categories to organize sewing supplies
 

Does anyone have a list of sewing organization categories? When we put a new floor down in our family room, my husband decided to move the right angle desk to my sewing/craft room. So now I am in a forced re-org of my craft room. I have lots of drawers, some shelves, cabinets and a closet with mutliple shelves and more drawers. But I keep getting stuck on how to group things, i.e.
Fabric - quilting (yardage, precuts & scraps), fashion, fleece, home dec, misc (felt, velvet, etc.), scraps
Thread - embroidery, serger, regular
scissors & rotary cutters (extra rotary blades)
pins
needles - hand, machine, serger
trim - webbing, lace, rick-rack, ribbon, misc
interfacing
stabilizers
batting
blanks - towels, stockings, sweatshirts, t-shirts, etc.
notions - seam ripper, bobbins, fray check, etc.
embroidery hoops
Other Embroidery accessories (D-card reader, etc)
rulers
buttons
software programs (embroidery, EQ6) & manuels, etc
computer
printer
fasteners - zippers, snaps, buttons, hooks & eyes, etc.
purse supplies - D-rings, magnetic snaps, etc.
spray adhesive
sewing machine accessories - feet, bobbins, etc. (Regular & Serger)

Organize however it makes sense in your brain and according to how much you use each group. You might have to rearrange a few times. Good luck. I generally put stablizers/fusibles and paper things together. Tools together, drawer for needles. You will figure it out! Good luck.

so far looks like you got the majority covered... the rest will fall into place what works best for you..

Man, almost sounds like you could stock a store with your supplies. I might organize by where I need items. Less used items further from the sewing machine. Flat surfaces as clear of "storage" as possible so projects can be laid out. Also, an area of UFO's or current projects. Maybe a couple of baskets for projects under construction. Oh... and books and patterns.

I am in the process of sorting and organizing things too. I also have an "L" shaped desk, a drawer unit at each end and one on the corner in the middle. The drawers on the right hold my small stuff (pins, needles, etc for my machine) and the other drawers in this unit hold all my regular machine thread organized by colors. The drawers to the left hold my other small stuff, covered button kits, and all little gadgets, and then my interfacing in rolls in the bottom drawer, so they do not get dirty. On one closet hold some of my quilting fabrics organized by color, plain, americana, sm. flowers,
large flowers, sm. print, large print, plaid, sm. dots, large dots, sm. check, large check. Then the other standing closet holds some dec fabric and my "other fabric". My open shelves hold my fat quarters, arranged in plastic drawers, by color; then I have my zippers, cording, buckram for drapes, bias tape, seam binding, all in the plastic shoeboxes. My patterns I want to use in the next few years are in baskets so I can look at them. My quilting "kits" are in another basket
ready to go when I am. My dec fabric on the rolls are in a corner but I think I will get a tall garbage can to keep them from falling over, and to keep the bottom of the rolls clean. Then I have wicker picnic baskets with my projects in, some done but I have to sort the fabric out of the ones I have finished. On a shelf the width of the wall over top the windows, I have my collector machines, my FW's and other collectibles. I have a small 3 drawer unit (for stationary) next to my machine on the top of the counter to hold scissors, quilt labels and stuff I need right away to sew, like rippers, etc. I have baskets up high full of posters and other pics to frame since I do custom framing but do not get mine done when I should be doing it. My serger is right handy as is 2 sewing machines, not the expensive ones, but ones that have been good and faithful to me. My scraps are organized in their small shoeboxes too. While I was in the basement last week looking for something I found abut 6 more bins of fabric so now I have to reorganize again. Here I thought they were all finished quilt tops ready to be quilted. More to do every day but I have 12 cushions to cover for the cottage so I better get them done since I am heading there next week. Good luck to you.

I have an "L" shaped desk in my sewing room also. Start with the big things. Where will each machine be located? Which supplies are needed in every operation of 1 machine? I have all embroidery machine tools, accessories, and thread located in drawers directly below the embroidery machine. All domestic sewing machine tools, and accessories are located in a drawer right below the machine they go to. All cotton thread is in one drawer along with quilting needles and other quilting supplies. Other spool threads and needles are in another drawer. Serger cone thread is in a drawer closes to the serger, along with those tools and accessories.

Now move to your cutting area. All cutting tools are located in this area - rulers, rotaries, large scissors, templates.

All fabric is stored in one area, a section for yardage, another for FQs, another for strips. My fabric storage is the closet.

This arrangement works for me in a 10x12 second bedroom. I arranged/re-arranged quite a few times before I got it the way it works. Of course if I add anything I have to move things again. That's OK - it makes me clean things out. I have to keep things where they are used, or they would never get put away. Oh, my computer is in a custom cabinet (I made it) behind my sewing desk, and dh also has a craft table in this room! I have a big enough wall exposed for a 4x8 design wall, my TV is mounted where I can watch it while I sew, and the ironing board is only out during piecing.

Good luck finding what works for you.

Everytime I try to reorganize, I lose things.... ok, turthfully I foget where I put them

I thought I was the only one who loses things when trying to organize. Glad it is not just me. I bought bins on wheels and have my batting in the back of the closet and then the bins where I can roll them out to get to batting when I need it. Still organizing my bins, but try to put UFO in one set and large fabric in second one. I have plastic boxes for color coordination stacked on shelves next to my machine and bookshelf under window for magazines (of which I have way too many) and books. My tv sits on long table, but next purchase is wall mount. Good luck1

Wow. You all sooo make me wish I still had my sewing room.
It has been my grandson's room for 5 years since we got custody of him as an infant.
I love having him but sure miss my organizing space!
Everything I'm not working on right now is in closets in containers.

The only thing I could add to your list are Books (manuals/magazines/books) & Patterns.

It may take a few adjustments to get things like you like them. When I was re-organizing, I found myself moving things around from the initial plan. No worries.... it's yours to do with as you please. Enjoy!