June Studio Organizing, Task One
Posted on June 11, 2022 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing ChallengeI really enjoyed reading all the comments on the last challenge post and hearing what you all were going to choose for that task. Did you get it done?
I worked on mine, but naturally, I’m not done. I sewed three more pillowcases, and was very near the end of the pile, when I decided to cut out five more! So I still have a few pillowcases left to sew up, but I decided that if I do one a day, I’ll be finished within the next week, so I’ll keep at it.
Meanwhile, it’s time for another task, and I’m forcing myself to make it one I do NOT personally enjoy, but needs to happen periodically:
Deal with the paper clutter
It never ends! Seriously! There is always at least one pile to deal with. And for me, it’s not junk mail, or things that have a place. It’s all the stuff I can’t quite figure out what to do with.
Last week, I cleaned out my box of personal papers, and filed all the ones that were laying out that needed to go in it. That felt really good to have done. And that’s what made me decide I need to keep going.
My bigger file cabinet has two drawers. One of them I got all cleaned out and organized a few months ago. I have since found some things that need to be put away in there.
And the other drawer? I got halfway through it, and quit. So I plan to force myself to finish cleaning out that drawer, and put away as much of the paper that is laying out that I can find to file right now. In the process, lots usually gets tossed, so I’m hoping I can just get rid of a lot of it. Think of the space I’ll free up!
One of my main goals for this year was to once and for all get a new paper system set up so that it’s easy to use and basically takes care of itself. I’m getting closer, and I hope this task helps me get even further along toward that goal.
How about you? Have you tamed the paper monster? Or are you still working on it like I am?
Even though we’re doing so many things in a paperless way now, I still seem to have stacks of it to deal with! I try to deal with it as it arrives so my piles don’t get too tall.
Before Medi Care, my paper trail from Dr. visits was minimal, a bill here and there. Now it seems like I am receiving triplicate in everything! I get mail upstairs but my filing is downstairs…it gets piled in the same general area upstairs, until I remember to take down stairs to file it. Do I file it imediatley…NO…it sits until I want a clear space…No wonder I have earned every hair loss on my husbands head! All assuming I remember where it is I am filing this stuff….. now.
Having my quilt stuff in the room where the computer is and where some family stuff is stored overwhelms the filing. Books and fabric and patterns and projects pile out there. I am trying very hard to finish up quilt projects that have been unfinished for quite awhile. That is going fine. But the scrap pieces and blocks are going wild. I have made more than 40 small quilts from that stuff and the scraps keep building. I wish this was what money would do!!
I’m going to take this as a nod to doing some paper shredding. Each month I organize my papers to save and discard the old ones in to a trash can to shred later. My Shred bucket may hold a whole year or more! So I need to get to shredding😁.
I worked at a place where we had to save all paper for records, so I used the same system at home. I have figured out now that I don’t need to keep things, and I can use a much simpler filing system. I am doing better with current stuff, but I do have a lot of older paper that I need to go through.
Nope, my paper is still a scary monster. No matter how much I take care of, more seems to appear like magic.
I’m heavily into a quilting marathon, but will make some time for monster taming.
I cleared up some floor space and got the fabric and fat quarters put away. I contacted a guild that does lots of charity sewing and was able to donate two large bins of fabric and FQs and the bin of pillowcase kits.
I did not even touch the laundry basket with projects to finish. 😱 I did get an old quilt top quilted and bound and a new small table topper completed.
I do need to work on books and patterns organization (my paper) but don’t think I will this month. I feel I’m on a roll with getting some projects completed. Trying to declutter by sewing faster😊
I just finished cleaning surfaces in my sewing room and putting things back where they belong. LONG over due! As you know, I’ve been doing numerous BOMs and other sew alongs. For every project, there was a bag or small bin of fabrics for that project. Just finished up 3 sew alongs and went through all of the fabrics being used for each. Sorted them into scraps and or yardage and put them away. Am down to just 3 ongoing projects. Have been putting off cleaning everything out but needed to do so. Now I can start sandwiching quilts and quilt some. So, So Happy! I don’t even want to think about going through my paper stuff. LOL.
Well, last months task is still sitting on the back of my sewing chair, not noticed even though I walk by it several times a day and have even done some other sewing & quilting!
I think I need an efficient secretary/declutter expert for this next task. I have made a point of donating quilt books and magazines to various quilt guilds I belong to every time I go–they laugh (as many of them had or have the same problem)!
Then there’s the other hobby–family history–which involves much paper… And of course old records for taxes… And I like to read, which I sometime do instead of tackling quilting and genealogy projects!
My son has an easy solution: He will throw whatever he does not have need of or want in a huge dumpster!!! So therefore, I pick the more important things to spend my time on… For this month–family history paper clutter and sharing family info with my son, and getting rid of more quilting books and magazines!
I actually got the quilt quilted, I think. So much time has passed and so much stuff has happened I can’t remember for certain.
As for paper clutter I have nothing quilt related. My paper clutter is leftover from Mom. It’s nothing important but I just haven’t taken the time to deal with it.
I don’t have quilting paperwork to deal with. I need to go through and clean out paperwork from Mom. Right now in this excessive heat I doubt I touch paperwork or even any fabric. I’d rather be outside working up a sweat to stay cool.
I am just finishing this chore! I cleaned out all my patterns from my filing cabinet and and sorting them in to labelled binders with plastic sleeves. As I’m sorting I’m putting aside patterns I will never make again and will take the box to my Guild for other quilters to help themselves to.
I don’t enjoy dealing with the paper clutter either, and also want to get it under control this year. I’m working on it daily and feel like I finally have a plan on how to deal with it. I’m creating just a few filing bins for my kids and myself of the most important items and the rest is being shredded. It’s feeling very good to not have this stuff stored away in many bins anymore. Your challenge came at a great time, to help keep me focused on it, so thanks!