I'm so proud!!

Why am I so proud? Because people are actually reading my blog and following my organizing progress. I don't claim to be the guru of organizing but I do love putting things into some type of order. Maybe that's one of my problems.... I love organizing so much that I'm constantly sabotaging my own efforts to give myself an excuse to organize again.

I'm totally against throwing away good fabric because someone tells me to get rid of as much as I can then organize what's left. It's like throwing money into a trash can. I do; however, tell myself 'no buying anything else' until I've gotten what I have under control. I don't always follow this rule. But at least I try to follow it.

Before I go further.... let me explain I have thrown good fabrics away. Not something I have bought though. I often get truck loads of donated fabrics. Sometimes four or five truck loads at a time. Imagine this.... four or five people have decided to quit sewing.... they want to give everything from their over stuffed sewing rooms to you.... what do you do with it? Could you fit all the stuff from their sewing rooms into your already over filled sewing room? Neither can I. I pass along as much of it as I can to charity groups or the thrift stores. When I absolutely can't find a new home for it... the trash is where it must go.

So on with my organizing thoughts.... The idea behind my no buy rule is this.... absolutely everything I bring into this house requires something from me. I must feed it, dust it, store it, oil it, wash it, organize it, cook it, sew it, or something. Before I buy anything else I'm asking myself if I'm ready to make a commitment to care for what I buy.

Yes, yes, of course I can buy organizing bins, boxes, sorters, drawers, cabinets and so forth.... but do I really need to buy more? Before I buy any type of organizer items I want to be sure I need it. Almost all organizing professionals.... even Mission Organization professionals.... say get rid of as much as you can.... then buy items to organize what's left.

I think just the opposite. First I see what I have; then find something to keep it in order. I may have piles and piles of stuff.... but I can keep the piles organized... right?

Here is an example of how far back some of my stash goes....


I probably have some older than that but not dated. And here is how my fabrics tend to accumulate....


So why do things get out of order.... other than sabotaging my own effort? I get busy! Too busy to put things away. Let's face it.... creating is much more fun than cleaning anytime. The same way cooking is much more fun than washing dishes. Or grocery shopping is much more fun that putting the groceries away.

Back when I worked in an office the last half hour of everyday was strictly for cleaning off my desk. I filed things or stacked things. I thought of it as setting myself up for the next day's work. So this year I've made myself a new commitment along the same idea... I'm spending the last half hour of my work day to set up for the next day. I will spend 30 minutes cleaning and putting items away ready to start a new project. Heck, if I can follow Judy's idea of an hour a day for sewing a quilt top.... why not a half hour a day for setting things up for a new day of quilting?

It's the same idea behind cleaning off the cutting table before starting to cut fabrics for a new quilt top. My cutting table is my current desk. If I don't clean anything else, the cutting table will be cleaned and ready for a new day.

I was too sick over the holiday break to actually sort and organize everything.... so it will be done a little at a time through this year. (smile) It will give me something to post every few days.