retiredteacher09

Keep organizing and sharing your experiences, quilters.

I’m happy to say that I met all 3 of my goals for January.
1. My stash has been reduced through using it.
2. My goal of 2 hours each week in my office resulted in shredded papers and more pictures being sorted.
3. Same goal as number 2 but in my extra bedroom/exercise/toss in room. I still have large tubs with memorabilia belonging to my sons. As I go through them, I text the youngest to see what he wants me to keep and put my oldest’s things in a box for him to eventually go through. I also had some large tubs with miscellaneous stuff in them and went through them.

The empty tubs are now being used by my niece to pack for her move in February. Eventually, they will come back but I hope to have closet space to store them at that time. I’m keeping them for an eventual move for me with no time frame chosen.

So it was a very good organizing month.

Teen

Well done, Connie! Sounds like you set realistic and achievable goals for January. By the time you are ready to move you’ll be so organized it will be a cinch!

rryder

Wow Connie! You did a great job sticking to your goals for the month.

An organization tip I read recently said to set your spaces up so they are easy to clean rather than having your tools ready to hand. The idea was that you will get your tools and whatnot out when you want to use them, but if you have them out all the time, they are obstacles to clean around and you will not want to clean because it takes too much time if you have to move stuff around to do it. They were specifically talking about not keeping things like spices and tools that will fit in a drawer on the kitchen countertops, etc. Not sure how well this would work in a room like my studio where I spend most of my time... but it’s something to think about for other spaces in the house.

Rob

jmoore

Oooh, Connie...I like your idea about setting a two hour goal in other parts of the house. My sewing studio is clean but I sure could spend a couple of hours in other places.

Julienm1

Did such a good job organizing and tidying up I can't find paint brushes I use to clean out my sewing machine. So off to $$ store tomorrow. Then I'll have two sets to misplace.

amyjo

I bought a small vacuum cleaner from Nancy’s notions boy that little puppy sucks out all the lint etc it didn’t cost that much either I place it in a corner n never lose it saves a lot of aggravation

Teen

Rob....good advice. I don’t care for my notions/tools to be out until I need them. I misplace them otherwise. Lol...

amyjo....I ended up buying a small vacuum for sewing room, too. My household one was too cumbersome to lug around and attach the attachments needed for sewing space. I’m going to look up the one you bought and maybe place the one I have in the RV instead.

I cleaned my sunroom today and repotted some plants that were crying “I’m dying!”.... It was lovely weather to work at my garden table so I took advantage....other than that, I sewed a bit today and organized my taxes. Mailing those off next week.

jmoore

good to know Amy, I have been thinking of getting one...

Teen, that reminds me, I have an orchid plant that needs repotting before I lose it.

Watson

I have a closet in my sewing room and I took all my UFO's and WIP's and put each in a bag and hung it on a hanger in the closet, so they are at least in sight.
I also went through and put together a package of all my extra and/or have-been-replaced stuff and I'm going to put it on the neighbourhood Freecycle. A cutting mat, Olfa cutter that I've switched to a different style of, older QIAD 6x24 ruler, a box of pins, some misc notions.....someone will be glad to get it and I'll be glad to get it gone.
Also.... Just Get It Done Quilts has a 30 Day De-Clutter Challenge going on that might be of interest to some.
De-clutter Challenge
Watson

retiredteacher09

Teen and Rob: Thanks for the encouragement. It feels good. I will try to keep going in February as there are still things to go through. 34 years in this house and I’m pretty sure there are still things in my crawl space from our move back then. 🤷‍♀️

Rob: That organization tip makes sense. I do have my pencils, etc, in my office out of the way.

jmoore: I have tried various methods during this long stay at home time. I need to change it up every once in a while and this worked for me in January.

julienm1: My husband used to tell people if I put a specific thing somewhere safe, we were in trouble because I wouldn’t remember where I put it. Lol! He liked to tease but it did happen sometimes.

amyjo: Good idea for a small vacuum for the sewing area.

Teen: I repotted 3 plants and 1 didn’t make it and 1 has one leaf. Strangest thing ever. I am thinking there was something in my potting soil.

Watson: Way to go! I follow ‘Just Get it Done Quilts’ also and am enjoying her decluttering updates.