Organization and storage

[Susan B.]

Help I'm overloaded with fabric/tools/crafts and threads! So much so I can hardly walk into my small sewing room. Oh my I've created such a mess I can't think. I've purchased more plastic storage tubs for storage but my husband is worried I've gone too far (no place to store the tubs). I have so many project ideas to sew but I'm so over crowded I can't even think of starting just one. In fact I'm not even sure of where to start. :? Any ideas? I should add my room is a small nursery size room.

[Susan B.]

Can you claim another room as a sewing one and use this smaller one as storage? OR you need to clean out and prioritize what you really want to keep and work on because it sounds like you realistically do not have the room to work comfortably which is key in what we do. Start with a good sort and pitch/donate session.
Jeanine

[Margo C.]

Are you utilizing your WALL space for storage, or is everything parked on the floor?

[wendy w.]

My room improved with lots of shelves especially shallow ones for baskets of fabric and hooks for rulers, tools etc. if you google there are lots of ideas

[Susan B.]

Floor to ceiling, with a small step-stool to reach, there's lots of space going up!

[Rita C.]

It can become very overwhelming and I think that Jeanine's suggestion that you sort and donate is a good one. I always find that refolding my fabrics reduces the bulk by quite a lot. Are you actually using the storage boxes or just buying them to put things into. Maybe the thing to do is spend a few days sorting your stash by colour and in the process loading a bag (or 2 or 10 :wink: )for donation of fabrics that you no longer like (or really can't stand the sight of anymore) and neatly folding the rest into those storage containers. I had begun to feel towards the end of this year that stashing fabrics is not such a good idea because it creates a terrible sense of guilt if they are not used. (And let's face it, most of our fabrics are not used.) Cleaning out the sewing room de-clutters the brain and frees it up for creativity.Good luck with the reorganization.

[Rita C.]

When I get overwhelmed in my sewing room with STUFF ALL OVER, it can really put the brakes on the creative process. It doesn't even matter what size room you have. Mine sounds larger than yours but it doesn't matter when it's full and a mess. Here's a few thoughts:

* It really doesn't matter at all where you start, just start someplace. Don't look at all the things you could do, just pick one, any one and start. It could be to clean off your cutting table. It could be to pick things up off the floor. It could be to clean out the closet. It could be to go through some stash and decide keep, give away for making charity quilts, or sell or trash it. It could be to clean out a drawer/container/shelf or two. Just pick something do-able and do it.

* Plan on only 30 min or so to start. If you are enjoying yourself and feel a sense of accomplishment, perhaps take a short break (check TQS?) and then go back for another 30 min. It does add up. Don't tackle it all at once.

* Sometimes planning a new layout or shelf system is a good start - use graph paper and measure your space and existing furniture and see if you have the most efficient use of space. If not, brainstorm how you could improve it. Go up? Take something out? Repurpose something? If you have a closet, put shelving in it top to bottom or use the hanging bar for hanging UFO's and quilts ready to quilt.

* When I tackle this kind of clean out, I make piles - at the minimum: KEEP, TOSS, DONATE. If you have tons of UFO's sort them and pile them together. Perhaps a box of started projects (with all the fabric and pattern in ziplocs). Then a box of tops waiting to be quilted. OR if boxes won't work, designate a shelf for each kind of UFO. If you have a bookshelf, get cardboard magazine organizers (great for patterns too!), photo boxes, wicker baskets, rubbermaid shoe and storage boxes, whatever size fits your shelves. LABEL each with what's in it. I have about 12 labelled photo boxes with little crafty sewing things in them: embellishments, hot fix crystals, ricrac and trims, embroidery threads, greeting cards, even patterns. They are great for storing small things and stack well. Shoe boxes are good for FQ's. Buy some of those rolling plastic carts. I have two that fit underneath my sewing table with thread, notions, rulers, etc in them. I have about 10 of the medium sized plastic boxes that hold yarn, felt, batting scraps, etc. Plastic pencil boxes are great for small notions like pens, markers, scissors, cutters, blades, etc. Hanging shoe organizers or jewelry organizers are good for the backs of doors and you can put all sorts of things in them.

* If you like to watch TV, get a corner shelf/holder for it and mount it up on the wall out of the way.

* If you have a regular ironing board, consider replacing it with a side table or kitchen cart with a ironing surface you make to put on top. The storage underneath is worth the cost of the table base. I keep my scraps organized in bins under my ironing table.

* If you like to display sewing items (antique machines, baskets, etc) put up shelves high up on your walls around the room just for display.

Okay, you get the idea. Just give yourself permission to make a bigger mess while you do this! It can be liberating and fun, after the initial effort!
Good luck!
HTH,
Michelle

[Margo C.]

Lots of great suggestions Michelle!

[Jill B.]

I totally agree with all the thoughts below.

You need to sort it all into piles, maybe line the piles up in the hall at first and then sort the piles. and be tough and donate/trash any you no longer need/want, but you will need to be tough and sensible and remember the point of this exercise is because you only have a small space and you want room to actually sew something.

BUT you must look at each item and think off your small space NOT think as if you have the luxury of a larger space at this stage.

Good luck and keep us posted okay.

[Jill B.]

Thank You Everyone!!!
So much of what was said hit home. I had been buying tubs just to store more stuff (talk about a self induced guilt trip). Items I thought I just had to have, or projects I had to make are now not what I want to do. So today I started sorting. Time to clean it up and move on .

[Jill B.]

My Mum's best piece of advice when sorting things into designated piles is DO NOT HAVE A MISCELLANEOUS PILE - it either has a known purpose or it should go in the 'get rid' pile.

Personally I have found that I am more likely to actually throw things out when I am slightly tired (ie late in the evening) and have to get on and get it done before bed, I have less personal arguments with myself over whether it 'might come in handy' at that time of day....

Good luck with the excavations! :wink:

[Jill B.]

Rosemary I agree with your mum sooooo very much

[Jill B.]

This may not be something you can do but when I did my re-organization my mantra was--if there isn't a place for it, get rid of it. I got rid of a lot of things because I had to prioritize what I knew I would use often. I went up the wall with my storage and have a step-stool.

[Jill B.]

Rosemary How did you know I was thinking of a miscellaneous pile? :lol:
I have a feeling the charitable organizations in town will benefit greatly from this. :idea:
Will keep you posted.

[Jill B.]

great suggestions from every body.
i personally tried to look at google and youtube about orgenizing space (all over the flat/house) it gives a lot of good idea to use most efficiancy the smallest space.
the only risk with me is that i see 1 cm square free i run to buy more quilting stuff...
good luck with organizing your hobby room!