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Was trying to organize and clean in my craft room again. UGH! When will I get this finished!!! I am going to have to get rid of a few things. In the going "cold turkey" forum, I mentioned that I was going to try to hold onto everything, but I can see now that I have to get rid of a little, especially stuff I know I'll never use. Today as I was putting a couple things in the donation bag, I wondered why I had even bought it in the first place! My intention is to scrapbook until my scrapbooks I have already are full, and then put the rest of the pics in albums. Then I will just make cards. After organizing all my crap today, sounds like a good plan! I did manage to throw away some trash and go through a few small areas. I guess that is some progress.
Anyone else feeling overwhelmed?
I was feeling overwhelmed for the last month with my craft room too. I had planned on spending New Years Day/weekend cleaning mine. Didn't happen! - due to frozen pipes breaking in 3 buildings where I live. Thankfully not mine!
I cleaned a little the other night and spent 3 hours finishing today. I only need to re-sort and store neatly, my papers. It took me longer to figure out how to post the pictures on my blog. I had planned on spending the night creating. But I am pooped!
You keep too it, it will feel sooo great when your done!
Thank you! Like I posted in the Stamping forum, it's been a stressful week, so probably not the best time for me to try to organize or create at all.
I do look forward on getting it finished. I know I will love the sense of accomplishment! I'll just have to do a little at a time or put it on the backburner for a bit, as we've had a lot going on.
Congrats on the work you did on yours though! That must have felt awesome!!!
Just took a peek at your blog. Great job on organizing your craft stuff! I love the pretty girl who helped! She is a beautiful cat!
Maybe someday soon, I too will be able to see the floor in my craft room. Thanks for the motivation!
Was trying to organize and clean in my craft room again. UGH! When will I get this finished!!! .... I did manage to throw away some trash and go through a few small areas. I guess that is some progress.
Anyone else feeling overwhelmed?
I've been there--many times. My suggestion to you is to sort into piles of type (embellisments, papers, stamps, etc) and then one at a time, take a 'pile' and further sort: keep, donate, throw away and then DO IT--throw away, set aside to today and put away what you want to keep.
As the piles diminish, you'll feel energized!
I also took before and after pics. Made me fell like a really accomplished something!
__________________ Liz
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless ~ Mother Teresa
I hear ya all on this topic! My stamp/scrap area is now shared as we welcomed our second to the family in August. My area had to have the home office/computer room added to it, to make room for my sweet babe. Not too mention the fact that our home has pretty much Z-E-R-O storage in it :(. So, needless to say...my room also becomes the catch-all, temporary storage as well. I have since added so many stamps, embellishments and paper to my collection that I have been facing the same organization and storage issues. Right now I have most of my un-mounted stamps in plastic organization baskets. I have a clip it up, that is stuffed full, and the remaining embellies have ended up in a large basket on my desk.
Does anyone have any wonderful storage ideas for un-mounted stamps that they use??
I have six clear, Iris Photo Boxes that each have 6 boxes inside them...They stack and are wonderful for storing my clear stamps...I got them with my 40% coupons at JA's...
__________________ Karen
...My life is like a stroll on the beach...As near to the edge as I can go...Thoreau...
dddddiana--just looked at your blog. Great storage! I think your frig
was a nice addition to the room. Wish I had the room to stash one
in my space. There may be some rearranging at my house soon!!
Thanks all for checking out my blog. When my youngest daughter moved out the second time, I told her and her sister they couldn't come back because I wanted to keep my craft room.
It is SOOOOO much easier now that I have a place for everything. I did have the bookshelf and table in a corner in my tiny living room. I had to crawl over furniture to get to my supplies.
Pretty Girl is never more than 10 feet from me when I am home. My DH says when I am gone he never sees her.
It is TOTALLY overwhelming how much stuff I have! I can shop in Craftyland for years for any cards I want to make! Craftyland has so much stuff that it spilled out into my dressing room (tiny bedroom turned into closet in 145 year old house that came with only 1 closet), living room and kitchen. I couldn't walk easily in my dressing room so I sorted stuff this past weekend into boxes (donate/gift swaps/door prizes, brads, cards to finish, embellishments, finished cards to use, containers, cards to be donated to From Our Hearts, etc.) that, after I sort Craftyland, will be further sorted and put into Craftyland. At least I'm not stubbing my toes on stacks of paper and boxes of mish-mash! I sorted my paper into ROYGBIV order last month and the patterned paper doesn't fit into all the JetMax cubes in Craftyland. I'm trying to be brutal and pretend that I'm moving to a warmer climate (SUCH a dream!) and think about what I'm willing to pay for moving it all. Next I need to work on getting all the ribbon off the living room floor and into drawers in Craftyland. I think my cat would sit next to me if her bench wasn't covered with a stack of paper and card magazines!
Was trying to organize and clean in my craft room again. UGH! When will I get this finished!!! Anyone else feeling overwhelmed?
YES! I had great intentions to get organized the week after Christmas but it seems like everyone keeps dumping their junk and cast offs into my craft room! It's been hard enough sorting through my stuff, but now I have to wade through theirs too so I totally understand the frustration. With the new year - I have vacation time to spend ... thinking of taking a couple of days off just to spend cleaning it out!
My goal this year is to use what I have. (HAH - good luck with that right ladies?!:rolleyes
What is it with those people that assume "if I don't know where it goes, I'll just put it in the craft room"? It's only my DH and I (so guess who does that to me!) and I get all kinds of garbage dumped in my craft room...on whatever is the closest to the door.
Sounds like a lot of us are having the same issues with storage and organization. I know there are a few things that I am trying to remember what I bought them for. I bought them specifically to do something with them, but now I can't even remember what. That may be a sign, it is time for them to go. I'll have to think on it; maybe I'll remember.
I'm also realizing that when I am tired, feeling sick or stressed, it is NOT a good time to go in my craft room and try to organize or clean. I have to have a clear and focused mind for that.
I like the sorting plan. I think I will do that. Put the items that need sorted into piles in the floor and sort them out. The kitties will like that; I'll be on their level in the floor, and they can help!
I am slowly seeing more of the floor! lol.
Sounds like a lot of us are having the same issues with storage and organization. I know there are a few things that I am trying to remember what I bought them for. I bought them specifically to do something with them, but now I can't even remember what. That may be a sign, it is time for them to go. I'll have to think on it; maybe I'll remember.
I'm also realizing that when I am tired, feeling sick or stressed, it is NOT a good time to go in my craft room and try to organize or clean. I have to have a clear and focused mind for that.
I like the sorting plan. I think I will do that. Put the items that need sorted into piles in the floor and sort them out. The kitties will like that; I'll be on their level in the floor, and they can help!
I am slowly seeing more of the floor! lol.
Sounds like you are on your way to organized bliss!
I've also done the same--buy items with a plan in mind. Then forget about them or get sidetracked.
When you are sorting through things, set those discoveries aside and package them up as a 'kit'. Once you are done you can grab a 'kit' and make whatever it was you originally intended. AND don't forget to LABEL everything. I found that helps me to put things back where they LIVE.
Keep up the good work!
__________________ Liz
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless ~ Mother Teresa
I'll have to use your labeling tip. Maybe that will help. Didn't get anything done today, but tomorrow's another day. (Having a flashback to "Gone With The Wind". LOL.
I've been there--many times. My suggestion to you is to sort into piles of type (embellisments, papers, stamps, etc) and then one at a time, take a 'pile' and further sort: keep, donate, throw away and then DO IT--throw away, set aside to today and put away what you want to keep.
As the piles diminish, you'll feel energized!
I also took before and after pics. Made me fell like a really accomplished something!
I so need to follow your advice. My craft room is a complete disaster.
__________________ Catherine (aka Cat). Newly retired RN. Lovin' life.
I so need to follow your advice. My craft room is a complete disaster.
Even a 'complete disaster' is manageble taken in small bites. Set the timer for 20 minutes, grab something and start a pile. Grab something else different and start another pile. Keep sorting until the timer goes off and then set the timer for a break. Go back in small doses and you WILL see results. Just remember, sometimes REALLY organizaing makes what looks like a BIGGER mess until you get it under control.
__________________ Liz
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless ~ Mother Teresa
I get this way alot and now I am "retired" there is no pressure to get things done because I have time. I have decided to only keep what I really, truly love and what I do use alot of. I bought a triple organizer with shelves (cardstock) and drawers (separated stamps and embossing, inks etc) This helped to get away from many different storage items in my area. I would love to get another one but that will be when I have my own room. Right now I share our formal living/stereo room with my hubbys desk. I have stopped buying stamps on a whim. I am trying to just keep my go to stamps. I also scrapbook but that has changed over the years as well. I decided to really go over my 12 x 12 dp and cut most of it into 6 inch squares and filed in boxes by color/family. This way I will grab a box and all the paper is there in order. (HA HA well for now anyways). I find a good purge is healthy. My LSS is having a sale at the end of April so I have a goal. My last sale netted me over 200.00 and I bought cardstock and this year I am not reselling any of that stuff bought, in fact it is almost gone.
I consider the organizing and purging part of the crafting process for me at least.
On Tuesday I absolutely couldn't take my crafting space anymore. It was cluttered and there was piles of crap everywhere. I decided to do a PURGE. I made three piles - recycle, donate and trash. I finished last night and my room looks so much better.
I only kept the 12 x 12 patterned paper I really love and organized it so its right by where I work. I want to use the things I buy so I don't have to do this again. There are still a couple of things I would change if I could find the "right" storage for them but my space is much more welcoming to me.
I did tell myself that I would only purchase a few items that I really need.....like adhesive and cardstock...for awhile. Its really shameful that I have bought so much and haven't used it!
Was trying to organize and clean in my craft room again. UGH! When will I get this finished!!! I am going to have to get rid of a few things. In the going "cold turkey" forum, I mentioned that I was going to try to hold onto everything, but I can see now that I have to get rid of a little, especially stuff I know I'll never use. Today as I was putting a couple things in the donation bag, I wondered why I had even bought it in the first place! My intention is to scrapbook until my scrapbooks I have already are full, and then put the rest of the pics in albums. Then I will just make cards. After organizing all my crap today, sounds like a good plan! I did manage to throw away some trash and go through a few small areas. I guess that is some progress.
Anyone else feeling overwhelmed?
YES! I am in the process of um'g & reorganizing my stamps and, going through & reorganizing my paper and reorganizing my dies too ( which have overflowed into 2 other rooms outside my craft room) ... not to mention, my floor looks like "Jacks are Better" (a mall restaurant back in the late 70's & early '80's in my town ... you were expected to throw your peanut shells on the floor - wonderful influence). You can't see the carpet from all the die cut chipboard scraps (too small to use, too big for the vacuum) that I haven't had time to put into the recycle bin; when my back & knees feel better, I'll get 'em all up. EEEEEK!
Just take it one day at a time - at your own pace. Sometimes shutting the door for 2-3 days and then coming back to it gives you new ideas on what to do w/ your things or a burst of fresh energy.
Sounds like a lot of us are having the same issues with storage and organization. I know there are a few things that I am trying to remember what I bought them for. I bought them specifically to do something with them, but now I can't even remember what. That may be a sign, it is time for them to go. I'll have to think on it; maybe I'll remember.
I'm also realizing that when I am tired, feeling sick or stressed, it is NOT a good time to go in my craft room and try to organize or clean. I have to have a clear and focused mind for that.
I like the sorting plan. I think I will do that. Put the items that need sorted into piles in the floor and sort them out. The kitties will like that; I'll be on their level in the floor, and they can help!
I am slowly seeing more of the floor! lol.
On Tuesday I absolutely couldn't take my crafting space anymore. It was cluttered and there was piles of crap everywhere. I decided to do a PURGE. I made three piles - recycle, donate and trash. I finished last night and my room looks so much better.
Girl, I do that every 4 months like clockwork. It helps.
My piles are ...
� Keep � (re-sort, put away)
� Keep? � (think - wait til next time - If I didn't retrieve it by the next elimination, it goes)
� Sell � (sell, swap or trade)
� Donate �
� Recycle �
� Trash �
I am so wishy-washy on deciding whether I should get rid of some things. I posted about trying to decide whether I should get rid of some yarn in the "cold turkey" post in the stamping forum. Ugh!!!
Well, I guess I'm tired and overthinking it. I've gone through cycles of purging and buying in the past, so I don't want to make the mistake of getting rid of stuff and then buying more later. I just want to keep what I'll use and not buy hardly anything at all! The things I have decided to get rid of so far are no-brainers. I know I'm not going to use them.
I hate getting rid of things I know I might eventually use though; I can't stand the thought of having wasted money buying something, only to get rid of it. I don't have that trouble with things I know I definately won't use; I want someone else to have the benefit of using them. I think I need to just sleep on it and reconsider it all later.
Even a 'complete disaster' is manageble taken in small bites. Set the timer for 20 minutes, grab something and start a pile. Grab something else different and start another pile. Keep sorting until the timer goes off and then set the timer for a break. Go back in small doses and you WILL see results. Just remember, sometimes REALLY organizaing makes what looks like a BIGGER mess until you get it under control.
I am so much closer to being finished. Wanted to work on it today, but I was sick and had to lay down most of the day. GGGRRR! Made me mad too, as it was a pretty, sunny day, and those have been rare lately! But I am so relieved that I got a lot done recently. Hopefully, in a few days, if all goes well, and I'm not sick too much, I'll get it finished. The cats helped a lot!!! LOL! They supervised, they stepped on paper, they chewed on stuff to let me know that I needed to put it away or throw it away. They were lots of help! haha. I did enjoy their company, when I wasn't fussing. They love to make their mommy scream. :p Needless to say, they were very "involved" in the process.
Funny story. The first time I set the breakfast table the night before and went to bed...my hubby saw it and thought they needed to be put in the dishwasher--so he did!
I neglected to tell him what I was doing ;)
__________________ Liz
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless ~ Mother Teresa
I am so much closer to being finished. Wanted to work on it today, but I was sick and had to lay down most of the day. GGGRRR! Made me mad too, as it was a pretty, sunny day, and those have been rare lately! But I am so relieved that I got a lot done recently. Hopefully, in a few days, if all goes well, and I'm not sick too much, I'll get it finished. The cats helped a lot!!! LOL! They supervised, they stepped on paper, they chewed on stuff to let me know that I needed to put it away or throw it away. They were lots of help! haha. I did enjoy their company, when I wasn't fussing. They love to make their mommy scream. :p Needless to say, they were very "involved" in the process.
Sorry you are not feeling well, but isn't it a wonderful feeling when you see progress!?
__________________ Liz
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless ~ Mother Teresa
Feeling overwhelmed again....
