January is National Organization Month. You can tell because all sorts of retailers
are selling things to help us get organized. Lots of baskets and plastic containers are on
sale now. I have to admit to being a plastic box junkie. I have to tell myself over and over again I
don’t need more boxes. If the stuff is on sale? It’s
even harder to pass it up but I’m getting stronger.
My studio is a wonderful space until I get so busy
that I pile things up. Sometimes finding
things reminds me of an archeological dig.
I’ve got strata of fabrics and leftover projects. I’ve got papers that I’ve written
measurements on. I’ve even got mugs and water bottles buried in with the rest
of the stuff.
I’m ready to fight back against the stuff. Join me in 15 Minute Studio Spiff Up.
First up on our journey is to vacuum what ever amount of floor you can get to. Let's get the dust bunnies and threads out of there. It'll make us feel like we are starting with a clean slate.
Our first assignment is to physically put our hands on our UFOs and list them so we can refer back and remember what we have that we can finish. I chose this first because I want to do Vicki Welsh's UFO Challenge. And, how can I bust UFOs if I don't know what I've got. I made an Excel spreadsheet. I've been keeping my UFOs on spreadsheets for a while but this time I decided to get them out, neaten up my storage areas and see what I could do with them. I've labeled all the boxes and bins I'm storing things in and listed the location.
Because I started fresh it took me a lot longer to do this. Some things actually got thrown away. (I know, amazing isn't it?) Some of the fabric is back in the stash.
Here's the awful truth about my UFOs. I had 55 items listed. I have spent a few minutes comparing the 2015 list with last years. AGH! There are several I forgot to enter -- like 6 or so that are in the closet waiting for quilting. It is pretty eye opening, to say the least. Surprisingly a lot of my items are actually 4.5" blocks from swaps from when I was on Prodigy. Yep, I'm talking very early Internet. I definitely need to participate in Vicki's UFO Challenge.
Let's get going gals! While you do the UFO's, I'm planning next week's area. Heck, I already know what it is. It'll take me several 15 minute sessions but not nearly as long as the UFO listing, hopefully!
I'd love to hear from you on how your Spiff Up is going!
And, when your 15 minutes of Spiffing Up is done you can get to sewing with no guilty feelings at all cause you have a plan to do your whole studio. See you next Wednesday for the next installment of our Spiffing Up adventure.
Happy Quilting All!
I must do something with the fabric piled on the cutting table - cut it or stash it (probably both). I "think" I have only two UFOs and some orphan blocks.
ReplyDeleteWell, the sweeping was easy. I actually did that last night without being told. lol But finding the UFOs, now that is going to be tough. I found one last night that I had almost forgotten about and it was actually the last one I worked on. I hope I can report success by next Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteI listed my UFOs this week as well! I am sure I will find a few more hidden here and there but it is a start.
ReplyDelete55 is a lot! I'm finally back online so have the link up going today. Maybe my tips from today will help you reduce that number considerably this month! Love your Spiff up challenge. suppose I cheat a bit because I have a cleaning lady who vacuums for me every 2 weeks. :) I'm an organizing freak so I am always doing some sort of reorganizing, destashing and evaluating what I have. This year I'm throwing out (or donating) the equivalent of one thing a day. One from the house and one from my sewing room. So far so good!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh when you said to list your UFOs. Another list (handwritten) would just get lost in my room. A spreadsheet is great, though, as its in the computer, nice and safe. Since I moved this summer, I went through all of my stuff both before I moved and as I was unpacking. Lots of things got donated. I am working on my stash right now. I'm changing from having it folded (around a 6" ruler and stacked) on shelves to wrapping it around comic book boards and placed on the shelf like a book. It is taking forever. I'm on my 4th pack of 100 boards, too, which is kind of scary, but I'm liking the results a lot.
ReplyDeleteI just get itchy if I have many UFOs, but I am piled high with dust bunnies. I have two new cabinets coming later in the month, and that will mean sorting, folding, and trimming my stash. Way moe than 15 minutes!
ReplyDeleteAre you going to tackle the UFOs in the order you identify them? (Box 1, Box 2, etc.)
ReplyDeleteStrata! RFLOL I’ve been there. :-)
ReplyDeleteWell….. I’ve got the vacuuming part covered. Dog hair x four makes it necessary. I listed my UFOs once and it scared me so much I shoved them all up in the attic in a big wardrobe cabinet. So with the new year I decided to get serious about finishing things. I’m keeping a weekly calendar and also a to-do list of about ten projects at a time. Not so scary!
OK, Bonnie. I am in. I have stuff in several areas. I am going to start in my "crap" room. Thanks for the guidance.
ReplyDeleteNancyB in AZ
I'm joining late, but I did this one on my own. My UFO cabinet is under my window seat. It has all the UFOs I am not currently thinking about doing in other UFO challenges. They are under my pressing station. I have my list 162 UFOs listed. I am working on 3 right now, you know I have quilters ADD. I have the bug jar quilt, the whimsical garden quilt that is becoming 4 pillows if I'd just do it, a postage stamp quilt to practice diagonal lines, and a pineapple blossom breast cancer quilt.
ReplyDeleteMy UFO list is a bit out of control, but I've done a pretty good job of keeping them organized and all in one place. My bit organization problem is fabric and I've been working on that.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bonnie, I hope someday I will get more sewing done because of good organization.
ReplyDeleteI'm all counted for the UFO busting and here you are with a studio spiff up! I might just have to try this! thanks
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmmmmm - you ONLY had 55 listed? so far on SB I've listed 82 - and that does NOT count the ones I - er... uhm.... started (?!!!) this past week!
ReplyDeleteI just jumped in on this! I DID find my sewing room floor! Wasn't truly sure whether or not it was there! I have also found my cutting table! And we won't talk about the boxes of (STUFF) sitting in front of my fabric shelves! Nor will we discuss my UFO shelves that keep expanding instead of getting smaller! However THIS week's challenge is done!
ReplyDelete