This post was sponsored by Handy Caddy. Don’t miss an exclusive discount for Right Sides Together readers at the bottom of the page!
I met Sharon Lee of Handy Caddy at Spring Quilt Market, and I was blown away by her perfect solution for craft room clutter. Quilters and sewists come with a lot of stuff: the bits and bobs of notions, cutting and pressing tools, presser feet and pins and clips. Packing for a trip becomes an overwhelming chore, but the price you pay for not doing it well is worse. Getting somewhere and then discovering that you’ve forgotten your thread or your needles is a crafter’s worst nightmare.
I also find that when I’m sewing at home, the stuff I need always gets lost in the clutter. It’s a pain to have to open a drawer every time I want something just to keep little items from getting lost. The result is that every last bit of table space becomes a “spot” for something, and even then it’s only a matter of time before my seam ripper goes for a header under the table. SIGH.
The Handy Caddy Solution
But then, accompanied by a choir of angels, arrives the Handy Caddy. It’s a tabletop storage container. It’s a travel case. And it’s pretty much the most efficient way to store a ton of sewing supplies in a tiny bit of square footage.
Made of clear vinyl, the Handy Caddy allows you to see everything at a glance. Its metal frame lets it set up anywhere without toppling over or losing items in the bottom. The coolest thing, though? It’s built on the concept of storing items vertically. That way, you can keep a vast amount of stuff within arm’s reach, but you don’t have to sacrifice the valuable real estate you need on your sewing table.
Sharon provided me with the Handy Caddy Deluxe, which features four pockets on either side and a detachable carrying strap, along with the Handy Caddy Extra. The Handy Caddy Deluxe is an ideal option for quilters; at 15″ x 5″, it’s long enough to hold a standard quilting ruler. It easily held all the debris from my supply explosion above (plus I added a book because I still had more room), but once everything’s in there it only takes up a bit more than half a square foot.
The Extra is the same size as the Standard Handy Caddy at 11″ x 5″, with three pockets on each side. It also includes a separate storage pouch and a detachable strap as well, which the Standard does without.
The Handy Caddy in Action
I took my Handy Caddy Deluxe on a sewing weekend this summer. It saved me massive headaches even before I left my house. Did I remember my thread? Yup, there it was. Saw it in there from across the room. Rulers and scissors too? Check. Magazine with my quilt pattern? Yes. I carried the whole thing out to the car, strap over my shoulder. Then I popped the frame, complete with the caddy inside, into the trunk.
Once I arrived, I got set up within seconds without having to unpack or search all weekend for my tools. I sewed at a 6′ table on my giant Janome behemoth, but I never felt like I didn’t have enough space. I kept the Handy Caddy right next to my hand wheel, and I easily kept track of all of my items. It was awesome.
For garment sewists or English paper piecers, the Handy Caddy Standard or Handy Caddy Extra is a great bet. Having both the Deluxe and the smaller version makes it easy to keep everything separated and organized for those who dabble in different types of sewing. I now store my quilting rulers and quilt-specific items in the Deluxe and garment-specific items (twill tape, zipper feet, tracing paper, etc.) in the Extra. I’m organized at home but also ready to head out to guild sew days or retreats without agonizing over leaving anything behind.
Overall, I’m super excited to have found this product. The Handy Caddy is a tremendously useful addition for anyone who struggles (or thrives) with organization. Interested in trying one out? Purchase any Handy Caddy and coordinating Tote now through September, and get $20 back when you email Sharon with your order number and mention this post!
