retiredteacher09

kristijoy: Great organization! Wahoo to figuring out how to post a Flicker picture.

WMUTeach

After Virtual church and then a zoom with some single gals, I am off to re-organize a university online class about infants and toddlers. Taught it for many years but every semester it needs updating, new links and lots of little fussy corrections. The clock is ticking and it must be ready to go in one week. Goal....All updating done in 7 days. Then I can return to some of my quilting projects that have been left to languor on the quilt wall or in messy piles in my sewing room.

KathyM

I have over taken my whole basement with fabric, patterns, books, started projects and did I say fabric? I need to hire someone that quilts, come in and organize for me. It has become over whelming for me. I don't know where to start any more.

oksewglad

Ah KathyM, I know what you mean for I have done the same thing...when our DD and SIL come for an overnight our SIL's comment is...i t looks like a fabric explosion has happened! My problem has been with donated fabrics...mostly scraps and what to do with them. I have finally started to say "no" no matter how nice of fabric I will acquire from said person. Admittedly I have gotten some not so nice fabric,too. Over the winter I have been sorting out what I know I won't use and taking it to the local donation store. They do have an outlet for fabric that goes into insulation products if it is not sold in store. Whether you have someone come in to help or you do it yourself, you need to be realistic about whether you will use the things you have...Ask yourself if you still like the pattern/fabric whatever to warrant the keeping of it. If it's a "no" then put it in a donate box/bag and get it out the door. Also be realistic about how much time you have to make things. At the age of 68, that's becoming more real to me. Spending just a few minutes at a time and you will see progress. Last weekend I proudly showed off to my daughter all the small to medium size containers I have emptied by prioritizing.

thepolyparrot

True, true, true - well done, OK!

Momo

Do you like the comic boards for storage of fabric? Is it not too thin? I am considering it, but just not sure because of the thickness of the boards?
Thanks.

rryder

Hey Momo, I use the comic boards and really like them. I store my fabric wrapped around the boards and then stood on their sides in drawers so I can open a drawer and see at a glance what I’ve got. Lots of folks use the comic boards to store their fabric on bookshelves as well. The boards are strong enough to stand the fabric on the shelf rather than stacking, which makes it easy to grab the fabric you want. I have boards that have been reused many times and they are holding up very well.

Rob

retiredteacher09

oksewglad: I take my unwanted fabrics and scraps also to a local donation store. They can sell or recycle them. Like you, I’m 68 and feeling the need to simplify. Thanks to you mentioning donating the fabric, I pulled some coordinating fabric that I knew I wouldn’t use (donation to church group) and will put it on a fundraiser garage sale next week. Last fall, I gave quite a bit of Christmas fabric to this sale and it felt so good. Good for you in starting to say ‘No Thanks!’

My house looks like a whirlwind went through it as I have been going through boxes and cupboards looking for items to donate to the fundraiser for over a month. VCR and cassette tapes, glassware, plastic ware, pictures, etc. are being added to the boxes previously designated for the sale. Yesterday 3 people from my Thursday sewing group filled my large car trunk with things to donate also. So that added to my house stuff and also started a pile in the garage. Lol! I will be dropping it off on Wednesday and will be so relieved to have spaces empty in my house.

oksewglad

But after the whirlwind, your home will be calm...I so need to do this, but just can't get into the mood.

retiredteacher09

oksewglad: At least my home should be calm. Lol! The fundraiser sale is approaching quickly and that knowledge gave me the final push I needed to go through more things. I’m usually not so motivated. It helps that I didn’t work this school year.

I finally emptied out a container of scraps about 2” tall, stuffed, and overflowing. I’ve been working a little on it off and on for several months. I still need to put the organized scraps away. Next up: Putting away fabrics from some recent projects.