or
Keepin’ It Real
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My Dirty Little Secret
It is a New Year. Usually I don’t have New Year’s Resolutions (as you will see from the photos below), my life is just lived a bit more haphazardly. Remember that girl up there in my header is me—skipping along, stuff falling out of the wagon and while I never want to let go of the shear bliss of creating, it is time to let in some organization.
I would love to open this up for a group project as I am always willing to receive help and take advice. However, I remember not too long ago when I asked for your best organizational tips many of you seemed as befuddled as me (hehe). I will put it out there again. What should I do? How do you do it?
I will post a new photo of my room the 1st day of each month this year. Hopefully this will document the progress I have made! Any companies out there that want to take me on as their personal project—don’t hesitate to apply!
Turn away now if you are squeamish!
The Room
The Closet
A crazy shaped nook built into the wall where I stuff fabric
I have started reading Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
. I would love to implement his system. I do wonder what he would do with all of the #6 plastic containers waiting patiently to be made into Shrinky Dinks? You can take a little quiz to test your Getting It Done IQ at his website.
I realize by posting these photos Martha will never want to be my BFF! I do feel the need to explain the photos (my husband even said he was embarrassed for me)—-it takes so much stuff to do all the projects here at Skip to my Lou, the room is too small, I don’t have money to buy more organizational aides(and obviously don’t know how to use what I do have), I have three kids, I am so busy, on and on………but really!
Help!
Hi twinsister,
Actually I only have one kid and I could use one entire room just for crafting (if I could find the table underneath all the paper from last years schoolprojects….) but still have a messy workspace and bedroom,…
I am a teacher and supposed to teach other people’s kids how to get organized, but my dark secret is that I coudn’t even bring back my library book in time ONCE.
So I went over to the FLY Lady just 2 minutes ago to register myself. You have been my inspiration for doing this.
Maybe we can get organized together?
Best wishes, have to clean my sink now 😉
and thanks for all the wonderfull things on your VERY WELL ORGANIZED HOMEPAGE (Yes, you can!)
Love, Steffi
from Germany
You just made me feel so much better about wreckage from my holiday sewing! Thanks for keeping it real! Last time I cleaned my craft area it was out of sheer necessity…I had made such a mess that I couldn’t find my tools for my project! I stopped crafting right then and there and cleaned until I found my tools I needed. If you need to get rid of anything send it my way!
Hi – first of all you need to have a shrinky-dink making party/playdate, call up some like minded friends/kids and craft away. You will feel accomplished because you used something in your stash and it will be a fun kick-off. do it next week, don’t delay!
A few things that jumped out at me for easy fixes…
Get a gift wrapping organizer/station, it doesn’t have to be purchased, but there are great ones for sale this time of year. – add a shoe box inside for bows, tape, scissors. Everything will be in one place when you need it. I actually keep my wrapping stuff under the bed in the guest room- not in the craft room – in a long box with wheels, the large rolls fit there plus tissue, bags, adornments, etc. Next to that is another long box with small stock up gifts – hostess, kids party, etc. When a craft is done ready to give, put it there.
Get a big cardboard box for anything in your room that is recyclable, I’m not saying you are going to get rid of it, it is a craft supply category. or you could call it the kids craft box. This is the box in my craft room that my kids know they can use anything in it, interesting shaped boxes, egg cartons, yogurt containers with lids, tin boxes, foil, soda bottles, etc. Mine also has things I’ve decided I’m not going to use, paper I no longer like, pieces of string, feathers, scraps of fabric, their construction paper. They love digging through and finding treasures to make.
There’s a couple to start.. Best wishes, you can definitely do this, you have a great set up, good bones, so to speak, shelves, containers, it’s just about re-arranging. And don’t feel like you should throw anything away, I’m sure you might have some interested readers for supply give-aways or trades.
I don’t have any advice. My craft cupboard and shelves look a lot like that! Then there is the floor by my bed – so embarassing!
Thanks for “keeping it real.”
My craft area is a corner of my bedroom and sadly my entire room looks just like yours! Thanks for this post, I don’t feel like the only messy crafter anymore, YEA!!
Oh, and could you do a blog post (or simply contact me) about this #6 container for Shrinky Dinks??? I always thought shrinky dinks came in a kit that you buy, didn’t ever know you could do them yourself. I’ve always wanted to do them with my girls but have never found the kits (always forget to look when I make it to a craft store).
I put a link to your site on my blog post today about the snowman doughnuts…here’s the link if you are interested 🙂 http://sarah-momof2girls.blogspot.com/2009/01/stuff-we-made-this-year.html
I really don’t know who’s craft room is organized! If anyone has an organized one they couldn’t possibly use it much. Every single year I am in the same boat though and find if I go through every little thing in my craft room I will find things I have not used since I collected it or things that just don’t appeal to me anymore. I box it all up and give it to the local community center. As I’m going though everything I am able to group things together better and find that once everything is in piles I have more inspiration and ideas on what to do with those piles with what I have. And yes, I set aside a couple of days and I force myself not to craft during those days!
Good luck!!
The only way I have found to do it is by stripping away what I DON’T need to make nice, tidy room for what I DO need. Maybe this sounds too simplistic and like I’m stating the obvious root of the problem — but here’s a little example.
If you were to take those #6 containers and slice away the un-usable, rippled sides, you’d be left with just some flat sheets of plastic. Those could be placed in a container or even a manila folder or envelope to await projects. Then, the rest could be tossed. Bulky packaging, plastic bags, and the like will only lead to frustration. Consolidate to only what you’ll need.
I also scrutinize everything to decide if it is a tool or a supply. That is, is this something I’ll use more than once? Or is it a consumable like fabric or wood? Then, I store tools for like-projects together, and supplies together. Label, label, label.
My other tip is to use clear, see-through organization supplies as often as possible (with, yes, tons of labels). So, I use clear zipper bags, clear plastic bins, etc. I also tend to organize things by color rather than type, since I’m much more likely to be searching for just the right PINK ribbon than just the right 1/4″ ribbon. So, in a bin labeled “ribbon” I’ll have a zipper bag full of pink ribbons, red ribbons, etc. That’s just the way I work, but it makes the clear bins look really pretty.
The clear bins help me because I am such a visual person. It helps me feel surrounded by my projects, rather than cut off from them. It helps me monitor when things are empty. It helps me not be so reliant on labels (but still use them!). Anyway, just some preliminary thoughts.
Love your blog. First-time commenter.
Oh my. I know you can do it, and I also know how EASILY a craft room becomes messy, so I don’t judge.
However, the one thing I have noticed is that I am much more productive with a clutter free room….so I wish you luck and I know you can do it!!
Cheers!
Ahhh, a craft room….how I wish I had one! And I wish I could show you my husband’s home office – it would make you feel really good. (and he would have a fit if i organized it for him, sigh..) Anyway- first thing I’d do is go through with a trash bag and clear away anything I’m not gonna use. Be brutal!! The next thing that jumps out at me is the pile of shrinky dink plastic- cut off the bottom/top part that you’ll actually want to use and throw the rest away. That would give you a much smaller and more manageable pile. That’s the first thing that jumps out at me, anyway.
How about “trading spaces” — my attic for your craft room? It’s much easier to throw away the other person’s stuff! Actually, that’s not a fair trade — 1/4 my attic for your room would be more like it! Does that make you feel better? We all have our secrets!! In spite of that room, you still inspire us all to make things more beautiful, tastier and more creative, while raising 3 of the best kids ever! Keep up the good work! love you!
ooh, i love you even more now!!! i too have longed for a “martha” craft room. when i finally got a room– it has been anything but “martha” especially since the busy christmas season. i’ve been having my creative itch again, but have no desire to walk into that messy room. i’m just going to have to break down. i can’t wait to see pics of your progress. hopefully they’ll inspire me.
That acutally just made me feel better. What’s sad is I took over the middle childs room because he was sharing with the older anyway and now he wants his own room again, well just his own bed. He’s 3! So, I’ve got figure out where to put all my stuff or remodel!
Oh dear, I can’t tell you how relieved I am to find out I am not the only one whose sewing area got into trouble just so she could finish Christmas projects. Actually, that’s not true. My sewing place is always in a mess. All year. Also I never have enough storage place because I have no discipline when I go shopping. I tried to tidy it up the past few days when the husband was home to co-babysit but ended up sewing donuts instead and adding to the chaos. But a few times a year that area is actually organized and I will tell you my secret: it’s when the in-laws are visiting. Very motivational.
Thank you for your wonderful blog – it’s one of my very favorites because your creativity is so multifaceted and your projects so diverse and fun to do. More in 2009! More! Have a great new year!
I hear if you label where things go, that you are more likely to put them back in their spot. Haven’t tried it…
I love the turquoise blue furniture and accessories! You’ve had some pretty good advice already. The only thing that I would add is that you shouldn’t be afraid to throw things out. Be realistic with yourself and get rid of the things that you are not going to ever need or even half finished projects that you are not going to finish.
This is way easier to say than to do…