rryder

Happy New Year everyone! Here's the new thread for 2024. Please remember to post here rather than on the 2023 thread!

So, to start- has anyone started organizing this year? LOL.
I haven't, but I'm busy planning what I'm going to organize and if I want to downsize some of my other arts and crafts hobbies. Here's a list:

1. Spinning- I've got lots of hand spun yarn that I'm not using and probably never will. Also I have a ton of roving that has accumulated over the 40+ years I've been handspinning. Not to mention my spinning wheel that is made of pvc pipe needs to be re-glued. There are also a number of drop spindles that I made out of CDs and dowel years ago for a workshop I held.
It might be time to let this hobby go, or maybe just keep some roving a a drop spindle.

2. Knitting and Crochet- lots of odds and ends of yarn left over from projects I made years ago. Not to mention all my hand spun yarn. Tons of knitting needles and crochet hooks. In reality the only things I've knitted in years are socks and I only need one set of double points to knit those. Maybe it's time to purge everything but the double points and some sock yarn.

3. Jewelry and metal fabrication- tons of tools related to fabrication, including torches, a jewelers bench, rolling mill, dapping tools, chasing tools, lots of scrap copper and silver, beads, etc. I still sell some jewelry at two galleries in town, but have slowed way down on making jewelry. In reality, I could let go of a bunch of tools and send the scrap silver to our local refinery for some pocket money and I'd still be able to make the earrings that sell the best at the two galleries in town.

4. Junk journal supplies- tons of scrap paper, old calendars and some decorative items that I'd been saving to put in junk journals. This is a hobby that I got interested in a few years ago and I made a number of junk journals and gave them away as Christmas presents to folks who have enjoyed them. However, I don't do that kind of journalling and aside from binding the scraps into useable journals, I found all the other parts of junk journalling to be rather tedious.. I could just bind all the excess papers into some journals and use them for sketchbooks and get rid of the rest of the supplies.

5. I also have materials for painting, drawing. print making and doing mixed media art. I think these are all things I'll keep for now, though I may go through them later after I've downsized the other areas.

6. quilting- I have one sewing machine that I'm thinking of donating as I've never bonded with it, but other than that, I think for now I'll hang on to everything in my studio. I'm sure that if I looked hard enough I'd find some rulers, etc. that could go. I also have a load of retired show quilts that are taking up storage space. It might be time to find a new home for some of these.

7. Books- I've still got my professional library that I brought home with me when I retired. It may be time to let go of these. I've also got a ton of books related to the various creative hobbies I've enjoyed over the years. On several occasions I've tried the trick of finding 5 books every week to donate, and that's helped some while being relatively stress free, but there's still a lot of books that realistically I'll never look at again. So time to do some more 5 book a week sessions.

I'm also going to print out this list to help me get going LOL

Rob

KalamaQuilts

Nice list Rob! I had a workshop last week on setting goals and self sabatoge. I realized one thing, being retired has changed how I work with goals. The anxiety/desperation related to trying to do it all just isn't there, and truth be told that was part of the kick in the patootie needed then.
Now I'm so relaxed I need to remember if I have goals The workshop asked us to make a list, and prioritize that down to three, then make a list of why something made it or failed it in 2023; the fears/blocks created by self sabatoge; and solutions.
I'm still thinking about it, I'm pretty organized already, my failing vision requires it but I need to up my game in creating kits for 6+ months travel time.

My books are all gone, 90% of my stash is gone with last year's ebay clear out, all that remains is really loved. Which brings home #1 goal....NO Stashbuilding. To that end I've had a lot of fun buyiing scraps here for specific projects
#2 goal, keep my weight organized. I'm at goal there, but maintaince needs as much or more vigilance as loosing. I have tools. And desire.
I'll think on #3.

retiredteacher09

Good goals Rob and KalamaQuilts!

I finished all of my paper piecing blocks for my Farmer’s Wife 1930s quilt top so I need to go through the bags sorted by color and decide what to do with that fabric. I don’t want to just toss it in the larger color bins so that means taking the time to iron the pieces and sort them by sizes. I did pull some fabrics out for a few 6” finished blocks for Jessica Dayon’s sew along. I may pull more as she releases the blocks.

My other goals are to go through my numerous color bins and iron and sort by approximate size and patterned or plain. This has been an ongoing goal for a number of years and I just don’t take the time to ‘stay the course.’

Thanks, Rob, for starting this year’s organizing goal.

Happy New Year!

M&M

My organization today consisted of getting all my recent purchases into big clear totes instead of piled up in the rumpus room. (My daughter came home from college and I felt guilty that I had taken over that space.) I had no idea I have bought so much fabric over the last couple of months. It filled four of huge clear storage containers from Walmart. I guess I am hoping that I will find time somewhere to actually make something!

I quilt in a garage, but here in Colorado it has been too cold, especially since my overhead heater conked out about two months ago. So, I have moved into our dining room. I didn't feel like running out there every time I wanted to grab fabric or dig for something, so I just got online and bought... and bought... and bought. As for the quilting - sadly, I have had to stop for a while because we have done some entertaining over the holidays, so now I have to decide if I want to pull everything out again and mess up the house to start sewing. However, if I wait until my husband helps me put in a new garage heater, it might be summer before I quilt again.

Rhonda K

While I keep the sewing room fairly organized, there are a few areas that need attention. I'm still deciding on the contents for drawers in a large tool station and organizing them. Love that all the stabilizer rolls, rulers, and notions are all sorted and easy to locate.

My goal for organizing in 2024 will be a Fabric De-Stash so I can concentrate on Priority Projects that I really want to make. It's not realistic for me to have all these "someday" kind of fabrics sitting in the closet or bins. I admire those of you that have already completed their De-Stash.

Happy New Year!

rjwilder

My goal is to keep my sewing room clean and organized. I spent the last few days purging items I don't want, need or like. I have a huge pile of donations. I made a spot for my scraps which I will use for charity quilts. The rest of the fabric has been put with the pattern that it was intended for. When those will be made is anyones guess. It feels really good to have all the cutting tools in one place, rulers all put away, books on the shelves, irons and ironing board and mats are in the closet. I'm struggling with my sewing machines, I really should let a few go to new homes along with my embroidery machine that I rarely use.

greaterexp

My first step for organizing this year was to make a list of all my UFOs and planned projects. I want to make this the year of "sewing slowly," using only vintage or antique sewing machines. Reorganizing the sewing room disaster is on the list, but that will be easier as I finish UFOs.

rryder

Good work everyone! I've decided to devote a little time every morning to my list. This morning I've been concentrating on my quilting studio. So far, I've taken everything that doesn't belong there out to the places where they go. I also found some trash which has been disposed of. I managed to uncover the cutting table and also the chair I like to use when I just want to sit and ponder. Now that I can actually move without banging into things, I'm ready to start going through my list of things to downsize. I think tomorrow I'll start with the knitting supplies.

Rob

WMUTeach

1. My organizational task today was to purchase a new quilt journal. Done!
2. Then while sitting in line to pick up medication, I started listing on page one of the new journal, the UFOs that I could recall.
3. Then I made a list of promised quilts that folks have requested of me or that I have secretly promised to make for others this year, 2024.
4. Earlier today I added planned quilting projects to my daily "To Do List" on my computer for this week. For me, even if I don't get them done, I can at least see where I am going.

Tomorrow will be more general cleaning up in my sewing room and I will likely add to my list of UFOs and promised quilts.

Rob, I just read your last post for today. It sounds like you have been watching Karen Brown and her 2024 Declutter Challenge. Day one was get rid of the trash and the things that don't belong in the sewing room or space!

Buckeye quilter

For the last week, I've been cutting my large collection of baby flannel into 6 inch squares that can be sewn into rag quilts when I want a little mindless sewing and am between projects. Some of those flannel pieces were only 1 yard, so I have several scrappy rag quilt kits. That freed up a lot of room because I didn't save any of the scraps. I inherited half of it and paid about $1/yard at 2 auctions for the rest, so, no guilt in letting that go. With that drawer empty, I freed up a lot of bags and bins that have been lying on my sewing room floor for several months. Gifting 5 quilts at Christmas freed up more room. This is my first day of retirement, so there will be lots of sewing happening!