please help me organize... pretty please

[monkeylicious]

this area is my kitchen dining area. we use it to eat (no dining room), to do arts and crafts, and for school. it is not functioning well at all. the biggest thing i think i need is a bookshelf - but if i have an open bookshelf i think evie will be pulling things off of it regularly :sigh the wood papercase if left unlocked (a pipecleaner wrapped on itself is all that is needed) gets emptied at every opportunity by the little imp ;)

pics are clickable

so... this is the table with some random things of mine (calendar, notebook for lists..., and bible and notebook) as well as the not so lovely way we are displaying artwork.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/th_DSC01585-1.jpg (http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/DSC01585-1.jpg)

this is the easel (that we rarely use, but was received for Christmas last year from my parents), the "papercase" where i keep paper, some playdoh toys, some coloring books (it has potential to be more useful, but has to be latched, making it inconvenient to get in and out of), and on top of that is a pile of artwork and then a bin with playdoh and the rest of the accessories. then the second pic is the inside of the "papercase" (i don't know the original use - my great uncle made it, but it was empty when we found it)

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/th_DSC01583-1.jpg (http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/DSC01583-1.jpg) http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/th_DSC01586.jpg (http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/DSC01586.jpg)

this is the buffet and inside the two drawers. the top has... random things that need homes, a radio/cd player that we do use, the backpack has leapster and games, some activity (art and science project idea type books) , my recipe binder, and a pile of construction and drawing paper. the skinny drawer has stuff like activity books, scissors, tape, stickers... stuff. the lower deeper drawer has arts and crafts supplies - paint, pencils, markers, crayons, foam stickers, beads, yarns, waterpaints, ...

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/th_DSC01584-1.jpg (http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/DSC01584-1.jpg)
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/th_DSC01587.jpg (http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/DSC01587.jpg) http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/th_DSC01588.jpg (http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/gigizmom/gcm/DSC01588.jpg)

any suggestions appreciated :yes

[KatieMae]

subbing, will take a closer look after kids' bedtime ;)

[monkeylicious]

bumping for the morning crowd - anyone :shifty

[4gifts]

I found these small plastic containers (with snap shut lids) at Walmart (in the school section) that I use for markers and colored pencils, stuff like that. they also work great for stickers and other small things (pipe cleaners,glue sticks...) that way...small things are together yet these fit into drawers because they are flat.I have tons of containers for different things like colored paper....small craft kits....
I can relate to the little one pulling things out of cabinets (or in my case anything else that has interesting stuff)...is there any way you can put more papers and the things on top of the buffet into the paper cabinet? I know you said you need to keep it locked so that might not be a convenient option.
You can hang art projects from string and use small clothespins to attach them...it looks cute and everything is in order and you can change them easily. You could even string it across the window like an art garland.....
Just a few thoughts...looking forward to others ideas too as I always need ideas for storage.