May Organizing Task Two
Posted on May 25, 2021 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio Organizing ChallengeRain, Rain, Go away! Come back in July or August when we need you! My goats are entirely sick of the mud, and frankly, so am I. It’s all over everything, and it gets tracked in a hundred times a day, so there’s absolutely NO point in trying to keep my floors clean. And the humidity — everything feels wet all the time. It’s just nasty.
It sure has knocked the wind out of my sails as far as organizing anything, too. I’m in the “why bother?” mode — I need a kick in the rump. Some sun would help, as long as it doesn’t launch us into the 80s and become stifling hot too fast.
But yet, here it is, time for another organizing challenge. Once again, I couldn’t come up with anything on my own, so I let my deck of cards tell me what to do:
I feel like this is an easy one, thankfully. However, I’m going to extend this to every pen and pencil in my house, not just my sewing and quilting marking pencils. I have several pencil holders that need to be gone through, and an entire drawer of spares I need to weed through.
Marking pencils I’ve never used — I probably never will. Markers that are drying up — outta here! Pens that don’t write on the first try, pens that blob, or pens I have to work too hard to use are all going. Stubby pencils with dried-up erasers, pencils that won’t sharpen easily — all going. Life’s too short!
How about you? Are you a pen and pencil hoarder, too? I’m gonna be about my pens and pencils like I’ve been about my thread and soap. I shouldn’t have to buy any pens or pencils for quite awhile! But I may need to invest in some new highlighters and markers to replace some that have dried up. We shall see. I’m planning to be very specific about any purchases I may need to make.
If your pens and pencils are already organized, then feel free to use your deck of cards to choose another task for this time, or go back through some of the old challenges HERE and pick something more relevant to your own situation. (If you want a deck of the cards, there are still a few left in my Etsy Shop.)
I’m always amazed at how much the weather affects me, whether I’m out in it or not. I can’t imagine how the pioneers tolerated it with all the layers of clothing they wore. The humidity is the pits. Pens and pencils are like rabbits, multiplying at the speed of sound it seems. I have my quilt room pens/pencils pretty much under control. The others around the house? Maybe not so much, considering I haven’t gone through them in ages!
I have too many pens and pencils. I’ve reduced my buying of office supplies.
Most of mine are organized, but I need to go through and get rid of the dried-up ones.
Your writing style is so much fun–You make sorting pencils and pens into an exciting adventure.
I haven’t done the other organizing tasks, but this one I really need to do. My sewing room had many pens that need to be discarded.
Hope your weather gets better.
I can do this!
Seems we are having similar weather. We have had horizontal rain for ages along with high winds. Even the ducks have had enough. I’ve held off their hatching until the frosts went – and it is still cold with biting northerly gusts! One nice day = 4 days rain.
Nearly mid summer and no let up. I have so much to plant in the veg patch but the weeds have taken over and those that have been put out are being chomped by slugs – grrrr! Yesterday I had a mooch about in the sewing room, emptying boxes and being tough on what to throw away – liberating somewhat.
I have loads of coloured pencils – all in a nice tin – artist’s ones. As for ordinary pencils, I have them ranging from 4B to HB – again from sketching and painting days kept in a pencil case with other art stuff. Then there are the propelling pencils – brilliant for winding back the lead back inside and poking corners out – cathedral window squares come to mind. Those pencils are in a mug that my daughter brought home from holiday in Malta – a pirate ship! Yarrr! That is back on the window ledge from one of the last tidying sessions that you organised! Pens also checked to see if they work, those that didn’t were binned and the remaining ones added to the mug pencils. Slow progress but better than nothing!
Your goats have my sympathy. Even the goats next door seem to be subdued lately.
Please send us the rain in Michigan. You pay the shipping, please! LOL Less than 3 inches this month! Farmers just put their fields in, and irrigation is going round the clock. My lawn is dried up to stubble in many areas. But, I sure understand the too much of anything, including pens and writing utensils. I just went through the grandkids markers! WOWZERS. Most didn’t work, so it’s on the grocery list now. Hope you dry out soon, and that we get the rain soon. Blessings come in many ways!!!
Living in Seattle I can definitely identify with your rain blues! The gray days can really get to me, even if it’s not raining, and drive away any energy and motivation to do anything. Thankfully we are drier than usual this month…now I want it to warm up, 50’s and 60’s too cool, I’m such a baby! I can’t even imagine having a farm and livestock to care for! However did our ancestors survive? I guess it all comes down to…you do what you have to.
Guess I should take a look at my markers…noticed I had two new in the package blue disappearing pens the other day, wonder why I never have used them?
Finally, one I’ve already done. Woohoo!
Can you please stop peeking around my house?? I’ve got multiple containers of pens and pencils. Onto the radar they go!
Guess I need to gather up paper & all the pens & pencils. Need to test them to see if need to toss. What fun – right now my sewing room floor is a mess of solids which I am trying to put together by color. I have been organizing my sewing room after receiving some fabric from a friend and will be sharing some with my cousin. Simple will be good.
I can say that I am sick of this rain, but I will be wanting rain in June and July like you said.
Well I keep all my pens and markers and such in holders all over the house, when I read this yesterday, each time I came in the house to use the restroom or get a drink or whatever I took a little time and went through and got rid of the ones that were not working so got this one done.
I am still doing the get rid of one item each day and I am happy to say that the thrift store got a bunch of clothes so I think I am good for another 60 days or so on that one….lol….I lost count when I got to 60 while stuffing the bags full.
The trash men are still not liking me but all I can say there is that I pay for trash service so I will put the trash out.
I have been trying to sew each night and I have been doing so almost every night, I have some memory quilts to get done for people….
stay cool everyone and happy quilting
I agree! I’m done with rain and the migraines the flip flopping weather is bringing on. You found my weak spot with this challenge, especially if I expand it to the whole home. My sewing supplies are in good order but like you I have collections of pens, markers and pencils in several stash/hides holes. Time to behave and just sort them out 😉
I had pencils laying around and they used to disappear whenever the house cat still lived with me. It’s been 7 months since she moved to Uncle’s and I’m still finding short pencils all around.
I got this one done earlier in the month. While I was clearing out drawers from a secretary, I “discovered” that the bottom drawer – which was my daughter’s craft drawer (ps my daughter is 29 and no longer lives at home) – was full of crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc. So, I used an upcoming family party as motivation to box everything up and bring it with me to let a flock of great nieces and nephews “have at it”! Hope this doesn’t mean I wont get invited to the next family party!
If I hadn’t had quilt camp I may not have had any this month. 96 blocks for me on the mystery quilt and my stained glass.