I only keep certain magazines. I go through them a few times and then I tear out any patterns I might like and then they go in the recycle bin. I'm currently in the process of cleaning drawers and cabinets throughout our small condo. Anything I haven't used in a while is going either in the trash or to charity. I'm also going to purge my pattern and book collection--what interested me 15 years ago probably won't interest me now. I keep a storage unit and I'm thinking of putting UFO's and old patterns there. I can keep a list of these items at home. I'll bet in a year I'll donate them!

I, too, am a messy person!

I use sleepless nights to clean my sewing room. After an hour or so of tidying, the room is ready to use again, and I'm ready to go back to bed.

I keep my fabrics in Rubbermaid plastic storage boxes, sorted by color (and labeled), stored on bookshelves. This enables me to pull out a box, select what I want, and then put the (still tidy!) box back on the shelf. Of course, periodically you need to put all those "selections" back where they belong!

Unfinished projects are stored either in more plastic boxes or in large ziploc bags in a drawer (depending on size). I sometimes use cardboard boxes, but then the "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" thing kicks in. Long-term UFO's are banished to the closet......

Projects I'm working on are generally festooned about the room, but I try to fold fabric and clear the cutting table after each session so I can start again another day without a shovel.

As far as the rest of the house goes, I have a cleaning service that comes in once a week. I HAVE to pick up so they can clean, so this forces me to make at least a weekly run-thru and keeps disaster at bay. It is well worth the cost to me.

Good luck!

Well, because of the last three months, my sewing room turned into the room you did not want to go through, never mind sitting and sewing. Three hours of moving furniture, only to find out that there was less room to play. I will have to post a picture of my sewing space or dungeon or studio which ever it resembles at times. I am pretty organized in my books and such, and even my fabric that is the cabinets are done by color and fabric type, it's the constant fabric purchases that I have to find a place to put away.
Thanks for listening, Debbie

I got half of my bedroom cleaned today... doing the deep cleaning... I will have to crawl behind the bed to get all the books, magazines, (quilting of course) other papers cleaned out from my side of the bed and behind it. I am getting ready for the cold months by putting the flannel top sheet on and the heating blanket on the bed.

I swear I thought I had every quilt book and magazine I own next to the bed...but the book shelves are still full of book and I am having trouble getting the books that are out back on the shelves.


I think I will prune my other craft books and paper backs and donate them.

I am planning to clean for another half hour then get ready for bed. I have been keeping my nose to the grind stone by putting QUILTING DVDs on the TV... watched F&P and now watching Ricky make his kaleidoscope... I want to make one but I only want a 12 inch wedge... ( total 24 across for a center medallion.) I think I will have to make smaller stradas for my wedges or the scale will be wrong... I will have to think about this for a while before I cut into my fabric.

My sewing room is far from organized... oh dear!... I didn't even take a picture for the blog.

But I slowly buy plastic storage bins, various sizes, for my projects. That has helped me.

For this year, I have a Fons & Porter block box for my LQS BOM. My pages for it are in a 3-ring binder and the blocks are all together. Even the ones where I'm behind are waiting there for me.

I have a plastic box (I know they aren't best for long-term storage but my basement sewing room needs plastic! ) for my guild's nickel square exchange. It is full! Shoebox size and I just started this year. Must get a bigger box.

I have the parts for last year's BOM in another box. Purchases from various quilt shows are in another box. Ok, that takes 2 boxes.

But it helps me to be able to get a box of what I want to work on and have it all together and clean. Plus when I am done with a BOM or such (done with the current month) I can put it away and it is out of the way & clean.

Joyce

OK LadyRags trash that idea hahahaha.

I did the FLY LADY THING and just put the unread emails into a folder and ignored it... YES I know I am suppose to read them and do the task but it reminded me tooooooo much of my mother yelling at me... SO I IGNORED HER VOICE IN MY HEAD.

AFTER A YEAR I JUST unsubscribed. I felt better, no nagging, less guilt, even if the house was a wreck. I have to be an adult and clean because I need to do it... not because of some dang email. I think part of the problem with FLY LADY ... was she would email about cleaning the bathroom when the kitchen was a wreck and vise a versa... My timing was always off with FLY LADY.


BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD.

You're going to laugh at this but I changed my habits and totally turned my poor housekeeping around with a website.
http://www.flylady.net
She sends you emails each day with a task that takes about 15 minutes. She says anyone can do 15minutes of housework a day. She works on one room a week until you get thru your whole house and then she keeps you disciplined each week once the house is decluttered. Now the only thing I have trouble with is my floors and that's because of my physical limitations. And I'm getting closer to deciding to hire someone to do those. (Oh my pride!)

For every bit of organization skill I possess, DH has something to counter-act it... it's a constant struggle, but I fear the real solution would be to live alone...
Florence

I am generally not the neatest person in the world. I hate cleaning! But, I hate disorganization too. So, basically I have a organized system of messiness! That make any sense? I have lots of storage boxes, and each project has its box and I try to keep them put up if I get frustrated with one and start working on the next. I love when I can get more baskets/boxes/plastic containers on sale!! On Sunday evening I try to put everything away that I played with over the weekend and leave one small project available to work on during the week if I have time. Times seems to me to be the biggest problem, not enough of it! Sandi in FL

I've recently been on a decluttering binge - not enough of one because there's still plenty of clutter around the house, but I did manage to clear out the end of the family room nearest my sewing room - I can now walk freely into my sewing room rather than sqeeze thru a little path!!! I also could not get into the closet in the sewing room due to the piles of stuff - not nice piles either. I picked all the piles up, moved them to the family room and sorted thru them. Thru out the jeans I was going to maybe patch someday, putting all the batting pieces where they belong and same with the fabic! Wow what a difference - not only in the look but the feel of the room. It's not finished by any means, but just that much improvement makes it so much nicer to be in there. Once I finish this log cabin I'm working on - there will be another mess I can clean up. YIPPEEEE!!!!

Darce

I kind of started in an area no-one can see... the basement... I picked it because it is 4 am and I can not sleep but neither can I think so I am looking to clean an area that requires no thought. .....I went through 6 boxes that are just lying around... CONDENSED THE JUNK to keep to one.... HAULED OUT 3 full garbage cans worth. USED THE OPEN SPACE TO PUT AWAY SOME SUITCASES that had loss their home.



EVERYTHING IN IT PLACE AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.

1000 am (after a nap after the basement cleaning session ) When I get home from BOM class I plan to clean up the sewing area. I will clean if I am still awake.



If my insomnia continues I might get my entire house cleaned up.

I have started this thread again to honor TILDE who says... JUST SEW ONE THREAD A DAY. This time I am posting what I did to get organized.

IT HAS TAKEN ME YEARS one day at a time to create the MESS I am in... so it will take me doing a little everyday to clean up the mess. I plan to post what I have done to clean up the disaster.

ANYONE can post about their clean up efforts... PLEASE PLEASE POST tips and hints to handle the job as I can use all the help I can get. I am such a disorganized person ( except at work.) I want to improve the situation cause 1/ babies can not be turned loose in a disaster... they will get into something dangerous. 2/ I can not quilt when I can not find my quilting stuff 3/ I get depressed when the whole house is a mess. Poor DH has to live in a mess he did not create.

OH WELL LIFE IS ROUGH...



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