Katia

I actually enjoy organizing. I watch those cleaning shows on TV, and I just want to get in there and fix it all up for them. Not the nasty hoarder type ones, but the ones where people just have too much stuff.

I have actually done it for a lady a few times, and it was very fun.

I mostly use the same method that I see on Clean House. I have always cleaned this way. What I do is clear an area. You then need some boxes or soda flats or bins, whatever. You also need a trash bin. And a charity or sell bin, or maybe both. I then pick a side of the room and start sorting. I work my way around the room.

After I get to the place where there is not a bunch left the bins and boxes need to go out of the room. That way you can finish cleaning. Scrub, vacuum, even paint if you want. But remember you also need to clean out all the furniture in the room. All the drawers and shelves have to be cleared.

After that is done you need to decide where you want stuff to go. That is really the fun part. Bring in the sewing machines if that is the kind of room you are doing and then arrange the stuff so that it makes sense to you. I would not worry about getting the fabric folded and sorted till you are done with most everything else. That job is time consuming and will distract you from doing the other stuff you need to do.

If you are working in a small room and don't have a place to set out the sorting bins then I would just have bins for stuff, and a bin for garbage. Maybe a bin for stuff to get rid of, that is not trash. And move the bins out of the room as they are filled so they are out of your way. The rest of my procedure is the same. Just that you will be sorting your stuff into a clean room.

Hopefully, once this is done you will never have to do a full unload and reload type cleaning again. We just did this whole routine to my husbands shop. It was a disater with boxes of stuff all over. Anytime he wanted to do a project he had to go buy new stuff, even though he knew he already had it. I found some nice cabinets at a yard sale a month or so ago and we wanted to get them installed. So we got all eight of them in and everything back in place. I was amazed at how many things we found in there. We used a lot of plastic shoe boxes and small bins to store stuff in. So now he has an area with all his wood working stuff and another area with his automotive tools and that sort of stuff. And another area with a table and cabinets for his gun and bow stuff. Oh and a project, UFO) area. He loves it, but I told him he had best keep it nice.

I also seldom do things in small time slots like was suggested. When I get started I hate to stop. I know I should, but when I am on a roll, and in the mood I have to get it done.

My little sewing room is far from as organized and neat as I would like it at the moment. But we are moving it all to a larger room soon. First we are redoing the floors and painting, so I am looking forward to doing that. Not the floors and painting, but the getting everything reorganized.

cbjlinda

Hec yesssssssssss I am overwelmed allllllll the time! Go at it when you are really in the mood to clean and take one corner at a time. then move on to the next or organize one thing at a time. don't try and do it all at one time. you would be surprized once you remove the stress of dealing with the whole room it will go quickly wellllllllll maybe not quickly but much faster.

PattyH

I feel the same way. I've seriously thought of giving up quilting and finding something that doesn't include stashes of fabric and tons of notions and rulers. I lost my quilting foot yesterday in a matter of an hour. I put it down and then looked for another hour to finally find it in the pin box. My husband it NOT sympathetic. He says I have NO organization skills!

GailG

I tried this. I only ended up with more piles in other rooms. It seems my room blossomed like liquid foam insulation. I don't know what the answer is, but I manage to get to my machine and get some things done. Occasionally I just carry the machine to the dining table and work there for a while.

passionforsewing

This sounds just like me. Last weekend I rearranged everything in my sewing area. Found it does better for me, but still if I don't clear out what I've been working on right then, well.................. you know, it just keeps adding up. And yes, I DID sit down and cry for just a bit over all this mess, but I LOVE my sewing.

Battle Axe

There are fairies in our area that come in at night and hide the sicssors and tape measures. The other day, I found their stash on the bottom shelf of the main sales counter cupboard. Whooda thought?

Yankee Quilter

A few years ago, I got to a point where I could not find fabric and patterns that I was sure I had in my stash. It was very disorganized. I asked 3 of my quilting friends to help me one afternoon. I bribed them with chocolate, wine and snacks. We sorted fabric, sipped wine, and snacked and chatted all afternoon. When we were finished. I had a pretty organized stash and we all had a good time. It was a huge help and I could not have made a dent in the project by myself.

harley

:oops: That was me too,then I had it one day and the 8-) went off I dumped everything in the center of the floor. WAR. went to Lowe's and bought a dozen wall brackets they are about 2.00 and screwed those baby's to the wall--studs in the wall just in case my man dared to enter the forbidden -zone. still not Right-- there goes the :idea: again,back out to the store again BUT this time the DOLLAR TREE,I bought 50 or so of those laundry baskets and filled them with all of my fabric -by colors put them full on the shelves I put up. went for a cup of coffee came back and just sat down and admired my work.then off to my real sewing room I have a Quilting Barn. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: you can do it !

MerryQuilter

Also have to have morning energy to tackle the big jobs.

Nona

my sewing room goes from pickup'd to disaster in about a nanosecond. When it really gets to bothering me, I stop and spend one time period and straighten things out. A couple of things I have started to do that has helped the disaster period. Each of my sewing stations (I have 4) has a pin cushion, a ripper taped to the machine, a pair of nips or small scissors to the right of the machine. My cutting table has a small cigar box with my cutting scissors in it, my 8x24 in ruler on top of the cutting table. All other rulers hang on wall rack unless specifically needed for the project. My general sewing notions are in a fishing tackle box from Walmart. It moves with me. Thimbles, needles, glue sticks etc are in it and I keep it with me and closed unless I need something out of it. When the piles of fabric get to me, I sit down turn the TV on and fold fabric and put it up by stacks. I do have a door to close off my sewing room when I really don't want to face the problem. I just do the best I can. I am still waiting for the good fairey to come and take care of mess, but after 60 years I guess she isn't going to make it to my house.