Organize, organize, organize!

When it comes to organizing my studio....I'm a fanatic. Number one, I don't have a huge room, so I have to make it as functional as I possibly can (and that's by trial and error). When something doesn't work, I have to re-think placement and the like.

I also have to think of The Little Man...and the fact that they are curious and get into things. I am sure the mom's out there will probably tell me they are quicker than I think they are! Realize it's been years since I've had little people around. When Little Man is visiting, the likelihood of him being in there by himself is pretty slim but not impossible. First up is those liquid things (pens,ink, etc.) that he can get into. The container lids are a pain to remove, so I'm hoping I would be able to catch him before too much damage is done!I bought some Crystal Lite in the U.S. and kept those great containers they come in, Next...is the dollar store! I found a cute little basket that I can put all those little rulers in that either are too small, or don't have a hole to hang by. I was looking at buying the wood ruler storage rack, but would rather spend $30+ on fabric and bought the basket for $1. No brainer for me!

Rulers...rulers...rulers and of course cutters that need to be high enough away from Little Man! My most favorite purchase of late are Command hooks! Heavens! Why didn't I buy these earlier?

Buttons in a huge cookie jar made it impossible to find things. Chef got mason jars installed on the underside of a shelf. Screwing the lids tight onto the underside of the shelf makes it easy to remove and replace. It's great to see them all color sorted and quick to find what I need!

Chef and I found a giant teacup (planter) in Helena, Montana at a department store for $19. I thought it was a deal! In Canada, double that price! It sits on another storage unit that holds the TV in the studio. Inside I have a few yummy fabrics that are waiting for that special project!

Ongoing projects have been an issue. I know from browsing blogs, quilters have used anything from cookie trays to those styrofoam meat trays. Well you know me, a little OCD (or alot!), I found plastic shoe boxes that I can label (and YES, I have a label maker! haha!) for those projects that are immediate. They sit there haunting me and of course are sticking out of the bookshelf behind my machine. They make me feel guilty seeing them, so I'm more apt to work on them to empty the containers! Last, but not least -- is my quilting journal. I keep a little notebook that I date daily and write down my "quilty" ideas or things I did. Handy little notebook where I write down dates I order things online, or what projects I work on. Seeing the notebook with empty dates makes me make time to do something "quilty" on a daily basis. I work full-time, so spending time in my studio is limited. I find I get home fairly exhausted on a daily basis. I have just returned to work after a two and a half month medical leave for back issues. Hard to sit for a long time! I found the journal lets me celebrate all those little bits of time. Little bits of time add up! Chef bought me a new sewing machine in January that I have been having trouble getting to! My journal prompts me to get in there and do SOMETHING! As a result, I have been getting more accomplished than I ever thought I would! So -- YEAH!!! Have a wonderful Sunday!