Studio Organizing, Week 21

Posted on May 21, 2015 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing Challenge

You all have some really neat ideas for travel sewing kits! Thanks for sharing them in the comments last week. I especially like the idea of the kit being squooshy, so that it fits into a larger bag and only takes up as much room as the project needs.

Last week, I showed you my Yo-Yo project, and this week I’m sharing a picture of my applique carry-around box.

My sister, who is quite familiar with my sewing box fetish, got me this cute little sewing box, and it’s my current favorite to grab and go with.

SewingBox

The bottom holds the applique blocks I’m working on . . .

SewingBox4

. . . and the pincushion and pockets in the lid hold my needles and other small things . . .

SewingBox2

. . . while the tray holds all the thread I need, plus pins, thimbles, scissors, marking pencils, and, of course, chapstick!

SewingBox3

Since I’ve taken it a bit easy on us the last few weeks (because I’ve been traveling), I’m stepping it back up a notch this week. Our task this week is:

Clean out a storage area

This could be a large tub, a set of drawers, a specific area, under a bed, or in a cabinet. For me, it’s a closet — specifically, the closet in my office.

officecloset

This closet holds my shipping supplies, extra printer supplies, some of my inventory, and evidently a whole host of other things that may or may not even belong in there!

I’ve dabbled in re-organizing it a couple times since moving into my office, but to no good avail. This time, it’s gonna get drastic!

I plan to start by completely emptying the closet out and starting from scratch. I’ll let you know how that goes next week — I may just end up with an even bigger mess on my hands — don’t place any bets!

How about you?

What’s your storage area?

Do you know what’s in it?

Are the things in it the things that are supposed to be there? Or have you crammed and chucked until it’s not the way it was originally meant to be?

Is it time to reclaim it for its intended purpose, and have it all clean and organized?

Hopefully, your storage area is not as messy as mine. Let me know how you do . . .

9 responses to “Studio Organizing, Week 21”

  1. Ginny Smith says:

    Today was at the top of the need to organize list. Got to my block of the month class when I was done cutting out fabrics and marking; I sat down to change the foot on my machine to sew and the needed foot was missing. I have to do some general organizing in my sewing room to find that foot and the grease for my singer 301 that I couldn’t find earlier today.

    • Donna says:

      I found my missing zipper foot in the pocket of the suitcase in which I store my older sewing machine. It’s been lost for several years, and I had bought a replacement. Maybe you’ll find yours sooner than I did mine, Ginny.

  2. Barb B says:

    Oh, Shelly, that closet looks like fun!

    Got an old desk? Bookcase? Shelves? Chest of drawers?If the bookcase would fit sideways, I’d put a chest of drawers directly in the closet, so you could get into it and still access most of the things on the bookcase. If the chest was low, you’d have plenty of hanging room above, should you need to hang something.

    Try to make your storage “L-shaped” so you can still step inside the closet and utilize a big portion of storage to one side. If the closet is wide enough, make it “U-shaped”. You have TONS of open/wasted space right now that are just calling for you to use it!

    It doesn’t have to be fancy. Paint does wonders. So does fabric and a staple gun or fabric and starch.

    Make it pretty to look at and you’ll keep it neater. 🙂

    Have fun!

    I plan on tearing into my scrap booking/craft room that has become a dumping ground. It’s been on my mind for several weeks now. Since you called the mission, it’s time to tackle that room!

    Have fun!

  3. Barb B says:

    I guess I really want you to “have fun”, because I said it TWICE!! LOL!

  4. Kathy says:

    My organization is to TRY to open our summer cottage. Again the key word here is TRY. I have been so busy helping my friend who’s hubby passed a few weeks ago. She has 48 years of stuff to go through by the 30th of this month. How’s that for organizing? She is leaving the first of June for Florida with her son and his family. So my organizing skills are helping her right now. And yes I am a stickler for keeping things organized. It drives me nuts to see clutter in my house. Anyone else doesn’t bother me a bit. Only don’t have peanut butter on the chair you ask me to sit on. LOL! That is an whole other story. Yes it is funny.

  5. randy says:

    Have you thought of adding more shelves. I have two awkward funny shaped closets in quilting room.

    One has 1 x1 wood screwed to the walls and shelves that rest on them. It is three times more useful. I will clean it out and THEN post a photo lot.

  6. Sue Hook says:

    This comes at a perfect time – the space under my cutting table is a mess – I have basket of flannel scraps and basket of bias tape and box with three quilts to make and paper bag with several other projects and ….. and should I go on :). Anyway I was just thinking that I should take a few days and focus on that mess. Looks like it will be this week’s project … thank you so much. Calling for rain this weekend so maybe I will get a lot done.

  7. Meloney says:

    I am tackling the corner cabinet. It has fluffy stuff in it. Check out my blog. http://melsquiltingblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/prairie-moon-organization-challenge.html
    Thanks again for keeping this going.
    I so enjoy seeing what others are doing.

  8. randy says:

    I took photos now how do I send them to you
    Of the closet

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