March Organizing Task Two

Posted on March 27, 2021 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing Challenge

Time for another organizing task already?!?! How did you do with cleaning out a drawer?

I got a bit carried away. I actually cleaned out about 25 drawers! I went through all the drawers in all my rolling carts, which is why this UFO got downsized into a mini:

And this UFO got the edges added to it and finished into a top:

You can read more about them HERE.

And I got all my pre-cut scraps organized into the new rolling cart!

The system I had was working OK, but it had gotten to the point where none of the lids would fit on the tiny bins any more, and it was becoming difficult for me to put scraps away, which means . . .  I wasn’t doing it, and that’s where part of my mess was coming from.

This cart’s drawers hold more than the bins, and it’s much easier to slide a drawer open to take out or put in pieces. And I was able to put projects in the empty bins and put them on the shelves to keep them off my cutting table, yet still easy to access so I can work on them.

I also have two drawers that are holding all my prepared bindings for quilts in my to-be-quilted pile. Someday I hope to have that down to just one partial drawer! I have close to 70 quilt tops of my own that need quilting, and no time to do them.

I’ve cleaned and organized so much over the last couple years, that I’m now down to things I will be keeping or working on, so I realized that if they’re staying, they need to be easy to use, easy to work on, and easily organized. So that’s the stage of the game I’m in.

I still have a lot of stuff I’m trying to use up, downsize, and finish, but it will take a while, and in the meantime, I still want to be more organized, so I’m working toward that.

When you first start organizing and decluttering, it’s easy, because there is usually a lot of stuff, and you can make quick decisions about so much of it. I’ve discovered that as you get further into it, it becomes more difficult, because the things that are left have harder decisions associated with them, or things need to be done, or it’s something you’re using still, or all kinds of reasons it’s not time or you’re not able to get rid of them yet, if ever.

All of which has led me to this month’s second organizing task:

Get rid of ONE thing each day that you no longer want or need

For an entire month!

For the next 30 days, get rid of or use up ONE item a day that is taking up space in your studio (or even your house, for that matter).

A year ago, I challenged myself to get rid of 5 things a day for an entire month. I got rid of 150 items from my house in that month, and it made a HUGE difference! I was amazed! I was also amazed that at the beginning, it was super easy, but by the end of the month, I was having more trouble finding 5 things each day.

But I’m ready to try it again. I’ve stated the task as ONE thing each day, but if you feel the urge to do more, then by all means, do more. I hope to do more than one, but at least one is the goal.

Over the next 30 days, as you do this, keep a tally of the number of items you get rid of, and next time, we can report in with how many things we cleared out of our spaces. Are you in? I’m excited to see how much more progress I can make.

And next challenge, I’ll be back, with a story about soap . . .

16 responses to “March Organizing Task Two”

  1. Ok, I’ll try to eliminate one thing each day. I’ve done similar things in the past, and it’s a very effective way to declutter without actually making the big commitment. It’s like tricking yourself into doing it 🙂

  2. Cindy Wienstroer says:

    WOW. You did great! I will try to get rid of 1 thing per day. Here i come City Thrift at the end of April.

  3. Randy Menninghaus says:

    good job. And yes I like this new challenge.

  4. Angie in SoCal says:

    25 drawers, I’m impressed! Me bad – I didn’t clear out a one. I started but it was so crammed with stuff and I didn’t have any place to put it, so I gave up. Now this throw out one thing a day, I can do. Woohoo – off to find the first thing I can throw away. PS – love your mini and the one getting borders.

  5. chris thomas says:

    most all of my fabric is on shelves so I do not have any drawers to clean out but i did clean out some baskets that had odds and ends in of fabric and sewing related items….so that was a plus

    this is a good one….not only for the fabric but for the whole house in general…..

    not for sure if there is any quilting items that i want to get rid of as when i was doing all those masks but i am going to use this task as i am working in the garage getting more things ready for the shop…..i am going to even change mine a little more and do 2 items a day for the next 30 days…..i will keep count and let you know how many i got rid of

  6. Beverly V. says:

    I did not get a drawer cleaned out. Overly busy. I also lost a sister last week. She was the one that got me started with the 350 block challenge. I just got rid of many things 2 weeks ago, but this will be a good challenge to participate in.

  7. Debbi says:

    Great work! You are really going after it! I can identify with how you are thinking about making it easier to clean up. Seems like your drawer system for scraps will work well for you.

    I must admit I haven’t been in my sewing room much lately. Working on fixing walls and repainting the kitchen cabinets. My house is a total disaster, why did I start a big project when I have to leave in a few days to go get my fathers house ready to sell in CA. Don’t know exactly what I’m in for there…might be lots of decluttering😊. Not going to be much sewing for me in the next month, just maybe some handwork.

    I’ve been decluttering my house for a while now and it’s easy compared to quilting stuff! I do agree that it gets harder after first layer.

  8. katie z. says:

    This is a good challenge for me! Theoretically, since we moved and unpacked only three months ago, I should have disposed of all my excess already… but I know that’s not true!

  9. Candice says:

    Both quilts are really lovely! How nice to find those”hidden gems”.
    After more than a decade of sleeping on a bad bed, we decided to use the windfall of a generous tax return to invest in a Sleep Number bed and move up from a double to a queen size bed. YAY!! So that has lead to my house being in total disaster as we are getting rid of our old bedroom set and moving dressers from my quilt room into our bedroom. Plus additional rug and lamp swaps from all over. But the good part is that I get to totally redo my quilt room! I’m looking at your new shelving cart with envy. Where did you get it? Who makes it? In addition 2 large bookshelves in my quilt room – with my husband’s stuff- will be leaving my quilt room, too😀. So, a month from now I hope to have a beautiful newly organized quilt room myself and get rid of at least one thing a day as I do it!

  10. Wendy says:

    Yay for clearing 25 drawers and for getting another drawer system for your scraps. I’ll bet that feels good. I’ll give a go at the 1-a-day toss and see how I do. I didn’t clean a drawer but I did finally go through and list out my UFOs, so I’ll sub that in. (And I CUT my panel – woohoo!)

  11. Kate says:

    It’s good to remember that every quilt does NOT have to be queen size!

  12. Karen says:

    Wow, you made such great progress! Love your UFO’s. Congrats on getting all that done. I’m definitely in on this month’s challenge. Great idea!

  13. Deanna says:

    Husband and I did a 365 challenge a few years ago…Yep, a thing a day (on average) for a year. Unlike you, I am not sure I could tell the difference at the end of the year, but I had to believe that at least I was not worse off than when I started.

  14. Wow! You had a great month. 25 drawers? I don’t have that many in our apartment in total. I did clear out and tidy the drawers in my fabric stash and the 2 on my desk. I’m in for one thing a day to get rid of, use or recycle?

  15. PAULA M MORGAN says:

    Oh man, just when I took a trunk load of fabric and ect to my sister! Yes, I will be in, busy cleaning house for Easter dinner, cob webs galore around here! I will continue to work on the drawers, and yes, yes I can find one thing to pass on a day…

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