After my massive cull of Martha Stewart magazines, I think I need to streamline my crafting things or at least put them in some kind of order. I have no incentive to make anything when I am surrounded by chaos. I sometimes wonder if I keep it like this on purpose as a way of excusing myself to create anything. All I create these days is mayhem!
Next week normal routine returns with my son and husband back at school and work. I think that will be a good time to restore some kind of order again. Any tips on where to start will be gratefully accepted!!!
The first thing I always do is have a cull, it you haven't needed it in the past year, you're not likely to need it all! When you get rid of the surplus then it's easy to tidy the rest.
ReplyDeleteHappy pre-spring cleaning Simone!
V xxx
My intentions are the same.....son back at college and husband back at work. I found Christmas a strain this year and look forward to getting back into a routine. If anyone leaves useful tips on clearing clutter let me know, as I think I need them. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteTracey
A room has a door and four walls. I always start at the door and do one wall at a time. Don't try and do it all in one go, but set your self a target. It always helps me to work in thirty minute increments. Set the egg timer for thirty minutes and tidy first area, when the timer goes off have a break not too long, walk in the garden, put the kettle on etc. and work yourself round the room so when you leave turn round the room is tidy!
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxxxxxx
Well you can come and sort my clutter out if you want!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that as soon as I tidy, I'm in a mess almost straight away!
I think the most important thing to keep down the clutter is to have a place for everything. Storage, storage, storage. I still don't have all the storage I need in my studio, so it's hard to keep it from looking like a disaster area, but I'm working toward it. Be easy on yourself and if you cannot keep everything tidy all the time, have one space that you do keep tidy, that way you'll have a place to work and not be overwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteAnd the process... take it slowly and enjoy it. Put on some good music or an audiobook. Make yourself a special pot of tea (or cocoa or coffee... whatever is special for you).
I'm excited for you to have a workable space and for you to create, create, create in 2013!
Oh Simone, you should see my study.. there is barely space for me!
ReplyDeleteSlowly, as I go round improving the house room by room I am decluttering. But it's an odd thing, in the study I feel I work better in an element of chaos. I wonder what that says about me??
I agree with the comments by KC'sCourt and Anne. If you look at the job as a whole you get overwhelmed and that is when the negative thoughts can take over, do a little at a time, or one craft at a time, then relax with a book and a coffee, or take a walk, check out the garden then carry on with the de-cluttering. A little clutter is good. I find it hard to work in a room that is too tidy as well as in one that is too cluttered but it is hard to find the right balance:)
ReplyDeleteMy craft space is much the same. I just feel like I have too much of everything and get totally overwhelmed, consequently achieving not a jot. There's just no space to actually DO anything. I really dislike being in there.
ReplyDeleteI think it's almost impossible to clear your own space - what a shame you don't live next door - I'd do yours, if you'd do mine.
I get my work spaces into a huge mess sometimes, it is hard not to when you are working with lots of materials. But at some point I just have to clear it all up because I can't bear looking at the muddle and can't find anything/have no room left to do any more work! I like the advice given by Vivienne and Julie above. Good luck with your de cluttering, and I hope you have a happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteHelen x
Hi Simone...don't despair I did my craft room last January and it stays neat and tidy most of the time now - that is until I do some crafting! I had a good clear out and reorganised everything. I started not by throwing things out but firstly I got a few large bankers boxes and emptied every cupboard, drawer and surface putting like with like into the boxes - you can categorise as suits your crafts - I had a box for stationery, fabrics, sewing notions, art items etc and in some cases I had 2 or 3 for one category but at this point keep it general. You can, rather than use boxes, just make piles in different places in the room or even better another room. When everything was together I could see the full extent of my problem. I then went through the contents of each box putting like with like again such as all crayons together or all ribbons etc but this time only keeping what I actually really wanted. The items no longer useful to me then went to charity or a new home etc.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had all the stuff I wanted to keep in piles I had a second cull (I find it is easier a second time round to be more realistic and decisive).
At this point it is easier to see the amount and type of storage you are going to need to house everything and the key is, as others have said, is to give everything a home and I would suggest also creating zones for different craft items eg sewing, card making, painting etc. I bought more plastic see through storage boxes with lids from craft shops which I then labelled with the contents, an Ikea Effectiv cupboard to store them in and a set of Ikea Alex drawers - well worth the expense. You can see the results on my blog if you want.
There is plenty of advice given in the comments above so I hope you find something that appeals and good luck with the de-cluttering.
PS sorry this has turned into a bit of an essay! Viv x
Good luck with your decluttering Simone. For me the most difficult sometimes is getting started then once I start sorting things out I just carry on because I want to see it finished. As someone said if you have stuff you haven't used for a long time and can't see yourself using it anytime soon donate it or throw it away.
ReplyDeleteDecluttering must be a common sport in January, LOL! I got rid of some old underwear last weekend..hoping to have a good rummage through my clothes this coming one :)
ReplyDeletex