Elizabeth Ward Bead Storage Solutions Plastic Storage Tray and Bead Organizer with 78 Containers of Various Sizes, Tray, and Lid for Beads, Clear

Was intrigued when I saw this storage system, seemed like it just might be exactly what i needed, but it was pricey, plus i've tried so many things that seemed promising. Then amazon dropped the price and I bit. Arrived yesterday and i spent the morning sorting all my boxes, tubes, and packets of beads into it - I love it so much more than I thought I would. I ordered a 2nd one today. Pros: Sturdy and well-made. The outer lid snaps on nicely and holds all the containers very well, they aren't going to fall out. And then the lid removes easily and out of the way. You can do your beading on the top of it, if you want. There's a rim to catch any stray beads. The little containers are great, lids snap tight, but open wide. I like how easy it is to see everything you have, how you can configure the container sizes for your specific beads and needs. The set is stackable. I'm putting all my findings in a 2nd one, and pretty sure I'll be getting a 3rd one just for my charms. You can tell beaders designed this thing. It's very functional and also seeing all your beads is inspiring. Also you don't keep buying dupes! Cons: Only con, and it's a very small one, is I wish the outer lid snapped on a bit more snugly. It's not loose by any means, it fastens well, i'm just persnickety like that. I'm only one day in on this, so who knows how well it will all hold up. I'll update if my opinion changes down the line. For now, i'm super happy with it. I hope they don't discontinue it.

I thought long and hard on this issue of bead storage. Years ago I had put lots of $$$ into another available bead storage system only to find it very troublesome. They were those stacking round clear plastic screw-on stackable bead containers, but every time you’d go to get beads out, the screw tops would fail and all your beads would be scattered far and wide across the floor. It was frustrating. It was a waste. And if you had invested lots of $$$ into that system like I had, you’d be as livid as I was about that said bead organizing system. I can’t tell you how many times those problems occurred even when being cautious, and so by the end of a few years what I had was just mixed beads in various containers instead of beads neatly sorted and organized. I had also lost a great majority of my beads because of their faulty system... lots of beads now most likely hidden in the deepest recesses and corners of the room. $$$, down the drain..Er, ...down the ducts and forever stuck between floorboards. I never wanted to make that mistake again. So when it came to finding a replacement system, it took me years to decide. I searched around the internet. I found and went with these. I can tell you, they aren’t perfect, but it’s the best out there. My only concerns are that the lids will most likely break over time and the other issue being it’s hard to find the right sized container for different sized collections of beads. Doubling up on one sized container for one specific bead type will have to do when they all won’t fit into one container... but that’s 1st world problems, and nothing to really gripe about. Having an organized system with beads greatly helps with the creative process. I love how I can sort and stack these according to color size and type. It makes it easy to find the beads you want and also lets you know if you are low on bead quantities. Each container is separate, so there is no fearing upsetting other bead containments like with other systems. If you want to go to another place or room with just a few specific beads, you can quickly grab the ones you want and go.....and without worry of spilling. (If you do, it’s you’re fault for not shutting the lid!) All these factors make for a great investment. One last note I wanted to share: You don’t have to store them in the trays, though they are helpful. I found I needed something different, and so I arranged all the beads containers in a large pull out drawer. That way, they are kept in one place and can be seen easily instead of stacking them in the trays and having to move each tray to see all the beads. Also, if someone desired, a wall unit could be made to hold a great many of these containers if one wished to display them in such a way. Such a contraption wouldn’t be difficult to make and could provide a nice organized visual for efficient beading. Lastly, thankfully the Elizabeth Ward beading system sells the containers separately without the trays and I ended up purchasing more of those to finish organizing my beads. ...another great plus! So, I am very happy with finding this product and very pleased with the versatility and efficiency this bead organization system provides. No more approaching my beads with fear of spilling, no more messes to clean up and spending hours to try to resort, no more lost beads and investment. Oh, and as far as affordability... I didn’t do actual crunching of numbers, but round about, this system actually cost me a bit less or same as the other bead storage system I spoke about in my first paragraph. So THANK YOU Elizabeth Ward company. You have made serious crafting so much better.

This is not the first one I've bought! I love how it keeps all my little bits and pieces corralled, everything from beads to die cut elements in eye sight, one place nice and organized. The variety of sizes of container allow for different quantities and sizes; the individual container lids are easy to open but most important they stay closed. The whole unit has a lid that makes it easy to stack.

I am so happy I stumbled upon the Darice 45-Piece Elizabeth Ward Bead Storage Solution, which contains boxes in EACH of the available sizes. CUSTOMIZABLE SYSTEM: I love the fact that I can purchase packages of any of the different size boxes, to suit my current project. Each pak you buy contains the exact number needed to fill 1 row of the storage tray. Genius! SECURE LOCKING LID: Love the overall design, especially the lid-lock-handles. Once you snap them shut, they stay locked and the lid keeps all the tiny boxes securely in place. INDIVIDUAL BOXES: The individual boxes are made of high quality clear plastic - you can clearly see the color and cut of the beads without opening the box. Each box has an easy-grip design that allows you to remove 1 box from any location in the tray without disturbing any of the others. They have secure, attached flip-tops that are easy to open. I use the end of my bead-scoop to pop open the 'snap' lid. Each box is flat on all sides which makes for easy access - they stand up or lay on their side, without tipping or warbling. No worries about accidentally spilling beads. I can reach in and remove 1 bead at a time or use my shovel handled bead-scoop. depending on the size of the beads. THE LABELS: I personally dont find the labels to be useful - they do not have enough space for writing the info I want to remember (Supplier, Manufacturer, Product, Size, Material, Price). I jot the price on the Supplier's label from the bead pkg and tuck it into the bottom of the box. STACKABLE: The tray is perfectly flat and the grooved cover ensures level stacking. The bottom of each tray fits into the groove of the cover of the tray below it. VALUE: I have purchased many different beading storage items over the years and this is my new favorite. Added bonus - the Amazon discounted price is fantastic!

The Elizabeth Ward Bead Storage system trays are the heart of an incredible solution to the "Where did I put those beads (or clasps, necklace drops, screw,s or nails, or other small things)?" problem. With this system, you will create the perfect small item storage personalized for your needs. The stackable trays have uniform dimensions and transparent covers that enable you to tell at a glance what each tray contains. Clear containers can be bought in a variety of sizes that efficiently fit into those trays allowing you to store, and instantly see, the variety of bead sizes, shapes, colors, and findings, in your stash. With the Darice system, you do not have to adjust to the container sizes and shapes determined by an unknown person who will never know your actual requirements. It is possible to order small quantities, in a variety of sizes, of the clear easy-to-use storage containers, enabling you to choose exactly the configuration that fits your needs within each tray. Each container is sized to slip easily into and out of the Darice storage trays while securely holding the contents within. I feel that this system saves me time and the frustration of hunting through numerous boxes, removing lid after lid, in the hope that I will find the size, color, and shape of bead that I need at the moment. These sturdily stackable trays are the key to the system. Using them will enable you to store an incredible amount of beading, needlework, crafting, and workshop supplies within a surprisingly small footprint. Watch out! Other family members may "steal" them. They are that useful.

This is my second review of this storage system. First, there are many ways to store/organize beads. After a few false starts and organizing failures, the Darice/Elizabeth Ward storage system, For Me, is the perfect storage system for all my beads, findings, and tools essential to every project. After investing in well over a dozen trays, the tool/supply container, as well as several supplemental trays, spare labels, and small, medium, large container boxes, and using them for nearly three years, I have three observations regarding tray, container, and label durability of this system whether one is considering purchasing/investing in one or two trays or an entire system. The Trays: The white clips on each side of the tray have held up perfectly. However, these clips are the most vulnerable part of each tray, and have broken off after I have accidentally banged into the side of a tray; none of these white “clips” have just broken off from regular use. Only three “clips” have broken off in three years. And today, none of them are showing signs of wear or malfunctioning. If a clip does just break off or the tray arrives damaged, the tray is defective and Amazon will replace it if you return the tray to them AND send the defective tray back to them (Amazon sends you a return label that covers the return postage). The Plastic Boxes: No matter the size, all the boxes perform as well as or better than the day I received them. None of the lids have broken off or failed to securely house any bead regardless of bead weight or size. I have found that approximately 5% of all the medium-sized and 5% of all the large-sized boxes are more difficult to open and close and require more effort to open safely than my strong hands can manage. I have resorted to opening the few more difficult boxes with my teeth, however, over time and usage they now open reasonably using only my hands. I mention this for those whose hands give them grief, or reasonably balk at the idea of using their teeth. The Labels: I place the labels upside down on the white lids, so the cutout shape of the label does not match the shape. It fits fine, and does not obscure my view into the clear bottom of the box. Since I have so many containers of beads, I found over time I preferred using the labels made for the boxes over creating my own (Cutting and pasting copies of labels, lasted two months). Remember, it is about what works for you. Also, some labels stick well and some don’t, whether they are placed on the top or bottom of the boxes (e.g., occasionally when I have more than vendor of the same bead, or combine the same model/brand of clasp but one is silver and the other gold, I’ll place a label on the top and bottom of the box - this helps me esp. when there is a difference in price between vendors, or to save space). My last “batch” of supplemental labels ALL curled up requiring clear tape to keep them down. This was an atypical experience, normally there is no rhyme or reason to which labels adhere well and which do not. Overall, about 70% of labels used adhere well, and the others have needed a little tape at the corner(s) or edge(s). If labels stick well a the outset, they remain stuck over time and vice versa. I use the finest Ball Point pen tip to write info on the labels - it will not smear, and will remain legible over time. One can use word processor software to set custom parameters to print info on the labels - after one very successful stab at this, I found this was too much work/hassle For Me. I quickly began using commonly used abbreviations in my bead descriptions. I use them consistently and have no trouble listing the quantity, make, size, shape, color, price per gram or unit, vendor on the labels. I write small, but abbreviations and consistency are the key to success. If writing small is too much of a chore, I know many who number or color code their labels, which then refer to a description/index that provides an abbreviated description of what is contained I each box. Thank You So Much to the reviewers who shared their experiences and organization systems in these reviews - you gave me choices and helped me to decide what would work best for me!

This is an awesome system for bead storage. It took a little time, but I finally moved all my seed beads into these wonderful containers and trays. I was going CRAZY with so many beads in all kinds of storage containers - used to be such a pain to keep track of what I had and find what I needed. Now, I have all the colors sorted per tray and labeled and its so nice to not only have everything in one type of container but I can see clearly what Im looking for. As well, with tiny beads its nice to feel confident in the container not inadvertently opening up - these lids are attached and snap securely closed. I use a small funnel to pour beads in and use the lid as an intermittent stopper when I’m pouring out a few to use. At first I was shy of buying them since I needed 12 trays - adds up fast - but they are worth every penny. It was liberating to finally toss out all those old containers, saving tons of space, time and sanity. I LOVE THEM!

This is a greta storage solution because with the tray you can see everything you have all at once. Expensive but worth it for the serious crafter.