12th Annual Final Countdown Wrap-up

Posted on January 7, 2021 by prairiemoonquilts in The Final Countdown

Today I’m back to announce the winners of The 2020 Final Countdown. I think this one was more fun for me than ever, even tho I gave us some hard tasks!

I love that some of you sent in pictures, and I’ve really enjoyed the great comments and wonderful suggestions. And it’s sooo wonderful to know that I’m not alone in my mess, and in my constant efforts to get things under control around here.

Here are a couple more before/afters:

Here’s a couple afters of that closet we saw in an earlier post — so lovely now!

And here are a couple afters of some fabric organizing efforts (not mine, by the way):

I hope to get lots more done here this year, and maybe I’ll make easier tasks for The Final Countdown at the end of this year!

So . . . about those prizes . . .

The prize for Task One goes to: Shirley G.

The prize for Task Two goes to: Nancy S.

The prize for Task Three goes to: Tonia

I want to thank each and every one of you for playing along, sending pictures, commenting, reading, and most of all, DOING the tasks! I know it wasn’t easy for some of us — ahem — I’m still working on mine.

Here’s the state of my cutting table as of this afternoon (and it took me the entire time to get it to this point):

This is what 8 projects, a stack of pillowcases to sew up, a box of cat, and a basket of scraps to deal with looks like. Plus my tool caddies . . . And this is pretty much how I expect it to look, since I’m actually working, but look at all the space I now have to work in! It feels good. Now, to keep it clean!

Those fabric bins and boxes on the floor beside my cutting table are gone, which makes me super happy. Oh, my, the dust bunnies! I still have some dust and lint to clean up.

And don’t be fooled. Just around the corner to the left is another stack of bins I need to do something about. But having unpacked and put away FOUR boxes of fabric, and dealing with the scraps I found, does make me feel much better, and leads me to believe there is hope for the rest of the mess. It was very difficult to not add more projects to the cutting table as I cleaned. VERY difficult!

I have big plans for finishing lots of projects this year. My main rules for right now, so as not to undo all the progress I made during The Final Countdown:

  1. No more than 10 projects on the cutting table at one time (I’d eventually like this to be 5 or less, but I have to also be realistic for the first couple months!)
  2. Process new scraps weekly, so they don’t get out of control. I have a basket on my cutting table to put them in, and I’ll empty the basket every weekend. Also . . .
  3. Put stray fabric away weekly, so I don’t have piles laying around everywhere. (And only buy more when it’s absolutely necessary to finish something I’m working on, which I’ll be doing tomorrow, because I found my oldest UFO while I was cleaning, and it needs backing!)
  4. Completely clean off the cutting table at least once a month, but it would be even better if I did it every weekend.
  5. Finish at least 2 projects a month to help whittle down my UFO list.

So for me, that’s a pretty tall order, and we’ll see how it goes. Some of you posted the rules you use for yourselves — are you making any new ones this year?

I also made a new 2021 Project List:

This year’s list doesn’t have as much sewing on it as it does organizing and cleaning, but I decided that’s really what needs to happen in here this year, so there you have it. Partly some hard work, partly some fun stuff.

I’ve once again made this form a downloadable, if you want it. Click here to get it: 2021ProjectList.

I didn’t do so hot on last year’s list. It’s like I got off to a good start, then just stopped. That’s because my entire year never goes as I envision it will in January. Come March, there’s a whole ‘nother set of projects and goals and interruptions. Does this only happen to me?

I’m also planning to challenge myself with something I unearthed while cleaning. I’ll tell you all about that soon. Telling you about it may help keep me accountable, but then again, it may not. Who knows? You may have the same dilemma, and want to join me!

I’ll be back in a few days with information on this coming year’s Studio Organizing Challenges, if you want to continue doing some organizing along with me all year.

And check in tomorrow for the wrap up of The 350 Blocks Project!

17 responses to “12th Annual Final Countdown Wrap-up”

  1. Darlene says:

    Great job on the cutting table and surrounding area! It was so fun to see all the before & after photos. I am still working at it I have challenged myself “ no sewing” until it is more organized. I don’t know how much longer I can hold out. The top of my cutting table still needs a lot of work!

  2. Jane Kennedy says:

    This was a really fun project knowing others were also doing their studio clean-up. Socially distant team work!
    Thanks Shelly.

  3. Elle says:

    Nice work! Focus is everything.

    Love the before/after photos. Great job everyone!

  4. Wendy says:

    I never did follow through with the third challenge, but the second unearthed a fun little project that is now finished and making me very happy. Thanks for the inspiration, Shelly!

  5. Judy S. says:

    Congratulations to everyone who made progress in the workroom and fabric storage.

  6. Kerry says:

    Well done – super tidy rooms!
    I guess up till March the weather is still a bit iffy but then there are chores to be done outside. Last year was different with a lot of lockdowns and bah humbug sessions. This year is bah humbug too at the moment. Last year it was sewing and sewing until about July and then harvesting non-stop! Lockdown lifted and family visited or we visited family.
    It certainly seems the best laid plans get scuppered from time to time!

  7. Stephanie says:

    LOL ” box of cat” …
    Congratulations to all the winners. But really, anyone who now has some clean areas is a winner in my book.

  8. Cindy Wienstroer says:

    Had to stop and check out box of cat. Thanks for keeping us motivated. Feels so good. Hope i can keep it going.

  9. Mary Delia says:

    Good job everyone who made progress. Makes us realize things ARE possible even when we try to convince ourselves otherwise!

  10. PAULA M M says:

    I thought I had all my kits in one area, apparently not – now they are in three areas…managed to put Christmas, Halloween , wool , Yukata and Japanese cottons in separate containers. While doing that I found containers that had fabric pulled for who knows what project….and every project box I have I still have intent on completing! Overwhelming for sure…If Covid was not causing separation, I would have my quilting buddy or my daughter (she doesn’t sew, but she likes to organize!)over to get me into color order shape! In all of this I did not find one fabric I thought…I am over you…bye! hahah..I thank you for starting this, really, I know I will feel better and be more productive!

  11. Tonia says:

    First, wow I won #3……thank you! The best thing though–I’ve been at the Hobby House in it’s new sort of organized self, and I am getting things done again! So Thank YOU for the encouraging New Year, New beginning. I love your list above I hope you see most of it done. I am trying to leave space in my “Get it Done” lists to follow my heart when I find a QAL that I just have to do and yet revisit the old Dream Lists and make at least one a start to finish reality. Here’s to a great quilting year you all!

  12. christopher thomas says:

    so much fun just to see things coming together…..

    i have done better in the last few years….if this was 10 years ago i would not want anyone to see my area….

    i will get some pictures this month so that i can share with everyone…..

    happy quilting everyone

  13. Candice says:

    Those before and after pictures were great! Dust bunnies? What dust bunnies? If that’s what you call a dust bunny than I have dust goats! I especially liked your 5 rules. I think I’m going to try to figure out how to print them and post in my quilt room. Can you please explain (again) what you mean by “process new scraps”?

  14. Shelly, I’ll match your dust bunnies and Candace’s dust goats and raise you a bunch of dust elephants 🙂
    I’m with Cindy….anyone who has some clean spaces is a winner. Still haven’t finished cleaning the entire room, but the progress so far is quite satisfying.
    LOL “box of cat”….I thought it was a typo til I examined the pic more closely. Why do cats think that every item that could possibly contain their curled up bodies belong to them?

    Thanks for the fun challenge, and I already look fwd to next year!

  15. Forgot to say congrats to all the winners!

  16. Kathi B says:

    Congratulations to the winners!
    I’m happy that I was able to accomplish quite a bit – this challenge really motivated me to clean and organize and now my sewing room looks much better. I like your rules Shelly, especially the ones about taking care of scraps weekly and putting away fabric weekly. My rule this year is to spend part of my time in my sewing room taking care of leftover fabric.

  17. Pam says:

    I love your rules. I may have to implement them myself.

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