Pick a spot to start and just start!
Is there a better way than to pick what you feel like doing for the day and just getting it done?
When I assessed my room yesterday, I realized that I had started to reorganize a set of shelves that I have in the craft room way back at the beginning of April. Realizing that the space could be utilized better, I rearranged things to function better. I had actually cleared off two shelves to move my stamp sets to. I just felt like the space I was storing my stamp sets in just felt too cluttered so I finished rearranging things and it looks tidier to me.
One of the things that I did was to move some of my Stamp-n-Storage pieces from my work table to the shelf behind my desk. I added some slats of trim that were left over from the plantation shutters we had installed and that created an extra shelf allowing me to use vertical space.
I picked this spot to start with because it was the easiest and it gives me the biggest impact when I walk into the room.
It feels like I accomplished something.
I’ve kept my favorite stamp sets behind me and I’ve utilized a number of the organizing pieces that I purchased through Totally Tiffany, Home Goods, and Tim Holtz.
I love that Tim Holtz created storage pieces for his inks and tools. Smart man. I bet he was born organized. You can see that I have 3 of the Alcohol Ink metal boxes and 2 of the Distress Crayon tins on the shelf. I really like the way they look on the shelf.
I’ve added two of the Totally Tiffany Stadium Organizers, my Hot Glue Gun Holder, and two Stash and Store drawer sets that hold my Altenew alcohol reinkers, glitter, Brusho, and my Nuvo Drops. I used the stadium organizers for my Nuvo Mousses and my Brutus Monroe Liquid Watercolors and my Altenew Ink Sprays. I LOVE seeing the color against the white wall and I can see all of my supplies so I will remember to use them.
I also got a turquoise office bin with 3 shelves that is holding my colored pencils, pencil papers and marker pads. I also have a clear bin of glitter and embossing powder on top. Again…I love seeing the colors when I walk into the room.
I’m just not good at keeping to an all white color scheme. Or all anything of one color. Remember watching Friends on TV and the girls apartment had a different color on every wall. It was fabulous. That’s more my craft room décor style. I know it doesn’t look as clean and organized, but it makes me feel good.
Plus to me, organized means knowing where my stuff is and being able to grab it when I want to use it. This works for me.
The yellow paper sorters are from Martha Stewarts craft room furniture collection. They weigh a ton and they are yellow because they were on clearance in yellow at about a third of the price of the other colors.
I’ve had these a long time and they function really well for me. You can see that my entire paper collection is directly behind where I sit and I know where to find each type of paper I want to use for the day. I love experimenting with different papers and products just to see how they work and behave.
You can see that my stock of colored card stock has dwindled significantly. I rarely use colored cardstock anymore. You also don’t see 12 x 12″ patterned papers there either. I stopped buying them for the most part. I have a few I use for my scrapbooking, but I don’t add to the collection unless I have a specific project in mind. I just wasn’t using those papers enough to justify having a gigantic stash of them. I made card kits out of them and donated them to a kid’s camp. I’m going to make some more and take them to the children’s room of the seaport museum. Parents often come in during the summer with their kids just to give the kids some time to play and just be kids. The card kits would be perfect for older kids who are looking for a more creative project to complete.
I also removed all of the stuff that did not belong in my sewing area and put it away. This had become a dumping ground to pile stuff. It’s better now.
Plus, it’s time to make some new cushion covers for the wicker on my deck. I love making new covers with a different look every year. You can see that I have a little vacuum here. It sits here because this house was built in 1950 so outlets are limited. That’s where the outlet is! I love that cutting pad next to my sewing machine. It has a padded side for ironing and that cutting mat is perfect when I want to trim down something with the craft knife.
I tidied up my cutting station last night. So now two out of the 3 walls of the craft end of the room are by my definition, organized.
Reassessing for tomorrow’s tasks:
I need to now get my other table cleaned up. That will involve putting the new stuff away where it belongs.
This is my least favorite chore.
I aspire to put it away as I get it, but work really has kept me busy and that’s my lame excuse.
I will set a timer for 15 minutes and do it in 15 minute chunks with breaks in between. It will be less painful that way.
One chore that I will also start on this weekend is to start cataloging my stamp and die sets. That is a chore that will take 30 days by itself!
Cataloging your stamps, dies and other supplies is something that Tiffany Spaulding recommends. She has videos on how she does it and she keeps it all in binders on her shelf. I love the binder idea because those pages can then be scanned and you then have a digital file of your collection as well.
I also think this would keep me from buying stamp sets similar to what I already have. I’m at the point where I really am using what I have instead of buying more. I’m a realist at heart and retirement and that fixed income is looming ahead (a little over 6 months away)! Time to use the stash and keep to a very strict, much lower crafting budget. Hopefully, my crafts will also start to pay for themselves when I have time to do this full time.
I must admit, that once the table is cleaned off, I will just have to tidy up the non craft end of the room. That is the TV, Nordic Track, Piano and Office Shelf end of the room.
Thanks for stopping by! I have a fun card and video to share tomorrow along with my latest crafty clean up day.
