How did you do yesterday? I see from the comments that we’re all in different stages of the stash organization game!

But you have great ideas for handling it!

And we’re already moving on to Task #2. This is a big one for me. I could assign myself this one every single week, and it would still be a trial for me to get it done.

Clean off your Main work surface

I love this one, tho, because if you do manage to get your main work area cleared to begin the new year, it really does feel like a super fresh start. So I’m gonna give it a really good try. How about you?

I know some of you keep your surfaces clean every day, and I marvel at that, and admire you for it, but for some reason, it’s one of the most difficult things for me to do.

I have done better over the last couple years because I am limiting myself to how many projects I can keep out on it at any moment in time, but I still have quite a mess. I think I need even lower limits — haha! Here is the state of my Cutting Table as of this morning:

Shameful! Part of my problem is that I always think I can work my way through the piles as I clean them up, but that has turned out to be waaaayyyy too slow for keeping it cleared off. And I have a tendency to let random things languish where they shouldn’t.

So here’s how I intend to tackle this task:

• Put away all the random items that are just there for no reason. Tools back in the caddy, scraps in the scrap basket, stray fabric back in the bins, all the pieces of each project gathered up together, etc. Then there’s the paper clips, chapstick, scratch paper and sticky notes, plastic bags, a coaster, receipts, and who knows what else. Why???

• Take stock of the projects that are out. Determine which ones I need to work on the soonest, keep maybe 3-5 of them out, and find a place to put the rest of them away.

• Go through my tool caddies and make sure all the things in there are needed at the cutting Table.

• Clean off the table, turn my mats over for a clean side to cut on, and change my rotary cutter blade.

If I get all that done, I will feel so good. How about you?

Will this give you a good start on the new year?

If you already have this done, remember: you can pick from the past tasks HERE to find something that you DO need to do this time.

I’d love to hear about the most random thing you find on your main work surface while you’re doing this task — we might get some good laughs!