I am a supreme organizer. I like to sort my fabrics by light to dark and then sort out smaller pieces into my scrap bin. I also use small plastic shoe boxes for cut squares, shapes, etc. so they are easy to find. Once you make the big leap to organization you will find that it is easier for projects. Get peg board to hang rulers, scissors, etc. I am also a huge fan scanning in pattern ideas that I want to make and getting rid of the magazines, books, etc. to make more room and also to know right where that pattern is without going through all the books looking for that one that would have got away other wise.

Just make the supreme boring beginning to cleaning up and before you know it you will wonder how you functioned before. Best of luck.

I like a clean organized room. I HATE clutter. First rule is you cannot organize too much stuff. I am given alot of fabric for my charity quilting. I must be ruthless in discarding what I do not want to use. I am not sewing fabric that I do not like. I give to other charity quilters.

I store my fabric on shelves ruler folded except for small things like FQ. I pass along scraps smaller than 5 inches and save strips 2 and 2 1/2 inches.

I sewed myself a great Christmas quilt then gave all that category of fabric away. I do not make Christmas quilts for charity. If I ever decide to make another---I will buy what I want.

Along the way I bought too much fabric but am making great progress on whittling it down. I gave myself permission to discard what I do not love. I took myself off all email alerts to fabric sales. The fabric stores are happy to store fabric for me at no charge. When I need it I will go purchase it.

My sewing room now is a happy place without so much fabric making me feel I had just too much and others had so little.

Oh, but don't get rid of it - that's like saying I probably won't use any flour this week - so I'll get rid of that to make more room... As long as it is well organized - it becomes an inspiration - not a burden.

Update on my mess
 

It was August 22 when I posted a plea for words of widsom regarding the organization of my sewing room. It is now September 11 and it's still a mess! Most of the fabric has been refolded and separated into colors and themes which, I know, is huge. The rest of the room continues to wait for me to finish it. I have stopped to sew because it's what I do for a living and right now the tourists on the coast of Maine are still shopping so I still have to sew. After that's done there will be Christmas to sew for family so I suppose the real clean up won't happen for a while, but I am already finiding it easier to locate the fabric I want when I want it.

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement and I will have to check out Fly Lady.

I often wake quite early, like 3 or 4, and can't make any noise or I'll wake my hubby. This morning it was after 3:15. I went into my quilt room and decided to put things away as I couldn't sew my blocks (noise). By the time I looked at the clock again it was 7:30 and most of my quilt room was reasonably tidy again. I still have lots to do, of course, but now I don't cringe when I walk in there. So my 'prize' was quilting ALL DAY with no interruptions. I break it up a bit usually and reward myself in some small way for a job well done. Added bonus was finding several 'treasures' I'd totally forgotten I have.

I hang my larger yardage and and mark size and width and the 1 1/2 under fold and mark. Works gread for seeing and of course had a best buddy to help me. ( her idea by the way ) and smaller pc's cut to different sq's 5" 3" 4 1/2 " 2 1/2 " some binding strips when width was not alot. Have fun with it and you will not believe how much easier it is this way. Love looking for what I need for a project now !!

I also follow the fly lady technique, but I set the timer for only ten minutes.......and it has worked! I only take out a bit to fold and organize, and I can see the immediate results........
Don't be too hard on yourself.....

I don't know if I have anything useful to add that hasn't been mentioned.
Yes, I am one of those mousies that doesn't read pages and pages to the end.
Having said that, is there a tv in the room where you fold fabric?
If not and it isn't viable, how about music.
Music helps everything,...and a timer.
Set the timer for a segment of time so you can look forward to stopping.
Tell yourself that it is a guide, (not a punishment), and you can stop whenever you really want to.
Then when you get going, you won't want to stop.
You'll want to reach your goal.
I do agree, if you had a friend it makes work go by so much faster.
I am refolding all my folded fabrics, just bc it is reccommended to keep creases from setting in permanently.
I don't buy expensive boards etc. I put tinfoil over cardboard (got it from a book), and I use blue painters tape and attach it to the covered board so it doesn't move.
It goes a lot faster.
The timer will give you breaks so your muscles won't feel like you've had a blanket party.
(blanket party: where someone has a blanket thrown over them and gets a pounding :shock: )
Your doing it, brag on yourself.
It ain't all fun...but alas, it is necessary. I highly reccommend rewards of some kind :thumbup:

now see, if my husband had just been picked for that moose tag, he'd be in Maine hunting right now and I could come over and help - I LOVE organizaing, tho you wouldn't know it from my own sewing room just now. okay - that was the inspiration I needed - I'm headed in there!