Seeing Toni's great studio last week brought to mind how important it is to stay organized.  I mean, let's face it, quilters accumulate a lot of stuff.  I mean if I'm being honest, one of the best things about being a quilter is having a good excuse to accumulate stuff.  I remember once I had a teacher who encouraged me to take up another hobby, rug hooking.  I laughed and said I didn't have time for the all the quilting I wanted to do now.  I could not possibly take up rug hooking.  "But think!" she winked. "You could go out and buy all new stuff!"  Well, there is that.  (For the record though, rug hooking is still on my bucket list!)

For now though, all I have to do is organize my quilting passion.  

Before I start though, let me preface this with that not all people like to be organized.  Some feel more comfortable with all their stuff strewn around them.  If you are one of those people, more power to you, and stop reading here.  

That said, I, myself like to stay organized.  How?  

#1 Be Thoughtful

#2 Be Persistent

#3 Be Creative

BE THOUGHTFUL....Finally, during my last two studio makeovers, I realized that every organizational project starts with a thoughtful plan.  STOP!  Think about it!  What do you want to organize?  How do you want it to work for you? If you're on a budget, how can you do it cost-effectively?   Come up with a layout that will work the way you work! 

 Right now, I'm using a "L" layout with my work table (doubling as a cutting table) perpendicular to my Sewing table.  My work table also has a big pressing board on it that can be reached from my chair.  So without getting up, I can cut, sew, and press.  All while looking at my design board.  How did it take 30 years for me to come up with THAT plan!

Also, I want to mention the importance of having the right furniture.  You want to have the right-sized

furniture for space AND function.  Now, I'm not saying you need to go out and buy specialty furniture.  I'm in the upcycle and repurpose furniture.  My chunky work table was going to be thrown out at the lab I worked for in my former life.  I LOVE my table.  I've seen plenty of IKEA hacks out there.  Also, today I was looking at the clearance section of Bush Furniture which has the greatest office furniture that can be used in a sewing area.  (My work-from-home setup came from this section 6 years ago, and I swear it's indestructible)  So when it comes to furniture, don't be afraid to think out of the box!

I LOVE this idea

BE PERSISTENT...This is all about creating a habit that works for you.  I have never been accused of being a neat freak, but when it comes to my studio, I do tend to keep it tidy.  How?  When I leave it after
every session, I give it a quick pick up.  I leave whatever I'm working on all set up so I can pick it up where I left off.  Any clutter that got created that day gets picked up.  Then at the end of a project, I do a big clean of the room putting EVERYTHING  back into its proper place.  (For me, I found that giving everything its own "place" with a label is the easiest way to keep things organized.  Yes, it's anal, shrug, but it's working).  YES, I do this every time I work, every project.  Now, I never have to do big overhauls of my workspace.  You can see a good example of one of the few times I did the clean-up before the work session began rather than after HERE.

BE CREATIVE...Very few of us have unlimited money to spend on our sewing rooms.  This means it's good to get creative when you're setting up your space.  I highly suggest pursuing Pinterest to get organizing ideas.  There are endless ways to store fabric, thread, bobbins, rulers etc.  Don't be afraid to steal one for yourself.  

I use this for my scraps. Each Bin holds a different color (all for under $50 from Amazon)

What are some of your favorite ways to stay organized in your space?  LET ME KNOW!