April Studio Organizing, Task One
Posted on April 15, 2025 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing ChallengeI’m calling this Task One for April because I’m holding out hope that I’ll have the oomph to post another one later in the month (gotta give myself incentive wherever I can)!
I didn’t accomplish much on the last challenge. I guess leaving it up to myself didn’t help me decide on just exactly what I should do! I did keep working on putting things away or getting rid of things. And I worked on my scraps a lot more, getting them sorted out and processed. The box is slowly getting emptier.
I also brought some more books over from the old house, in anticipation of finally getting the bookcase moved over sometime soon. I heard some de-cluttering advice that said: “Just do 10 minutes a day”, and “Set a deadline”. I know both of those methods would work in this case, as well, but getting myself to do it is another matter. There always seems to be a more important deadline that needs attention!
But here we are at mid-April already — it’s Tax Day, and I’m always glad when that’s behind me. And it’s time for another organizing challenge. This time, I need to get specific, or I’ll flitter again and not accomplish anything visible. So here it is:
Deal with at least one annoying pile
I have piles of stuff all over my new studio — this is NOT how I envisioned it looking when I moved in! But I simply have too much stuff still, and a lot of stuff that still needs to be gone through and put away properly.
So I’m going to tackle the piles, using the advice above, 10 minutes at a time. Some progress is better than none, which is how it’s been up till now. Even a mere ten minutes a day should start to make a difference eventually, right?
I’m planning to start with the area where the bookcase is going to go. I need to clear out the space where I’m planning to put it, and gather all the things that are going in it in one place. That will be a HUGE start! Here’s its spot, with the current mess:
How about you?
Do you have a pile that is annoying you? More than one? Can you devote 10 minutes a day to making some progress on getting it gone?
Seeing any little bit of progress should motivate us to keep making even more progress, right? Let’s do it!
When my daughter visited in February, she rearranged my small sewing room for me. It is now more convenient, better lit for sewing and more spacious feeling. She even rearranged my scrap boxes by color on the bookshelves! We collaborated on a throw-sized quilt (in honor of the Super Bowl), and since she left, I’ve been able to start and finish two flimsies! It is so much easier to have an organized sewing space!
Randy
I have another box of tops to send. My real cleaning effort though is decluttering the rest of the house!
I’m afraid it will take me 10 minutes just to get to any pile! My tubs are almost 3 deep with the addition of my sister’s stash. Gonna have to come up with a plan for some and donate most! She had a variety, clothes, sheets, random cotton and a ton of home decor. Trying to imagine what her idea may have been?!?!?
I have multiple piles that bother me. Most of them are not in the sewing room. Thanks for the push.
I recently moved and feel surrounded by chaos. A much smaller space, and although I did get rid of a lot before the move, still more to go because there just isn’t room.
I am dealing with one box at a time.
Boxes piled in my future sewing room, awaiting cabinets. I don’t remember the last time I was able to actually sew.
But this to shall pass, as long as I keep working at it.
Good luck.
My first days effort, will be to bring a couple of projects (in a pile) to a sew-in with other quilters today. Hopefully I will be able to empty another plastic tote or two!
I’ve been slowly working through a pile of one inch strips, making them into courthouse steps blocks (which actually take shape pretty fast past the first round).
It’s probably crazy, but I have several projects that use one inch squares in progress, like Circa 1880’s Nine Patch and Oh My Gosh. I work on them when the one inch pile grows larger than I want it and made significant progress on these quilts! They also work very well as leader/enders.
Have fun doing what leads up to filling your bookcase!
The corner of my work table has a pile growing on it. I have been making baby items (sleepsacks, burp cloths, etc) and everything else got shoved into the corner. I may give myself 15 minutes! haha
Thanks for a (kick in the pants) reminder about piles.
I have a pile of projects in my bedroom door way to decide on for a trip next week. I when through them again and decide on the 2 I will work on.
Now can put pile away.
The 10 minutes a day works. I recently “right-sized” from my home of 50 years to a senior community. I forced myself to tackle 1 project a day even if it was sorting 1 drawer. By moving day I was ready.
I have piles but they are just going to have to wait until I get my gardens tilled and planted. I’m currently in my “Hermit Homesteader” phase of life; keep my poor husband in your thoughts as he’s the mechanic when I break stuff.
I am so happy to hear that I am not the only one in a mess. I moved much of my sewing things to one end of the room so the wall could be painted. That was 10 years ago! and things are not back where they were. So I have chosen to rid the “stuff” one container at a time until I have help putting things back. One little container cleared out and I found 2 1/2 ” squares which can be used with current project. My reward!! Sew these up with the project and then onward. I am determined to see this through.