Before you decide on a bead organizer system you should give it some thought and come up with a plan. Jewelry makers who started with a system, then realized that it wasn't right for them have wasted a lot of money. You need to consider the size and quantity of beads you'll be using. If you are going to be mass-producing designs and buying multiple strands of each type of bead, you'll need a storage unit big enough to keep them all together. If you are going to make single copies of the designs you see in jewelry magazines, you'll only need to store a few leftover beads.
How much space do you have?
Storage Toy Boxes
The amount of space you can dedicate to storage also has to be considered. If you work on your dining room table and need to pack everything up so you can eat every night, you should take a look at the rolling tackle box or suitcase type organizers. You can position them where you are working, then roll them in the corner when you need to use your worktable for other activities.
On the other hand, if you have a dedicated studio/workshop, you can think on a larger scale. Bookcases or adjustable shelves fastened directly to the wall are a couple of good ideas, as are kitchen countertops and/or worktables with your bead storage containers stacked along the back, against the wall.
Match the container to the bead size and quantity
Container options range from towers of cute little round plastic tubs to plastic fishing tackle boxes. The beauty of the tackle boxes are their flexibility and safety. Most come with removable dividers so you can make the spaces the size you need. They also close securely so that if they are dropped or knocked off the table, you won't have bead soup to re-sort.
Small parts organizer cabinets are another option that can be re-purposed. Some of them have all large or all small drawers, and some have a combination. The drawers are removable so you can take only what you need to your worktable without having to move the entire cabinet. They can be stacked on top of one another and fastened to the wall to keep them from turning over.
If you use smaller beads, you need smaller storage containers. Seed beads would be lost in either of the above options, but don't worry, there are numerous organizers aimed straight at the seed bead users. Whether you choose round tubes or the small flip top boxes that look like Tic-Tac containers is a personal preference. There are larger containers available that are specifically designed to hold the smaller containers, which keeps your bead collection neat and organized.
Before you buy anything, spend some time thinking about your needs, imagine how you want to use your workspace and don't forget to plan for the future. Looking at all of the options available to you before you make a decision will save you both money and frustration in the long run.