Cheap and Easy Way to Organize Your Washi Tape Collection

Unless you've been living under a rock you know by now that washi tape is all the rage.  Basically it has the texture and "stickability" (is that a word?) of masking tape with cute little prints and designs on it.  The problem with it is it comes in all shapes and sizes and when you have a large collection it's pretty tricky to not only organize it but to keep it organized and still be able to see what you actually have.

So a couple of years ago I searched for washi organizers and found the one below but I never liked it.  I found it too big and bulky for no more than it held.  Also I filled it up completely with my washi stash and I don't even have that large of a collection!  Finally what irked me the most was it has metal grooves on the edge that you are supposed to tear the washi tape off on much like your normal tape dispenser.  The problem for me was the tape would not stay on the edge like regular tape does.  It would peel off and stick straight up in the air and my OCD brain just couldn't handle it.

I came up with a solution that works perfectly for me and just costs $1 at your local dollar store if not free as most people already have one of these in their house.  It's an ice cube tray and it fits the little boogers perfectly!  

The other day I cleaned out and reorganized my kitchen cabinets and I came across a few of these ice cube trays that I no longer needed so I did what I think most people do, I pulled them from my cabinet and they sat on my kitchen table for days as I tried to decide if I could repurpose them or should just recycle them.  I'm so glad I didn't just throw them out because one day I looked down as I walked by them and had an instant light bulb moment.  I took one downstairs to my craft room to see if they would fit my washi and it worked like a charm.

I would say my particular ice cube wells are more on the long and slender side so just keep that in mind if you go to buy them so that you make sure your washi will fit lengthwise.  Also most stores sell washi tape by now so just go by the crafting section first to make sure a roll will fit before you get it home.

Here's what it looks like in my desk drawer:

I suppose the moral of this story is never look at your items only for their intended purposes.  The best ideas come from using your imagination and consider what something could be rather than what it already is.  Happy washi organizing!