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Friday, January 12, 2018

Organizational Time Out

First of all, Happy New Year everyone! I hope you're all off to a great start! My resolution should be "no more mini purchases in 2018"! But why start out only to fail?


I thought I'd start the New Year by spending a couple days doing a little organizing in the craft drawers before I started or resumed another mini project. Ha! That was a gross underestimation! 12 Darice Floss Thread Organizers later, I am realizing it's taken nearly three weeks, working as I have time. I may still need 12 more organizers and another month to finish!


I won't bore you with details, just a photo of the chaos that is currently my craft table. I am sure you all know how quickly a hoard collection of kits, materials, accessories and supplies gets overwhelming, and how it becomes nearly impossible to find anything.



Let's just say that I have finished organizing and inventorying the kit drawers (yes, there is more than one), and a good number of the rest of the drawers have been sorted. Previously in "sorted by kind" zip seal bags, things have been put (mostly) into the divided storage containers. I think this will prevent so much of the time I spend searching and inevitably buying unintended doubles.




I won't scare you (or me) and count how many drawers I still have left to go, but I am making enough progress that I think I may be able to start actually making something again soon! And, it really has been fun to rediscover so many "back burner" dreams again!


Living vicariously through your posts - keep 'em coming!

xo xo
Jodi

25 comments:

  1. Happiness is a drawer full of kits Charlie Brown! :D
    Ah Jodi, I can do nothing but ADMIRE your commitment to re-organizing your storage drawers and how successful it already appears to be.
    Now- if only they would STAY that way! ;D

    elizabeth

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    1. I agree that a drawer full of kits is like owning a drawer full of dreams! But at some point, I need to work towards making them come true!
      I can't count the number of times, in mid sort, I've become completely stymied. I forget what I was attempting to accomplish, feel overwhelmed, then have to walk away for a while. That is NOT like me! But I'll keep at it and hopefully, take steps to help maintain things moving forward!

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  2. Oi! LOL.. I need to do this so badly! I have dog sitters coming to stay while we go on our ski trip and I'm embarrassed for them to see my craft room.. must clean up! You have an amazing stash Jodi, you shouldn't have to buy another thing for years!.. well ok.. for a couple of months at least.. :D I hear you on the unintended double ups.. the mini hoarder's bane.. :D It's all coming together though.. can't wait for you to get back to your projects so I can follow along.

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    1. You must be getting so excited for your trip! Just put a lock on the craft room door and tell them it's a secret project. That way, you won't have to spend weeks looking for the stuff you've put away when you get home.
      Have to buy, Sam? Probably not ever if I forced myself to get REAL creative. But buying for me is like owning the dream, and that is at least half the fun, right?!? ;O)
      I think what I need to do is make what I am compelled to make, and not feel as though I need to KEEP everything!

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  3. I really enjoyed seeing some of you mini-stash.......(I know, it is a terrible thing to say) Something about organizing reboots the old creativity juices. Looking forward to seeing what the New Year brings.
    XX
    Carrie

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    1. Hi Carrie!
      I am so happy to see that you've started your blog, and have added you to my Great Reads blog roll so I'll never miss a post!
      It's not terrible - I like to look at what everyone collects, too! And you are so right - I love to have everything in order so that I can essentially "shop my own stash" when a creative idea hits! It also just feels good to touch every mini thing again!

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  4. Thank you for making the rest of us feel less guilty about our own stashes. :D

    It will be nice to be able to find things when you're done...and it's much easier to clean up after a crafting spree when everything has a home.

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    1. Ha ha! No guilt intended! It's a chore we all must face some time or another, and I had procrastinated to the point of dysfunction.
      My husband can function perfectly in chaos, but to my dismay, I get overwhelmed by it. I blame my "white glove" mom and grandma. If I'm working on something, I'm okay, but the minute it's finished I have to clean up and re-org.

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  5. I too recently tried to organize and the many things I always find that have been forgotten. This time I had to somewhat give up because I need more shelving. More power to you.

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  6. It is funny, but after I slave tiding up my mess and everything looks great, it is then that I can't find an item that I badly need. But it's true that it is much nicer to work on a clean table. Keep up the good work!
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Ha ha! I can totally relate to that Drora! Over the years I have reorganized and made improvements to the system many times. My brain can't keep up. If I used to store the covered wire with the landscaping stuff, that is the first place I go to look. The problem is, it is now stored with the flower punches and it takes me an hour to realize it. Very frustrating!

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  7. Oh boy... I'm with Drora. The minute I put things 'away' they're never seen again. But I'm glad you seem to be able to find what you want.

    You're making me feel guilty though because I'm so not organized. Not really.

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    1. Lol! I mean to project no guilt! We all have our own system of organization and must employ what works for us!
      My husband grew up in a house that could have been on an episode of Hoarders. It wasn't dirty - there was just a LOT of stuff for a BIG family who were passionate about MANY things. Because of this, his comfort zone is chaos, so his garage is chaotic and he functions perfectly well in there. If I had to work in there, my brain would simply shut down. He will likely survive the Apocalypse because he can adapt so much better than me! :o)
      My stash is far from optimal, but as long as I reacquaint myself with what's in it every so often, I keep the mini dreams alive! :O)

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  8. I love these kinds of posts. It helps me to feel somewhat normal. (I wish I was as organized as you however!)
    It always amazes me that we need so much stuff to make something miniature!

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    1. Hi Sam! "Normal" is whatever is normal for YOU!
      I have a terrible problem with impatience... It frustrates me so much when I am excited about doing something but have to spend so much time trying to find things. And, I admit I am also lazy. I want to be able to simply open a drawer (or fridge) and know immediately when I need something instead of wasting precious time looking. If I am at the craft table and can simply roll my chair back to the row of storage drawers, open the drawer, grab what I need, and get right back to work, I am a happy camper!

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    2. I think we just need personal assistants to refill our craft drawers, refrigerators, and closets, as well as another assistant to clean up our mess while we let our creative juices flow!

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    3. Now that is my kind of fantasy! Sign me up! Coffee and breakfast in bed each morning would be so nice, too! ;O)

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  9. Organizar todo eso debe ser un placer. Encontrarás cosas que ni te acordabas que tenias.¡ Feliz año!

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    1. ¡Estás tan en lo cierto, Isabel! ¡Es divertido revivir los sueños dentro de los cajones y hacer un plan para el próximo!

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  10. Hello Jodi,
    I am so happy to see these [pictures because it means we will have so many posts to look forward to. Great job re-organizing. I have tried to do it myself, but given up after a few minutes...I have a manor to finish building so I could not possibly make time for cleaning ;)
    Enjoy your clean workspace.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Hi Giac,
      I spent so much time, but my craft room doesn't look any better because it all happened IN the drawers, lol! Oh well - hopefully the effort will have made my production a little more productive!
      Don't you dare do anything to take time away from that incredible manor! I need your work to inspire and keep me dreaming!
      Big hugs back,
      Jodi

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  11. Al ver tus cajas de muebles kit he recordado que tengo algunas guardadas también....las buscaré para montarlas.
    ¿orden? yo siempre estoy ordenando y clasificando. Piensas que todo esta bien y vuelves a encontrar que puede estar mejor.
    Un abrazo

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    1. ¡Me alegra que te haya ayudado a recordar los kits de Marion! ¡Se siente mejor saber lo que tengo en los cajones, y alimentar mi culpa un poco así dejo de comprar más!

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  12. Now I am the complete opposite..... a neat freak. Over organised and always start work on a clear surface. Doesn't that sound goody-two-shoes? Don't envy it....tidiness stifles creativity and I suffer from the opposite of your doubling up.....I endlessly get rid of things to be tidy and then so want them at some time down the line. Horses for courses I guess. Marilyn

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    1. That's what's so fascinating about how each of us approaches this hobby - we all have such different visions and methods, yet can still admire and appreciate each other's work and work spaces! I say, whatever works - just let yourself have fun!

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