August Studio Organizing Challenge

Posted on August 18, 2020 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing Challenge

I obviously have no idea what day it is, or even what week! I’ve been so busy, I simply can’t keep track. But I missed posting the Studio Organizing Challenge on the 15th because of it. Better late than never, tho!

I was very comforted in knowing that there are a lot of other pile makers out there in the world, and it’s not just me. Or should I be disturbed? Haha!

It all boils down to: I need less stuff. And I keep working on that. But I have a long way to go.

I got my side table cleared off. What’s left here is a few leader/ender projects I’m working on: snowballs, strings, and improv herringbone blocks.

I think for this month’s challenge, I’m going to try once again to:

Organize books and magazines

I only have one bookcase. I want to only have one bookcase. I want everything to fit on this one bookcase. The rest needs to go.

I have also come to the conclusion that the shelves need to be adjusted in the bookcase, so first, I’ll be doing that, and then maybe I can make everything fit better. I’m sick of the huge pile on the floor in front of the bookcase. I’m tired of searching everywhere for one book or magazine. It all needs to be organized and in one place. It’s a big job, and I may not get done in a month, but I hope to give it a good start.

How about you? Do you have all your books and magazines organized? Or could they use a good going through and re-organization?

If you’re already on top of this one, you can take it easy this month. If you’re like me, we have some work to do!

21 responses to “August Studio Organizing Challenge”

  1. I can relate! I have three places where my books are stored. I have a bookcase for them, but I have to make space on the shelves. Can never seem to find the time !

  2. Wendy says:

    I have a two-shelf bookcase that is full and I’ve already gone through it once. Some of my books were published in three-ring binders; I’m thinking if I remove the binder and just put the guts in either a redrope folder or one large binder, I can free up some space. Or maybe I should just get rid of them altogether.

  3. Candy says:

    Any quilt or craft or art books you are ready to let go of can go to your library or sell them on Amazon

  4. Kathi says:

    It’s a constant struggle to organize books and magazines. I have too many and can’t seem to let go of any of them!

  5. paula morgan says:

    I went through my books and magazines years ago, well, my crafting/quilt magazines. I have 3 other bookshelves with books we have had our entire 43 year marriage, plus my husbands moms books – mostly cookbooks, my husband has hope I will use them….not sure why I keep them, maybe with your post, I will handle them one more time ( 7 moves) and pile up for the thrift shop…when ever that will be open for donations!

  6. Shirley Guier says:

    I went through mine last year and got rid of a bunch but I still have a hard time finding what I want. I need to organize with spines out instead of stacked on top of each other and put them in groups.

  7. Diane says:

    I had an epic bookcase fail last month. The tiny little plastic thingys holding the shelf just gave up. Well this prompted me first to find some metal posts for not just this shelf but all the shelves. It also started a project that I thought would be quick and easy, but has truly lasted longer than I thought it should. Before putting the books back on the shelf I am going through them one at a time and making certain that they still “spark joy”. There needs to be three projects in any book I keep that I look forward to working on. Or there needs to be a lot of information that I might use. Those books that don’t make the cut are going into my Etsy shop. It’s kind of enlightening how our skill sets and tastes change over the years. Still working on this.
    Diane

  8. Jane says:

    I have numerous piles as well at my home that I’m purging, reorganizing and finding homes for the items. An ongoing task perhaps for several more years.

  9. Angie in SoCal says:

    Át last count I have 330 quilting books after I culled them the last two years. That’s what happens when one is a retired librarian. Like Jane I’m going to go over them one more time and see if they have one project I’d really like to do, otherwise they’re off to another quilter. This will take awhile as I”m still spending most of my time with UFOs.

  10. Ginabeth says:

    Funny I had already done one book case with the help of my 20 month old grandson. He took it upon himself to start the rearranging when his pack and play was put within reach of the books. So I removed some books and put the magazines in order that was in the floor. But…..my sewing room is a different situation. Maybe I need to let him sleep in there next time, 🤔

  11. Randy Menninghaus says:

    Last year I banished them into bins under the bed. the be is elevated on risers to accommodate more books and fabric. SNORT Tell the cowboy I have a great carrot soup recipe.

  12. Randy Menninghaus says:

    that’s a bed

  13. Mary Gillette says:

    I have 4 Ikea book cases full of quilting and quilt history books, 1 full of beading books and 1 full of reading books. I had planned to start culling them, but then my husband of 36 years died in June. So besides grieving his loss I’m having to take care of all the financial things. When I started, I had no idea who I owed, what I owed, when I owed it or what my income would be.

  14. Marilyn Holder says:

    I subscribe to 2 magazines and the others I have given away. Books? I have 2 shelves full. I would go thru them once a year and pick 5 to give away. The virus has changed that plan so I am focused on ufo. I am slow but finished 4 this year. My stash does not get smaller!

  15. Christine Williams says:

    I make it a point to read magazines as they arrive And tear out articles I want to keep and put them in notebooks. So far I have Two 3-inch binders of Articles I’ve saved. They take much less room than saving all those magazines.

  16. Amanda M. says:

    I have 2 book cases but one came from now deceased friends who also shared books and other things. I need to set in and cull; if I haven’t read the books in the past 14 years I doubt I will read. I have my magazines corralled in one spot with the exception of the ones I have pulled and have created UFO’s out of. My quilting books are either piled on the front of a shelf or piled in the backseat of my car since I just got them. I ought to be able to get this challenge done!

  17. Kate says:

    Nice to know I am not alone with my compulsion to hold onto “one day I will “ make this or that books, magazines, anything in print. At our last guild meeting a new person joined who is new to quilting. What an opportunity to rid myself of material that I have outgrown. The books with basic quilt designs, the ones I have lost interest or accepted I will never make because I don’t need the pattern. Some of my magazines I culled and kept only the information I needed. This I did when I had a lot of down time due to health issue. I still have boxes to go through and as Robert Frost said, “ and miles to go before I sleep.”

  18. I’ve spent two days looking for a certain book, cleaned up 2 piles of “stuff” and finally found it coincidentally on another bookcase in another room!

  19. Sharon Gratz says:

    I went through all magazines and books quite a few years ago. A lot of magazines left the house along with some books. The books were taken to retreats and given away to anyone who wanted them. The magazines went to thrift stores and the ones I saved just make me happy to look at….mostly holiday quilt ideas. I saved more books than mag but was still pretty severe. I’ve been given a few magazines since that time but they have not made it into the bookcase. I rarely buy books anymore unless it’s something I really want and know absolutely I will use.

  20. Deana says:

    My new sewing space is only a year old, so it isn’t too bad. I do have several projects going right now that I need to organize somewhat. For me, out of sight, out of mind. Keeping a project out helps me remember to work on it.

  21. Kerry says:

    The only magazine I have is a smallholding/homesteading one and I’m months behind catching up with the reading. I pass them on to HRH and if there is nothing of particular interest he is allowed to pop them in the recycling bin. Good job I don’t have quilty ones – I prefer books. I guess my books take up one shelf ledge. A few are used to separate the fabrics – novelties/Civil War/florals/Christmas/batiks/neutrals but only if they correspond to each section. I’ll sort it all out again eventually. In the meantime I forget the days, months – just as well I’m on auto mode for sorting out the animals (we now have 2 kittens that love sleeping on my log cabin quilt) so very distracting they all are! Luckily number one son (I only have one son and one daughter) is keeping HRH amused by peeling windfall apples and baking while I hide with the laptop. Sewing = more masks (I don’t know why the boy doesn’t like his Pikachu mask so I’m having it instead) – thank goodness for surfing dudes and Game of Thrones fabric! Now I’d better do something useful like tidy up my mess!

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