I completely missed posting any January tasks. I’m pretty sure my brain was frozen. We’re back into another frigid cold spell for the weekend, and I’m typing this with Blue Fingers, but I did at least realize that the 15th was a couple days ago, and I should really post an organizing challenge.

Since I missed last month altogether, I’m giving you two choices this time. You can pick the one you think you need the most, or do both of them — it’s up to you!

Here’s the first one:

Tackle the books and magazines

We’re into a new year, maybe it’s time to sort through the books and magazines again? My goal is for all my books and magazines to fit into my one bookcase, and right now, I have one small pile left that will not fit. So it’s time to weed through what’s left, get my bookcase re-organized, and see if I can make it all fit. I’ve already started going through some magazines, making a pile for the guild give-away table, and putting aside some to send to a friend.

Here’s our second option:

Work on the scrap pile(s)

I have several. I still have one large box of scraps to sort through and get processed, and I’m slowly working my way through it. But I have other scraps in various places that also need to be dealt with, if I’m being completely honest about ALL the scrappage around here.

My String bucket is one of those. It’s been overflowing for some time now, but I just keep trying to cram strings in there as I’m processing other scraps. I decided a while back that I need to sort these into two buckets — one for brights/moderns, and one for darks/traditionals.

So yesterday, since anything needing fine motor skills was out of the question with blue fingers, I decided it was a good time.

I sorted them. I threw some away. I bagged some up for a friend. And now I have TWO overflowing buckets of strings! I let the air get to them and now they’ve expanded. I seriously don’t know how I had them all crammed into one bucket before!

I have two string quilts in the works. I think I will see about getting those finished up, then sort the leftover strings one more time and get rid of all or most of the rest of them. Or else see what I have left and sew them all up really quickly so that they’re not just laying around in buckets. And in the future, simply don’t collect so many. I’m sure I can probably find a friend who wants them.

So how about you? Do you have something you can work on in either of these areas? If it’s cold where you are, it’s a good time to get it done. You can cozy up in your chair with a warm drink and look through books and magazines, or have a session playing in your scraps (it DOES take your mind off the cold for a bit!).