How to Store Diamond Art Drills

Why Proper Drill Storage Matters

If you've been doing diamond painting for a while, you'll know how quickly your drill collection grows. One canvas can have 30, 40, or even 50 different colours — and once you start buying extra drills to top up your stash, storage becomes a real challenge.

Poor storage leads to mixed-up colours, lost drills, and the frustration of hunting through bags trying to find the right DMC code. Good storage, on the other hand, makes every session faster, tidier, and more enjoyable.

Here's everything you need to know about storing your diamond art drills properly.

1. Keep Drills in Their Original Bags (Until You're Ready)

When you open a new kit, resist the urge to tip all the drills into one container. Keep each colour in its labelled bag until you're ready to use it. The DMC code on the bag is your best friend — it tells you exactly which colour is which, even if the drills look similar.

2. Use Small Resealable Bags

Once you've opened a bag of drills, transfer any leftovers into a small resealable bag and label it clearly with the DMC code and colour name. Small zip-lock bags (available from craft shops or online) are perfect for this — they're airtight, stackable, and easy to sort through.

3. Invest in a Drill Storage Container

For serious diamond painters, a dedicated storage container is a game-changer. Options include:

• Multi-compartment boxes — like fishing tackle boxes or bead organisers, with individual sections for each colour
• Stackable storage drawers — great for large collections, with each drawer labelled by colour family
• Storage albums with zip pockets — a popular choice for keeping drills flat and sorted by DMC number

Whatever you choose, make sure each compartment is clearly labelled so you can find the right colour at a glance.

4. Sort by Colour Family or DMC Number

There's no single right way to organise your drills, but two popular methods are:

• By colour family — group all reds together, all blues together, and so on. Great for visual browsing.
• By DMC number — sort numerically for quick, precise lookups. Ideal if you work from colour charts.

Pick whichever system makes sense for how you work, and stick to it consistently.

5. Store Away from Heat and Direct Sunlight

Diamond art drills are usually made from resin or acrylic, and prolonged exposure to heat or direct sunlight can cause them to warp, discolour, or lose their sparkle. Store your drills in a cool, dry place — a drawer, cupboard, or craft box works perfectly.

6. Use a Tray When Working

When you're mid-project, pour just the drills you need into a diamond art drill tray. This keeps your workspace tidy, stops drills rolling off the table, and makes it easy to shake them symbol-side up for picking. When you're done, pour any unused drills back into their storage bag — don't mix colours.

7. Label Everything

This sounds obvious, but it's easy to skip when you're in a hurry. Always label your storage bags and containers with the DMC code, colour name, and ideally a small swatch of the colour. You'll save yourself a lot of squinting and guessing later on.

8. Keep a Drill Inventory

If your collection is growing, consider keeping a simple spreadsheet or notebook listing which DMC colours you have and roughly how many drills of each. This stops you buying duplicates and helps you quickly identify when you're running low on a colour mid-project.

Shop Diamond Art Storage at Diamonds & Resin with Trisha

We stock a range of 3D printed diamond art trays and storage solutions designed specifically for diamond painters — compact, practical, and made with crafters in mind.

Browse our full range of diamond art accessories to find everything you need for a tidy, organised craft space.

Happy organising! 💎