions and I loved the little chat at the end about stash. I use a storage cube with bins which helps keep me organized. I separate by yarn type (ie: cotton verses wool) then by weight. That said, I’m looking at coming up with a better solution so that I have easier access and view of my stash. Thanks again for this video. 😊

[@lynnedoyle9714]

Hi! I live in England, and I store my yarn in boxes, sorted by weight, brand and then colour 🧶

[@rosertaylor6139]

Most of my stash used to be home spun yarn of natural colours so it is sometimes in colours but mostly in a box. Then when my mum passed away I inherited her stash... Well it was all over the place in plastic bags, so it took me about 6 weeks to sort it into ply & colours. Now the 8ply is in colours in drawers & big plastic containers. There was very little 2ply, 3ply, 5ply, & 12ply so they are each in a container, but not on colours. I'm from country Australia.

[@valeriehowden471]

Wonderful tips! Never seen anyone use hair clips - very practical, easy to get and multipurpose. Currently my yarns are in boxes in wrapping waiting in line on my to do list. I live in the middle of Canada in a very dry climate but i keep those silicone packages as well. So easy to buy yarn on line. Trying a bit of a no buy until projects are done but I did buy a special sock yarn for my BFF since 5 years of age. Take care!

[@danutagajewski3330]

Hello from Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada! I have three large plastic bins of yarns, sorted by yarn weight in ziploc bags, with some yarns that are more than 40 years old (inherited from my mother and grandmother). I'm past the age (where did the time fly?!) of knitting/crocheting specific patterns, so these days I am using up my stash to make items for two charities; hats, gloves, shawls and scarves. Believe it or not, I'm still learning new techniques from your videos (you are the best!) and have made your cowl, hat and fingerless gloves several times over! Thank you!

[@NimbleNeedles]

oh wow...awesome. Feel free to share a picture with me any time!

[@lisalee2594]

I’m from Ohio. I just recently found you and really enjoy everything I’ve seen so far. I don’t have a large stash of yarn. I keep extra yarn after a finished project in a trunk in the living room. Planned projects usually sit out, but I’m currently organizing my room and plan on under bed containers for them. I do most of my knitting in my room. I also spin yarn and my fiber for spinning is in totes and spun yarn in ziplock bags. Oh, I do have one ball of yarn that was so pretty that I put it under an antique bell cloche. I like knitting with merino wool best, so I always toss either cedar or lavender in.

[@patgentry7268]

Lifelong yarn hoarder here north of San Francisco. I keep mine in Container Store boot boxes: clear and covered similar to yours, but a bit smaller.

[@crc532]

I don't have much of a personal stash, but I knit for a non-profit (we have a bazaar and a knitting booth adn sell things we make for charity). So the yarn someone gave me to use for this purpose had to be sorted. First I did it by color (big mistake) and put in bins. That just made it harder to find the right weight. I ended up sorting this yarn by weight and that has helped me greatly. I store them in airtight containers after I put the yarn in the freezer for a couple of days. This makes my life much easier. You're the best Norman!

[@scrapbagstudios]

I am in subtropical eastern Australia and we get a lot of humidity and not much cold in winter to kill off bugs. I have a fair amount of yarn (I am a collector of many materials, fabric, yarn, fibres, paper, colouring mediums from ink to dye,etc). I keep all my yarns and fabrics in plastic boxes and I add camphor blocks to the wool or rayon yarns. They are divided into cotton, silk, synthetic (only fancy ones as I generally don't buy synthetic fibres) and wool, which is divided into 4 ply, 8 ply, sock, and one box of extra thick and speciality yarns as I don't have much of any of those. I also have some skeins of carpet wool which I have previously used for ponchos and jackets, plus one box of a very thick carpet wool which I inherited from a friend who saved it from a flood and which I probably won't use at this time in my life. I am 81 years old and realise I am no longer going to do many of the things I always planned to do! I am currently reappraising my stashes and deciding what I can pass on.

[@kathleengerman436]

Your hair clip idea is the best one I have found for ends and it makes it easy to find. Going out and buying some now

[@NimbleNeedles]

awesome. Yeah, I think it's a very nice idea...and not expensive either - especially as most female knitters wil have some lying around anyway.

[@whatleighmakes9119]

My stash is pretty much organised between commercial and hand dyed. Commercial is sorted into project type (garment quantities, all my sock yarns, shawl sets etc) in separate boxes (shawl sets are in their own organza bags with a note stating the pattern if known - and certainly the type of project). My hand dyed yarns are kept together - sets are kept in organza bags together. I have some hand dyed yarn collections that are kept in either project bags or dedicated boxes (depending on the size). Again I have hand written notes of what I intend to make! My commercial yarns are for right now, my hand dyed yarns are for when I have developed my knitting ability / skills and I know what I like / dislike. xx Organza bags are kept inside the boxes! Yarn is stored in boxes to keep it tidy and prevent moths etc. I also store lavender bags / cedar blocks etc in the boxes for the same reason.

[@maryklumpp2585]

I from the state of Georgia USA 🇺🇸. I just happened across your channel and am in love with it.I stash all my yarn in a cedarwood chest. I am a hoarder of yarn also and needed,a system, where I would be able to use my yarn more functionally.

[@NimbleNeedles]

welcome to my channel then, mary!

[@morganunraveled]

I’m moving abroad next month and will be having to store at least half of my stash for about 2 years - so thankful this showed up on my feed at the perfect time!

[@babajayne]

I live in New Jersey and I keep my stash and supplies in 6 large clear drawers. One drawer is for solid sock yarn; the next for the rest of the sock yarn; the next for all other yarn weights; the next for sock yarn scraps/minis divided by color in ziploc bags; the next for my needle collection, beads and misc supplies; and the last for my project bags and sock blockers. I keep cedar blocks in each drawer to try to discourage pests. The drawers are in what was once my office, now a nursery for my first baby, a boy due this summer. ☺️ Thanks for your tips, I will keep them in mind for when I reorganize - probably when little hands become capable of invading the drawers.

[@NimbleNeedles]

aww...how lovely. So you have what's dearest to you all in one room :) And yeah...those little ones become adventerous pretty fast ;-)

[@janetroberts5140]

I have one tote dedicated to yarn, which I was making a blanket. Plans changed and I'm using these three colors for individual projects. I got some of my cotton from "We Are Knittters." I also have some cotton as sample colors (3 skeins) from "Purl Soho" as practice to how it works for me. Knitting and crochet is my only hobby and I didn't want to take up much room in my apartment. I want to contribute to your work and in a moth I'll be able to. I am recouping after a domestic situation. Things are much better and I'm safe in my home again. Thank you for all you teach us, Norman.

[@sachdevkaurbala9705]

I am from India. I am a life long knitter, and am always trying to get new ideas, and improve myself.

[@NimbleNeedles]

sounds like a very good philosphy!

[@teremazon6109]

I live in the U.K. and I have a massive problem storing hobby/craft materials as I do cross-stitch, patchwork, quilting, scrapbooking, collage, drawing and painting too! 🤯 the yarn lives mostly in boxes in the garage and the attic, but also in other bags in the under stairs cupboard. Not ideal, but I other places available. My patchwork fabrics are stored by colour, ha, ha. Great idea of keeping the silica gel packets.

[@angeliqueschmidts2555]

I live in La Paz, Bolivia, and I have a pine chest of drawers that used to be my kids’ when they were little - and I pretty much keep the yarn in the drawers organized by colors.

[@esmeraldalara3657]

Hello from Michigan! I do the same thing. Makes me feel better knowing my stash is safe 🙂

[@raeleohana8797]

I just ordered my first few skeins of cashmere, yak and camel. Good timing for me to view this, as my home is extremely susceptible to moths. Some Moroccan carpets and most of my clothing is natural fibers. Worse, folks seem to leave doors open often....I'm not sure if it's the Texas hill country climate or what, but it's quite the moth plague, and sometimes I resort to terrible poisons to protect thousands of dollars of clothing carefully acquired over years...I will start off the right way now with my new little baby stash.

[@Darcy783]

I am in eastern Georgia, in the United States. My stash is mostly in a Thirty-One under-bed-type storage bag sitting in the back corner of my walk-in closet. It's mostly acrylic, but there is some cotton and wool as well.

[@ShiroOokamitoko]

West Virginia here. I have a corner shelf which I have stuffed full of yarn - one shelf that's mostly Caron Simply Soft, with a couple other stranded yarns, and one that's all bulky chenille yarns. And then I have a few bags on the floor around that which I am trying to work through.

[@lindasue616]

Oh Norman…you are a Jem! All this information is wonderful for a novice knitter. I live in US..STATE OF Maine. Thank you

[@amyfeigt6715]

The extent of my yarn stash became painfully apparent to me this weekend! I was unloading the guest room closet to make room for an antique dresser that is being replaced by a larger one in my husband & my room. So I hauled LOTS of yarn down to the basement to organize into airtight boxes. & well...yeah. I'm going to need to live a very long time to use it all! This is also AFTER I gave 2 very large bags of all of my acrylic yarn to my daughter & daughter-in-law a few months ago. I've been crocheting for nearly 30 years & learned to knit earlier this year & well, my taste in yarn has changed over the years as well as my ability to afford more natural fibers & specialty fibers/Indy Yarns. Definitely going to create a spreadsheet to catalog everything once I finish getting it all in one place! Love your videos & all of your helpful tips!

[@susylinn]

I am in Florida, and I store my yarn in weathertight plastic boxes. I think the same ones in your video (the ones on the Amazon link are not the ones with gaskets on the lid to keep them airtight). I put bags of lavender in them and I always "bake" my yarn prior to storing. I love your videos!

[@amigurumifriend4014]

I started crocheting about 6 mouths ago (I just learned how to knit last week) and I use to store my yarn in a giant target bag, but my yarn stash very recently got too big for the grocery bag and now it is in a laundry basket lol. I will be using your tips for storing yarn very soon, now that I know that yarn can be damaged if it isn't stored properly. Thankfully, I think I have caught this early enough before any of my current yarn has gone bad (except the balls my cat has tangled up, oops) 😂

[@stacyvannatter1409]

I have always wondered about how people keep dust off yarn when not in boxes. This video was very helpful to me. Trying to get my craft room more organized.

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Thank you, Norman! This is really useful. I store my stash in boxes very much like the plastic boxes you use. I also use Ziploc bags for organizing my knitting needles and other small accessories. I live in the northeast USA.

[@angelakrautman8680]

I live in Sydney, Australia. I store my yarn in plastic tubs like you, in the wardrobe of our spare room. It’s very humid here, so I put a 400ml container of wardrobe dehumidifier in each tub of yarn. It works very well. I replace them every year because they fill up with water and my yarn stays beautiful.

[@NimbleNeedles]

Oh wow..i haven't thought about that yet..but I guess i never lived in a place with such high humidity either.

[@oliviawaters7815]

Also in syd, what dehumidifier things do you use?

[@batclawsss]

I’m in Florida. Haven’t watched the full vid yet but I’ll update if I change my system. I keep my yarn in various places around my room: shelves, baskets, and boxes. The shelves are for solids and are sorted by color. Multicolor yarns go in the multi box. The baskets are for thrifted and recycled yarn. :)

[@debracisneroshhp2827]

You're such a 'character', Norman! 😹 That's why you are loved by your 'community'__you are so personable and fun to learn from, exchange ideas with, and just chat about the subject at hand. Thanks for sharing your love of knitting and yarn with us. BTW, bison yarn is definitely on my "bucket list" for yarn. I had a lovely opportunity, some years ago, to actually pet a live bison and I cannot imagine how much softer the yarn might be__also, love [their] shade of brown! I think I would knit a cuddly shawl with it. 😛 🙏😇✨💫🌱🌿🌻🐝🌳🌎💖🙌🙌🙌😺

[@NimbleNeedles]

thank you so much for your lovely feedback, debra! And I'm sure one day Bison yarn will be on your knitting needles. Maybe you could drop a hint here or there for Santa :P

[@alicrane1993]

This was great! I usually crochet amigarumi; however, I saw a beautiful sweater on a lady at a restaurant and thought, "I can make that." So now I'm teaching myself to knit with your help ☺️. I'm halfway through my first sock. I live in Northern Virginia and store my modest stash in an antique secretary desk. It's dark and dry - so far so good. Thank you!

[@sunidollfun]

Thanks for sharing your tips! I store most of my yarn by either fibre (cotton vs wool) or general weight (4ply vs heavier weights). I do have a separate tub for Noro yarns that are just so precious to me with their beautiful colour variations.

[@ronjamagnussen1723]

I live in norway and started crocheting 1 month ago😅 Currently keeping all my yarn in a big IKEA bag, but I need to upgrade my organisation system😅😅

[@tsunetcraft103]

I don't have a ton of yarn and most of it is leftovers from family members ( so no labels for them) so the way i organise it is by having 2 boxes , one for new yarn , the other is for the leftovers in the leftovers box , I've put the skeins I bought in a corner together (mostly light weight cotton ) and i try to keep weight / yarn type together in a corner of the box. For the ones I got from family I wind them into a ball and sort them by hook size I also use organza bags or metal tea boxes to store the tiny scraps and it works quite well 🙂

[@flourchylde]

Greetings from Wyoming in the U.S. I used to have a HUGE stash of lovely wool yarn that filled a small room. A couple of years ago I realized that I could never in my lifetime use up all that gorgeous yarn and all the indy dyed yarn wasn't suited to my projects. My stash was no longer bringing me joy and so I decided to purge most of it. I organized it all and invited special knitter friends to come to a party and select some for themselves. I donated the rest to our local senior center. That did bring me joy. I don't have to worry about humidity and now have my yarn organized in clear cellophane bags into which I enclose a small piece of cedar. The bags are sealed and neatly arranged on two large sets of shelves. I knit every day (mostly sweaters) and am determined to use up my stash. Thanks for the barrette tip.

[@NimbleNeedles]

wow..a full room. But yeah, it sounds indeed like a burden and I wish more people would talk about it. Thx for sharing your story with me/us here!

[@debracisneroshhp2827]

@flourchylde-49, OMG! Love your name, 1)cuz I grew up during that era, 2)I'm guessing you bake bread, etc.! 😛 In anycase, after reading how you solved your 'problem' I thought: drinking party, nah!__yarn party, hell, yeah! 😹 Also love that you, no doubt, brought joy to those seniors who might not have otherwise had yarn to create with. 💎 Love, Light, and Blessings. 🙏😇✨💫💖🙌🙌🙌😺

[@raedowning2243]

I'm in Austin, Texas and I have a cabinet in my craft room dedicated to my knitting so there's a place for my needles and yard. Needles and yarn or an existing project go into a repurposed insulated bag I can take everywhere.

[@veemcg3682]

Gina I live in Ireland and my yarn is all over the house in clear well sealed plastic bags with lavender from my garden in them. I have a fireplace so plenty of warmth and fresh air. I never keep much yarn at a time so no worry about bugs. I wouldn't buy plastic containers even if I had the money. Out of sight means I don't use stuff so I like to see what I have.

[@robertaalbertinelli2202]

Hi Norman, I’m from Venice, Italy. I usually store my yarns into carton boxes, but from now on I’ll follow your suggestions. Thanks a lot, ciao 👋

[@MissKrisLoves]

I'm in Ontario Canada and I organize my yarn stash by cube storage in my yarn room. 😁 I used to use the air tight boxes. But I couldn't see all the yarn and would "forget" about it lol So I use moth balls and cedar now and peppermint oil. My house is temperature controlled.

[@patbrain913]

I use the air tight containers, but I learned the hard way, about open bags, and creepy things. They have to be clear, otherwise I forget whats in them !!!Old age I guess. The freezer tip is good, I collect old teddies. They also spend a couple of days per year in my freezer,.Thank you

[@dolores7463]

I am in Evergreen Park, IL and had purchased those cute cubbies. Like TX, I have a lot of bags with stashes everywhere. going to get boxes this week

[@riaalso]

I am from Indianapolis, Indiana USA. I love learning your ways to knit and how to store yarn. You explain the reasoning behind it. Thank you.

[@julianapegas2043]

These are great tips! I'm storing my yarns in plastic cabinets like these, they are not so airtight but I'm happy to know I'm in the right path! I'm also glad you addressed consumption habits in such a thoughtful manner, this is very important. My mother was a bit of a hoarder and when she passed away I was faced with all her yarns she kept, all her UFOs (along with my own yarns and UFOs)... She had yarns that are older than me, and I'm 35! This made me rethink a lot of things. Sometimes I think we enjoyed more the buying of yarn and the planning of new projects than the actual making of the projects... nowadays I'm more invested in using up what i have and actually honing my ability, and i feel we were missing out on so much. I'm trying to lean more on a minimalist approach, but I'm too much of a collector to be stash-free. I've managed to use up some yarns already, but went to the store to buy a crochet hook and left there with some more yarn... oops. I felt very represented when you talked about how a skein of yarn can be comforting and cuddly, hahahah!

[@Kat-Knows]

It is so fun to look at yarn buying opportunities. Whether online stores, fb market place & even receiving free yarn from friends who know i knit, crochet, latch hook, & work plastic canvas projects etc. And now i have a ton of yarn. I appreciate ur long detailed comment. It is motivating me to go thru my yarn & see what i love. I still buy yarn but usually its from a thrift store opportunity. I have lots of projects to finish & patterns to start. It helps keep me motivated to go forward in this difficult time of life.

[@julianapegas2043]

@@Kat-Knows I'm glad my comment inspired you! I'm sure you'll make beautiful things! ❤ I hope your difficult times be over soon.

[@amaliarubio3940]

Hello from Arizona, USA, originally from New York/New Jersey. I have always stored my yarns in similar boxes and plastic bag. Storing my wool yarn I put several cedar blocks. Moving to the west coast , I extended my storage since I have room . I have 2 wine storage stands. They each hold 108 bottles of wine, I store my acrylics, baby yarn and cotton. It's so therapeutic to look and touch my yarns. It's my comfort space. Just like going to the knitting convention, part of the experience . The colors and textures are soooo enticing. ❤

[@patpope2951]

My small stash is in my oak chest which is used as a coffee table so it’s near me I love your videos and tutorials 😊