Utter Clutter makes me Mutter!
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,782
I'm the same! I did re-organize some things because I got some plastic boxes when my husband moved his dad and stepmom into assisted living. I was all happy because I put things in the ones with little drawers, labelled them and put them on the shelf. A month later, I couldn't find my seam guides. Looked all over. After 15 minutes, I realized that I put them in the drawers on the shelf! Every time I re-organize, I spend way too much time trying to figure out where I put stuff and whenever I toss stuff out, I immediately need it for another project and have to go buy it again which really annoys me.
#22
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Between the dashes of a tombstone
Posts: 12,716
I'm a visual person, so need to have things visible. So, it's hard to tuck things away in a corner...I'll forget about them!
I do usually clean up stuff and dispense of left-overs once I'm done with a project. Scraps are cut into usable pieces or put with the original fabric. Smaller than 2" gets sub-cut into stuffing for dog beds. I've always got a collapsible hamper bin thingie that collects the scraps. When it gets full......a dog bed is made. I vacuum almost every day in my sewing room.....the work surface, the carpet, the ironing board and my design board......the most vacuumed room in the house! Do you think that our sewing rooms get so "dusty" because of all the fabric and batting and stuff going on in there? If you sew in a dining room or other living area, do you find that it gets dustier? I'm thinking that's why my house has so much dust.....and I'm sticking with that!
I do usually clean up stuff and dispense of left-overs once I'm done with a project. Scraps are cut into usable pieces or put with the original fabric. Smaller than 2" gets sub-cut into stuffing for dog beds. I've always got a collapsible hamper bin thingie that collects the scraps. When it gets full......a dog bed is made. I vacuum almost every day in my sewing room.....the work surface, the carpet, the ironing board and my design board......the most vacuumed room in the house! Do you think that our sewing rooms get so "dusty" because of all the fabric and batting and stuff going on in there? If you sew in a dining room or other living area, do you find that it gets dustier? I'm thinking that's why my house has so much dust.....and I'm sticking with that!
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 3,257
I'm on the yellow bus with all of you too. Yellow for caution please. I move projects from one pile to another as priorities change depending on time limits. I managed to finish the EMB reading pillow for grandson just in time.
At least the iron is shut off and the rotary cutter is closed.
At least the iron is shut off and the rotary cutter is closed.
#24
I'm so disgusted with the condition of overwhelm in my sewing room. When it's tidy, it's picture worthy and inspiring, but it seldom stays that way. I have too much stuff and I'm ready to give up quilting.
Not really.
But tonight I did consider that for a few minutes. One thing's for sure: January of 2019 is gonna have a big theme: Purge. With a capital P.
Not really.
But tonight I did consider that for a few minutes. One thing's for sure: January of 2019 is gonna have a big theme: Purge. With a capital P.
I feel your pain. SO 2018 was my year of "COMPLETION", like in UFO's. Quilts sandwiched but not quilted. etc. AND more fabric than the law should allow. I'm a "SABLE" kind of gal. I got 11 quilts quilted. But the fabric..I stopped buying anything I could. Then started printing patterns I wanted to make etc. Matched them w/fabric AND CUT THE PARTS & binding strips. Put the parts w/printed pattern in very large baggies and got a separate clear bin to stand them upright in. I'm amazed at how many "quilt kits" can fit in one of those suckers. Really helped settle the herd of pile. Any leftover from the quilt kit was stripped out or put in baggie for the free table at guild. The Key is to keep working at it and keep a list on your fridge of "completed" projects. YOU CAN DO IT.
Last edited by tuckyquilter; 12-19-2018 at 06:25 PM.
#25
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Eastern Washington
Posts: 29,525
I'm with you zozee! I have found that I am/have been taking on too many "other" projects than ones I planned to work on. I clean as I can, and cut up scraps into usable sizes, and in appropriate containers. But still have to find space for things cluttering my horizontal areas. .. sigh... am making plans to start 2019 with more cleaning, and working on ufo's until I see good progress.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Merry Christmas everyone!
#26
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 9,299
Zo: You've had a good reason not to do some things. The grandbabies.
I feel your pain. SO 2018 was my year of "COMPLETION", like in UFO's. Quilts sandwiched but not quilted. etc. AND more fabric than the law should allow. I'm a "SABLE" kind of gal. I got 11 quilts quilted. But the fabric..I stopped buying anything I could. Then started printing patterns I wanted to make etc. Matched them w/fabric AND CUT THE PARTS & binding strips. Put the parts w/printed pattern in very large baggies and got a separate clear bin to stand them upright in. I'm amazed at how many "quilt kits" can fit in one of those suckers. Really helped settle the herd of pile. Any leftover from the quilt kit was stripped out or put in baggie for the free table at guild. The Key is to keep working at it and keep a list on your fridge of "completed" projects. YOU CAN DO IT.
I feel your pain. SO 2018 was my year of "COMPLETION", like in UFO's. Quilts sandwiched but not quilted. etc. AND more fabric than the law should allow. I'm a "SABLE" kind of gal. I got 11 quilts quilted. But the fabric..I stopped buying anything I could. Then started printing patterns I wanted to make etc. Matched them w/fabric AND CUT THE PARTS & binding strips. Put the parts w/printed pattern in very large baggies and got a separate clear bin to stand them upright in. I'm amazed at how many "quilt kits" can fit in one of those suckers. Really helped settle the herd of pile. Any leftover from the quilt kit was stripped out or put in baggie for the free table at guild. The Key is to keep working at it and keep a list on your fridge of "completed" projects. YOU CAN DO IT.
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: So Plymouth, NY
Posts: 2,502
Is there another seat available on the yellow bus because I need at least a roundtrip ticket. The only time my sewing room looks good is when I'm not doing a darn thing in there. Open that fabric storage closet door and all bets are off. Brought a table in for needed work and organizational space and all I do is load it up high with fabrics, kits, etc.
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,079
Utter clutter described my Diva Den too. So I decided to purge a bit. I had an empty guest bedroom to use....no one coming to stay. It hasn't been used in more than 6 months.
I could drag things into it & sort through them, then only move back the things I wanted to keep in there. It was working so well. Really. I had lots moved into the bedroom. I was on a roll... just beginning to sort.
Yes. You guessed right. My brother called. He wanted to come visit. That means stay....for about 2 weeks. Until after Christmas. That room is always his when he comes.
So....everything went back to the Diva Den.
Now, there are 2 decorative little signs hanging on the Diva Den door:
1. Quilting fills my days. And my closets. And the dining room and the space under the bed(s), and behind the couch...
and
2. This room will not tidy itself, so let's just close the door.
Santa should just stay out or I will end up on the naughty list. Again.
FYI: Retirement means you actually have less time to do the things you've been putting off until you retire..not more. The good thing is, you can still put them off a bit longer.
I could drag things into it & sort through them, then only move back the things I wanted to keep in there. It was working so well. Really. I had lots moved into the bedroom. I was on a roll... just beginning to sort.
Yes. You guessed right. My brother called. He wanted to come visit. That means stay....for about 2 weeks. Until after Christmas. That room is always his when he comes.
So....everything went back to the Diva Den.
Now, there are 2 decorative little signs hanging on the Diva Den door:
1. Quilting fills my days. And my closets. And the dining room and the space under the bed(s), and behind the couch...
and
2. This room will not tidy itself, so let's just close the door.
Santa should just stay out or I will end up on the naughty list. Again.
FYI: Retirement means you actually have less time to do the things you've been putting off until you retire..not more. The good thing is, you can still put them off a bit longer.
#29
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 9,299
Occasionally I use Flylady's "27 thing fling boogie" and get rid of 27 things at once. I start with obvious trash. (I count a handful of trash as 1 thing, not every scrap of fabric, pin, or wad of thread.) Then I find things to donate. When I get to 27, I pat myself on the back. Sometimes it's enough momentum to keep going; other times it puts the needed brakes on overwhelm. Either way, it's another smart game I play when I don't know where to start.
Oh, and I move clockwise around the room so I can see where I've been. Visual progress is motivational.
Oh, and I move clockwise around the room so I can see where I've been. Visual progress is motivational.
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,414
Oh, y'all, I am so with you!! I have stuff everywhere! As you heard before from me, I have big bins, medium size bins, small bins... shelves, totes, boxes, stacks on the floor, tables, closets, etc. all over the 2nd floor of my house! It looks like a couple of dump trucks unloaded their loads here.
But, I joined the fabric moratorium last Feb. and was so super good, I now have a patch of floor in my spare bedroom that I can see the carpet!! Yipee!
In an attempt to organize I tried cutting squares, sorting by colors, etc., but that only created new stacks,.. So I decided to stop buying any fabric at all and sew quilts like a crazy lady! Mostly baby and kids quilts for donation. ... And will join the 2019 moratorium as soon as possible!
Let's all sign up and encourage each other!
But, I joined the fabric moratorium last Feb. and was so super good, I now have a patch of floor in my spare bedroom that I can see the carpet!! Yipee!
In an attempt to organize I tried cutting squares, sorting by colors, etc., but that only created new stacks,.. So I decided to stop buying any fabric at all and sew quilts like a crazy lady! Mostly baby and kids quilts for donation. ... And will join the 2019 moratorium as soon as possible!
Let's all sign up and encourage each other!
Last edited by SillySusan; 12-20-2018 at 12:00 AM.
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