Tricia Fidler is a Master Level KonMari® Consultant and one of the first certified consultants trained globally by Marie Kondo. She believes that “curating our physical belongings sets us on a path of self-discovery and by using the lens of joy, the process becomes an antidote to stress and allows for growth.” 

When it comes to our craft space, clutter can quickly become a problem. Whether we’re making things on the dining room table, in a spare bedroom, or in a dedicated studio, craft supplies end up strewn everywhere and piles of unfinished projects loom in the corners. Fidler says this kind of clutter keeps us anchored in the past and adds to our anxiety and stress.

To help us create systems in our studio spaces, Fidler recommends the following books about organization. Interested to learn more from Fidler directly? Check out our webinar, From Chaos to Calm.

Links in this article are Amazon Affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, Craft Industry Alliance will receive a small percentage at no additional cost to you.

General Organizing

1. Spark Joy by Marie Kondo. Japanese decluttering guru Marie Kondo has revolutionized homes—and lives—across the world. In this book, she presents an illustrated guide to using her acclaimed KonMari Method to create a joy-filled home that works the way you need it to. It’s a master class on the KonMari Method with illustrations and a deep dive on the folding method

2. The Art of Discarding by Nagisa Tatsumi. The book that inspired Marie Kondo’s Method yet focuses more on using logic to decide what to keep rather than the idea of joy. Practical and inspiring, The Art of Discarding offers hands-on advice and easy-to-follow guidelines to help readers learn how to finally let go of stuff that is holding them back — as well as sage advice on acquiring less in the first place.

3. The Home Edit by Clea Shearer and Joannan Teplin. It’s one thing to get organized, but how do you make those systems stick? The Home Edit Stay Organized takes the intimidation and hesitation out of the maintenance involved to prevent you from abandoning your once-tidied systems or maybe help you to get organized in the first place!

Craft Room Organization

1. Love Your Creative Space by Lilo Bowman. Does your creative studio leave you feeling overwhelmed or uninspired? With over one hundred photos, this lookbook offers an endless visual parade of ideas for your craft room! Smart storage solutions, furniture, and accessories can help quilters, needle artists, knitters, and crafters keep their creativity on track!

2. Where Women Create: Book of Organization by Jo Packham. A companion to the well-loved magazine by the same name, this book offers 176 eye-catching and photograph-filled pages with storage ideas, tips, tricks, and dos and don’ts for organizing over 10 types of crafts studios. 

3. The Joy of Yarn by Marie Greene. Every knitter knows the innate joy of purchasing yarn, and many also know the stress and shame that comes with an out-of-control stash. No longer! Let bestselling author, designer and educator Marie Greene change your outlook on buying, organizing and using your yarn for good. 

An Organized Lifestyle

1. Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home by Marie Kondo. Inspired by the Japanese concept of kurashi, or “way of life,” Kurashi at Home invites you to visualize your best life from the moment you wake up until the end of each day. By applying Marie Kondo’s time-tested query—“Does it spark joy?”—to your mindset and behaviors, you are invited to take an even more holistic and personal approach to curating your environment by imagining what your life could look like full of connection and free from any limitations.

2. The Clutter Connection by Cassandra Aarsen. “You’re not messy, you just organize differently”. The Clutter Connection examines and explains the correlation between brain types and how each type directly relates to organization and clutter. Cassandra Aarssen smashes the stereotype that some people are “naturally messy” and offers readers insight and real-life solutions based on their unique personal organizing style. 

3. Atomic Habits by James Clear. No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving – every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.