What are we organizing today (2018j
 

Hey all, I just realized that we are still posting on the 2017 thread so I thought I’d start a new one here.

post your organizing goals for the day, week or month, along with any tips, tricks or encouragement you find helpful.

Here’s my tip: before you start organizing, look around your space and see if there is any trash laying around. Get rid of that first. It is amazing how helpful this has been for me. In my case I often find that there are things I intended to fix (for years), broken bits that I meant to creatively re-use but have been taking up space for so long I forgot what I was going to do with them or the last dregs of paint, glue etc. that I have saved so long it is now hardened and unuseable- these things are trash just as surely as are the no-longer working pens that seem to multiply. While detrashing, I also grab things that can be recycled, for example, paper trash that is untainted by food will be scooped up while I’m removing trash and placed in a recycle bin. The point is, first get rid of the stuff that belongs in either your trash can or recycle bin. It’s amazing how much work space I can reclaim with that simple exercise, and the sense of accomplishment at completeling that task seems to help me stay on track for doing the harder work of sorting what's left.

Today I’m going to tackle the walk in closet that is next to my home office.

Rob

I took apart a bookshelf in my living room, moved it to a different wall and organized the books. Nothing to do with quilting or the disorganized mess in my sewing room, but does it count?

Thanks for a new thread!

My sewing room is in chaos for the moment but only 30 minutes away from getting re-organized. I just finished the binding on a quilt and had to switch machines to the one with a table. It's no problem as I straighten up after each project.

The big organizing project will be switching my sewing room to the larger bedroom. Hopefully, that will happen in July.

I have a new large sewing rm o/garage and I can't seem to set it up or organize...Some days I go up, look in and close the door. I did manage to go thru all my quilt books and organize and put away. Now if I could only get some incentive to SEW!!!!

For mother’s day my family gave me two white cubby units. I rearranged my entire craft room that week, taking out a unit that didn’t really work for me & giving a small table to one daughter. I moved a desk against a wall & put the new units in the center of the room. On top of those I placed the old counter top from my kitchen island & it fit perfectly. That 1980’s-era laminate counter top now serves as my cutting table & ironing station. That process was enough organizing for me for now. Lately I’ve been busy piecing & quilting tops. Much more fun than organizing, but I’m certainly enjoying the tall cutting table. I’ve also used it to baste my quilt tops. If the organizing bug hits me again, I’ll share that. I did follow your tip, Rob, & trashed or recycled several items from that room.

My incentive has been my daughter’s upcoming wedding on June 30th. During the week following , we will have houseguests staying in the guest/sewing room. So I have been methodically purging area by area. Yesterday was the cutting table. Today the floor. Tomorrow the ironing table.

[QUOTE=SillySusan;8074718]I took apart a bookshelf in my living room, moved it to a different wall and organized the books. Nothing to do with quilting or the disorganized mess in my sewing room, but does it count?[/QUOTE

Yes, and congratulations on getting it done!

Rob

Just keep going into the room and then leave if you want to. That MoJo will return, just ask me!

Rhonda K- Moving to a bigger room sounds really exciting! Don’t forget to take pics of the old and new spaces and post them on the forum!

hobbycat1955- i have days like that, whether its the organizing part or the sewing part. For organizing- if I’m feeling overwhelmed then sometimes just making a single small goal helps me get motivated. Also try working on it for just a few minutes a day- set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes and work on one small part of the room until it (the timer) rings. I’m always amazed in what I can get done in just a few minutes. For sewing- I try to keep a mindless sewing project hanging around for when I’m not feeling very creative.

Today I’m going to go through a box of miscellaneous stuff (books, papers, rolodex, etc.) that came out of the walk in closet and decide what to keep, sell, donate or recycle- this box was shoved into the closet back in March when I rearranged the home office corner of my studio.

Rob

Great thread to start for cleaning out our sewing rooms....but I did that last week....and yesterday I started on a new project getting material picked out for another sq-n-sq quilt....guess what my room looks like now!?!?!?!?!?!?!? :(

I'm normally organized but from time to time I let things pile up. Last week I asked my sister if she wanted a bookcase I had stashed out in my back garage. She suggested I take that one as it was larger for my spray paints and give her the smaller one I was using. Okay, so that started me cleaning out the back garage. One thing led to another and by the time I was finished I had put everything away that had been dumped there during the winter time, floors swepted out, spray cans put in new bookcase and the old one thrown in my car to take to my sister's house.

I decided since I was working outside I might as well tackle the front garage. I had just had it insulated and walls covered in chipboard so now I can put up the racks for the hand tools. Finally got it put up and all the patio furniture has been brought out to be used for the summer. Next I'll clean out the freezers full of fruit from last year's bounty to make room for this year's bounty. I normally take a cooler full to my congregation to share it with them.

Wow, Snooze, when you finish cleaning your house, you have an invitation to come to my house. North Carolina is beautiful this time of the year and I have plenty here to keep us busy. Every thing is so disorganized! I really need help !!! Y'all come!!! :)

I ditched my old Singer today. It’s served me well but time to move on. The cabinet went too so my sewing room has a different look. Tomorrow I clean it. Yeah !

I have been working (sorting) all this week on hard copy (printed) patterns, pics, magazines, books. I have found duplicates, patterns that no longer interest me as well....I am starting to see order--lots of stretching, floor work in the process.

Dh added a shelf to my sewing closet and I was able to use it to store my totes of quilting fabric and gain some space in my sewing room. I also moved two small storage cabinets into my sewing closet to free up more room for my new Singer 66 redeye treadle :)

I have lots of cabinets and drawers on one whole wall of my sewing room...yesterday my OCD kicked in big time..I started cleaning out drawers, reminding myself what was in them...getting rid of things I've never used...etc..
then started going thru quilt books, bagged up a lot for Senior Citizens place...organized all the tracing paper, loose pattern pieces, fabric for labels, just sewing items in general...cleaned up sewing area, dusted, wiped down the dust on front of the drawers...next is my top cabinets...lots of stuff up there...running out of room for anymore sewing decor on walls..friend gave me a another 4 drawer chest...needless to say, it's beginning to fill up too..using it for all the projects I have lined up already with the fabric to do them with...Next is taming my scraps, right now they are sorted in dark and lights in two huge laundry baskets...and a huge plastic bag...need to do something with them soon...always working on the next quilt, keeps me from cutting the scraps into different sizes...that would take me several days or even weeks...Today, I'm tackling several more drawers, don't have time to counted cross-stitch anymore, but have one whole drawer with that, patterns, the embroidery floss and etc that goes with it...thinking about putting those online to see if I can sell them...just not enough hours in the day to do everything i want to do...and I'm 75 years old..so quilting is my number one priority right now...so other crafts have taken a back seat...
I love my sewing room...I stay in there 75% of the time...but enjoy every minute of it...
Well, back to digging...hope to finish today, my quilt is waiting for the next step...

Good afternoon, y'all. I just finished a baby quilt using the squares I cut from scraps... in my attempt to get rid of a few of the 127 (well, maybe not quite that many) boxes of mixed up fabric from scraps to long pieces and all colors. So, for the rest of the afternoon, I'm going to cut more squares to empty another box or two.

I have to tell you, these piles of fabric started way before I retired. A long time ago, I volunteered to help a church group that made quilts for world-wide charity to cut 12" squares. They got tons of fabric donated to them by a fabric manufacturer in our area that has since closed. For helping them out, they gave me fabric with baby and children's motifs that they couldn't use. Also, of course, I bought a lot that I "needed to have." When I was working, I still quilted, but couldn't keep up, hence the number of boxes of fabric I have. I retired in 2002 and I'm still working to get some control!!!!

I thought I was going to move and quickly boxed up my sewing room - 103+ boxes! Then I changed my mind about moving for at least a year due to some health issues. I am now unpacking the boxes and purging so that when I do move I will have less to move. I have discovered one thing that I definitely need to improve on: I have sets of fabric that I obviously bought for a specific project, some even in ziploc bags, but have no idea what the project is. I am going to make myself do a better job of labeling/identifying the project that the fabric is intended for in the future. Meanwhile I am keeping some of the sets together but others I am just putting the fabric into the "general population."

Silly Susan- good for you for getting those scraps organized and then using them. I've got a bunch that I've cut that need to be used, I'm thinking maybe they will be for a leader ender project....But nothing as complex as the ones Bonnie Hunter does...I did ORL this year and still haven't finished it, I learned a lot, but also learned that I don't have the patience to do more than one of hers--though they are lovely!

sounds like everyone is doing lots of organizing in their sewing rooms, but remember you can use this thread to also help motivate you (and the rest of us) to work on other areas as well. Today, my only goal is to finish filling up the donation box that I keep in the upstairs hall and put it downstairs by the door so the next time I go out it will get taken to our local charitable thrift.

Keep up the good work everyone!

Rob

My next reorganization is to take my 2 1/2 inch, 1 1/2 inch, 2 inch strips, 5 inch squares, and 10 inch squares and organize them by color instead of size. Whenever I go to my stash I am looking for a color so why do I have all these organized by size?

My organizing efforts are an on-going, lifelong project it seems. In the last week I have finished 2 sewing projects that have been around for a while......replacement cushions for my son's outdoor swing and curtains for the guest bedroom. At least that fabric is now in use and not just laying around taking up space in my sewing room.
You never know when or where that "organizing bug" will strike. On Tuesday I was getting a pan out of my pan cabinet to make carmelized onions and it just struck me.....most of these pans have been here (unused and untouched) for as long as I have been in this house.....10 years! Stopped right then, took all of them out and put on dining room table. Yesterday loaded into van and will take to charity donation house today. Gone and lots of space in my pan cabinet.
So Rob, you are so right, there is so much organizing to be done in some of our lives, and I feel when my home is organized and clutter free, I am much happier and that reflects on my quilting/sewing efforts.
Happy Organizing everyone!

I read the book by the Japanese author (Marie Kondo ??) and decided that she had some ideas I liked. When I brought up my summer clothes, I tried everything on and discarded about half. Then I went through my kitchen and changed things, discarding extras. I looked at my sewing room and bundled up two boxes to send away to someone who will use it for homeless people. I’m not near done, but I’m liking what I’ve started. It takes time to go through stuff but I’m ready. I’m thinking of changing more in my sewing room as the room is small about 8 x 10. I have a huge room on a walkout level that has my batting, backing and long arm. I have a friend who takes those small pieces of batting for dog beds so that will help a great deal. I started cutting up my scrap fabric and maybe by summers end, I will have that cleared out. I decided if it’s not cut up into 2 1/2”, then it goes into the dogs bed. I don’t like sewing with anything that small and I am not a fan of those little pieces quilts. I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished so far and I know that by summers end, I will be in a better place.

Wanabee, I did this in 99'-2000, it took me 9 months at 15 minutes to an hour a day, to go through every drawer, cupboard, shelf etc. A FlyLady thing, but it was the best gift I've ever given myself. I had to recognize just how much money I'd been spending on things with no value to me.

I started living from the premise buy it if I need it, don't buy it if it is only a want. To think over the wants carefully. More than you want to know, but it changed our life entirely and I can't believe the money I've saved, more than enough to go into retirement without worrying.

I quit buying fabric in 2001, based on that exercise.

Forgot to add my current organize it project

We have a new RV and in aid of being a traveling quilter I've cut a blooming nine patch quilt from my 30's prints this past week, bagged it by round and am so looking forward to working on it all over the USA. The only quilt I will have made twice.

Thanks for starting a new thread, Rob.

I've been really tired this week. I have one old dog who needs a lot of help and had a seizure the other night and another who was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor after he collapsed last week. So I haven't had much energy to sew/quilt. I did go up to my sewing room this week and put away all the leftover fabric from the last quilt and do a bit of organizing. I still need to get the magazine stash under control and work some more on my string quilt. I'm using up lots of scraps on that! :D

I have a huge supply of heavy weight cotton used for drapes and upholstery. I love making totes and purses, but I can’t seem to do it anymore as I’ve made plenty for family and friends. And to be honest, so many prefer name brand leather. I’m going to round them up and offer them to two ladies and if they don’t want it, I will give it to the group I give my batting to that makes dog beds. It will be a big box of fabric that just sits there. I’ve also got a box of things I’m going to sell on eBay, it’s original vintage fabric that I paid money for it at flea markets etc. it’s beautiful but I just can’t bear to cut into it, time to sell it.

Wow! What hard work y'all did in the past few days! I didn't do so well, but I went up to my sewing room early this morning and found that I had cleaned off the cutting table sometime last night. I don't remember doing it, but it really looked good... strange, but good. Today I plan to finish the binding on a couple of UFO baby quilts and maybe that neat sewing angel will clean some more tonight! :)

Patrice, I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. That takes precedence over other things for sure :(
I got a cutting table recently and I love it. It's higher than the back of my cabinet that I was using and hurting my back with.
I put it in another spare bedroom with all my cutters, Go, rulers etc. Taking over almost the whole upstairs lol

Patrice, I’m so sorry to hear about your dogs’ health issues- it’s hard to get the energy to do anything else when our fur babies are ailing.

Hugs,
Rob

The last 2 days I've cleaned out my bedroom closet and dresser. 2 full garbage bags of clothes that I no longer want to wear or are too big for me (I recently lost 22 pounds and am loving it) that will go to thrift store next time I drive to town. They are all ready in the car. I was supposed to drive by today on my way to DD house to help with a back yard construction project, but since it's rainy today that's been cancelled, so I'm going to the sewing attic and clean up the left over mess from costume construction. Both daughters and I do costumes for Renaissance Faire and since the last 2 weekends were Faire days (our booth did extremely well this year) the sewing room looks like a storm moved through. DD says the floor covered with bits of thread and corner clippings looks like "productivity", but I think it looks like a slob lives here. So it's time to organize the costume fabrics and bring out the quilting fabrics. I do enjoy the sewing with daughters, but by the time we are done, I'm ready for some "easy" sewing with cotton.

No new organizing project for me today as it’s farrier day at the barn...the heat index is going to be around 108 so I expect we’ll be too drained to do much of anything by the time we get back. Will drop off the latest filled donation box on our way to the barn.

Rob

Why oh why is this never ending? I don't think I will fully get organized before I die!!! LOL

LOL! I know how you feel. The more I organize and/or purge, the more I find....I blame it on living in the same house for the last 25 years...

Rob

Does anyone else get so caught up in trying to make things perfect in their rooms that quilting actually takes a back seat? I'm to the point where....am I "close enough" so I can realistically sit down and do something creative and not feel guilty about "that pile" or "those things over there"....

Sometimes I think I get a little OCD on things...:D

In our area, bags would be welcome at the Shelter for abused women and children. They have something instead of a plastic grocery bag.

every now and then that happens to me, but it’s usually after I’ve completly trashed my space by doing too many differ3nt projects at once.... then I have to take time to re-think both my work process and organization, do a major cleanup and tweak everything before I’m ready to get creative again...I’m beginning to think it’s all part of the creative process :D

Rob

I am trying to clean and organize my sewing room and it’s not easy. I have Too Much. Yesterday I went through a tub that said ‘jelly rolls’ to add to the group I had in a cabinet. I was actually horrified to find over 20 really good jelly rolls to add to my 7= 27 jelly rolls. Then I moved my new charm squares over and found two more tubs of charm squares, one is Moda and Eleanor Burns etc. I am glad I’m sorting my fabric but each time I turn around, I find more fabric and projects I started and didn’t finish. All are at the very end stage of adding slashing or appliqué, I must have ran into a problem with color. I did manage to do some repair on dogs toys, and look at what I can finish soon. I know I have at least four Dresden Plates ready to be sashed, all that work sewing them by hand and now I can’t get the sashing done!

Wannabee, if you work on those just-found unfinished projects, you can join the 2018 UFO Challenge & add your finished projects to the tally! Sounds like an opportunity to finish some quilts & make more room in your sewing space! I‘m sure your quilts are lovely & they deserve to come into the light to be enjoyed.

We recently had to move out of our current rental house as it was sold. YUCK. But we found a much nicer one just up the street about 10 houses. I am going into a much larger space. I used to have an 8 x 8 sewing room with a big closet. My HQ16 sat in the living room in an alcove.

I am shocked and sort of appalled with all the stuff I own. I will have plenty of room for it but right now it is an horrible mess. I will use bookcases for most of the fabric. It is hot as blazes here in Phoenix right now but it cool inside.

Cannot seem to get this picture in the right direction but you get the idea.

The bank suggested that I rent out my wonderful quilting space. Can't argue with that. It was extravagant to think I could take a perfectly good two bedroom apartment and keep it for myself. I found a good renter. New Frig and washer and dryer and it will be ready to go on July 15 when new renter wants it.

So that meant moving all this stuff into two bedrooms upstairs in my house. Here are some shots of where it is now. The big long arm is still down their, but it looks like that will live in the garage until such time as the garage can be spruced up, remodeled and that set up properly.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]596650[/ATTACH]Here is my ironing station. What that doesn't show are the three FULL drawers of jelly rolls and charm packs. The side holds some of the taller accuquilt dies.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]596651[/ATTACH]This is the very heavy mahogony desk that my sweetie who died 7 years ago left me. I was so glad to be able to save it. We took it apart into 4 pieces and got it upstairs. Two cutting mats cover it. And there is some unused space in the drawers.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]596652[/ATTACH]Sewing area. This is an Amish made piece that folds out for a nice area, Bernina 1020. Mini pin board right above my head so I don't have to keep glancing at the book.

More to come.