Knowledge Center

Seed Bead and Crystal Storage for Home and Travel

Seed beads come in a variety of packages and bundles such as tubes of various sizes, hanks and plastic bags. Certainly one can keep their seed beads in the original packaging or, for hanks, once cut, in a new package of any type. However, seed beads are so small that, if you do off-loom bead weaving as a major technique, the vast number of containers to hold your "stash" can be quite unorganized without a system. Here is one system to help you "clean up your clutter".

This system also helps organize crystals, small stone beads and small pearls. Actually, it works for all small objects.

Problems you might be encountering

Some people like to keep their seed beads in small thick mil plastic bags because they like to "touch" their beads while selecting their colors. Others keep their beads in the original tubes, which they store in plastic tackle boxes or plastic bags. Others put their beads into multi-section type storage containers (either stackable or side by side). Whatever works for you is great. But if you have problems: you can't see all of the same color at one time, you can't get the beads easily out of the containers, your system is not compact and takes up too much room, your system is not easy to rearrange to a different configuration, you cannot easily get a project of beads together separate from the rest of your storage, it's hard to travel with your beads, or one bead in your case can't be taken with you unless you take the entire container, then do we have a system for you...

The System

We recommend rectangular flip top tubes for storage that come in 5 sizes and fit into a 4" x 6" box in various configurations. For example, 12 of the extra-large tubes fit into one box; 24 medium tubes fit into a box; 12 extra-large and 12 medium tubes fit into a box; etc. These can be used to store your beads by color (all green beads together) or by type (all square beads together) or by whatever configuration that works for you.

This system is flexible so if you start to store one way and decide you'd prefer another, it's easy to rearrange your boxes. And, because you can take out any individual tubes you'd like, you can "make your own box" of tubes for a project when traveling (like when you come to bead with us during Bonita Bead Banter).

The tubes hold approximately the following amount of 11° beads:

Extra-Small - 1" tall - 5 grams or 100 4mm round beads (same as one 16" strand of stone beads)
Small - 1 1/2" tall - 10 grams
Medium - 1 7/8" tall - 15 grams
Large - 3" tall - 26.6 grams
Extra-Large - 3 3/4" tall - 30 grams

In general, Bonita Bead sells seed beads in 2.5" and 3" tubes, both of which fit well into the medium rectangular flip-top tube. So if you are not sure which configuration to buy, start with a box of 24 medium tubes. Empty tubes are cutable (you probably won't get a straight line across the top, but the flip-tops will still fit and the tube is fine to use). Thus if you are unsure which size to get, get some Exta-Large and cut to fit your needs.

Labeling

So, now you've moved all your seed beads into rectangular tubes. But you end up with too many tubes to fit into one box. And you want to remember which bead is in a particular tube because they are so beautiful that you want to get them again when you run out. And some tubes contain 15°s and some 8°, etc. How can these be organized? This is one system for organizing by color (just adjust if you organize by another method). You will need small rectangular labels and multi-color dot labels, both of which can be purchased at stationery supply stores.

To remember the bead identification number: on one side of the tube, use a small rectangular label and write on it the place of purchased and the bead number. For example: Bonita Bead #1938. Be consistent on which side you put this label so you always know where to look. You might want to put the manufacturer like Miyuki, too.

To organize the size: Color code the sizes. But because you have so many 11°s, don't use a label for them. Use the small colored dots and write the size on them. For example: blue - 15°; red - 8°; green - 6°. Now, put these labels on the edge of the tube, under the flip tab so that they will show when the tube is in the box.

To organize the beads within the boxes: Eventually you will have more than one box per color. Put all labeled beads (with the dots as shown above) in box 1 (and then grow to 2) of the color. In this way you will know which box has your non-11°s in them. Use the small rectangular labels to mark the outside of the box as Green 1, Green 2, etc. or you might use Green 1/3, Green 2/3, Green 3/3. Now, put a label on each end of the box so you don't have to care in which direction you have put the box away.

Storing hanks and larger number of beads: If you buy beads in a hank, a full hank will take up more space than the extra-large tube. You can store the extra in a plastic bag in your "other beads" area. But you will need to remember that these exist. So... use another colored dot, above the bead number label to say "more". Then when you run out of the beads in this tube (or are getting low), you will remember to look for the additional beads. Remember to remove the "more" dot when you move all the extra beads into the tube.
What about those other shapes? You can use the small dot labels to show if a bead is a bugle, hex, triangle, square, rectangle, dagger, drop, etc. You can store these by color or put all of the same type into one box.

That's it - you should now be organized! Remember - how you configure your beads is personal to you. Try one configuration and if you don't like it, change it - it's easy with the rectangular flip-tubes.

Want to know more about Seed Beads?

Check out our All About Seed Beads page and our Seed Bead Finishes page.