How I Organize and Store My Fabric - Stash Busting Tips and Tricks

We are now officially one week into the Stash Busting Quilt Along.  At this point, to stay on track to complete the quilt top within the quilt along, the cutting of the fabric should be complete and piecing should begin.  

Here are the schedules for the three quilt patterns in the quilt along again.  Remember, this is a fun and pressure-free quilt along and you are free to work at your own pace.

Stash Busting Tips & Tricks – How I Organize My Fabric

As part of the Stash-Busting Quilt Along, I promised to share helpful tips and tutorials to make sewing from your stash easier and more enjoyable.

To kick things off, I’m sharing how I organize and store my fabric. Since I have a small sewing space, staying organized is key to making the most of my stash. I use just two bookshelves to hold all my fabric, so when I run out of room, I know it’s time to use, donate, or sell some fabric before bringing any new fabric home!

The biggest benefits of keeping all my fabric visible on bookshelves is that I can easily see my options at a glance. I truly believe that if you can see your fabric, you’re more likely to use it! That’s why I’ve resisted using bins or tubs tucked away in a closet or under a bed.

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How I Organize My Fabric

I organize my fabric first by size and then by color, which makes it easy to find what I need for any given project.

Fabric Size Categories:

🔹 Scraps – Anything smaller than a fat eighth
🔹 Small Pieces – Between a fat eighth and half a yard
🔹 Larger Pieces – Between half a yard and a yard
🔹 Bulk Pieces – Anything over a yard

Organizing by size helps me quickly locate the right fabric for a project. For example, if I need a ¾-yard piece, I immediately know where to look instead of digging through my entire stash.

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How I Store Each Fabric Category

Scraps

I store my scraps in six clear plastic tubs—the kind that salad mix comes in from Costco. Not only do these containers give my scraps a second life, but they also make it easy to see what’s inside without opening them.  Here is a blog all about the salad bins I use.

I divide my scraps into:
🧵 Solids: Warm, cool, and neutral
🧵 Prints: Warm, cool, and neutral

How you divide your scraps depends on your fabric preferences and the fabrics you use the most.  At one point, I was using a lot of Bonnie & Camille fabrics, so I even had a bin specifically for that designer. This made it super easy to create scrappy yet cohesive quilts.

Small Pieces

I store my small fabric pieces (fat eighths to half yards) folded and stacked inside the same clear salad tubs. This system allows me to quickly pull out a tub, see all the fabrics at a glance, and grab what I need.

Larger Pieces (½ Yard – 1 Yard)

For larger cuts, I use comic book boards—plain white cardboard pieces about the size of a book. I wrap my fabric around the boards and pin it in place, then stack them vertically on my bookshelf.

This method keeps my fabric neat, visible, and easy to flip through! I organize them in rainbow order, keeping prints and solids separate.

📌 Tip: These boards are super affordable—about $25 for 150 on Amazon. Here’s a link to the ones I use.

Bulk Pieces (1+ Yards & Bolts)

For my largest fabric cuts, I fold and stack them on my bookshelf. I’ll admit—this is the trickiest section to keep organized because I sometimes have to pull out an entire stack to get to a piece near the bottom.

I also keep a few fabric bolts stacked next to my bookshelf for quilt backings and go-to background solids. While storing fabric on the bolt takes up more room, it helps prevent creases and wrinkles.

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Final Thoughts

I hope this peek into my fabric organization helps you create a stash that’s organized, accessible, and ready to use for your next quilt!

How do you organize your fabric? Do you prefer shelves, bins, or a different method? Let me know in the comments! 😊