Organizing the Craft / Sewing Closet

Way back in August I talked about my craft / sewing closet here and what an absolute disorganized mess it was. (I can't believe it was so long ago! Where does the time go?) Here is a picture of the before to refresh your memory. What's worse is that not all my supplies were fitting in the closet and were stacked all over the place in the condo.

Well my son was kind enough to let me use some space in his 2nd closet to store my 3 large bins of fabric. They are no longer overflowing and I hope to get them down to 2 by this summer as I finish projects.

The closet has been organized since September. I just never got around to posting the after pictures! Here it is:

 

With the exception of the 3 bins of fabric everything now fits in the closet. I did donate a bunch of stuff that I wasn't using. I've been looking for an ironing board holder to mount on the door, but I can only find ones for T shaped legs not Y legs. In the meantime the board leans between the door and shelves and is out of the way with the door closed.  I reinforced the sagging shelves and purchased bins that utilize all the space efficiently (they also look pretty!). Everything is labeled and has a home. I even have one bin empty! It's wonderful. Now I can easily find whatever I'm looking for without digging though piles of stuff or an avalanche on my head. I love it!

Organizing the Craft/Sewing Closet - Before

With my son's permission and help I recently cleared some space out of his 2nd closet for my fabric storage. Now I will have more room and can better organize my craft/sewing closet. I actually started the process of moving the fabric, forgot to take pictures, put everything back and then took pictures. You really need to see the before of my craft closet to appreciate the after.

The closet is so full that I have two kitchen garbage bags of fabric I think I don't want in the basement storage locker to try to sell on Etsy. My sewing machine doesn't fit, neither does my iron and ironing board. Outside the closet I also have a stack of fabric about 2 feet high which is my home dec fabric for current projects that I have no place to put. Not to mention that in cleaning out my son's closet I now have a stack of art supplies to add to my craft closet. I have another piece of foam for a chair project behind the closet door that you can't see. Oh yes, and a large box of sewing notions that I keep out with my sewing machine. Plus my cutting mat, rulers and rotary cutter. Darn, also my glue gun, an old ashtray I use as a stand and extra glue sticks. I think that is about it. Nope, still outside the closet I also have a bunch of polymer clay and a conditioning machine I won as a door prize at the recent Chicago Craft Social. Oh yes, I also have a stack of phone books. When I sit at the dining room table to sew, my chair is too tall and my feet don't touch the floor so I can't run my sewing machine. I stack phone books under the pedal so I can sew and my other foot so I don't sit crooked. Oh yeah, one last thing. I have two sewing/quilting/applique projects started that are sitting under a dresser in my bedroom. Now I really think that's it that's not in the closet. Shoot, no its not. I also have extra pillow forms down in the storage locker. And not that it necessarily has to be in this closet, but I have a bin of upholstery supplies down in the storage locker also. It's a pain to go down and get zippers or cording or my staple gun.

So as you can see and hear, my closet has exploded with stuff all over my condo and storage locker with nowhere organized to put it. And remember, this is only my storage closet. I have to take things out, set them up and actually craft on the dining room table. So when its so difficult to get to the supplies and put them away again, I don't craft. And I get grumpy. Something has to be done.  Hopefully strategic organization yet accessibility is the key. This is my biggest organizational challenge yet! I'll be working on it over the next several weeks. Wish me luck!

Sometimes it's the small things

I have a new dog food container! Yippee! (OK, it might seem silly, but read on).

My kitchen is teeny-tiny 12'x6.5' with a door that opens into it leading from the common back stairs and parking (our primary door) and a doorway into the dining room. So really, not much space. Prior to the New Dog Food Container! I had the storage container sitting in front of my black storage shelves next to the refrigerator. It wouldn't fit in the shelves and it really wouldn't fit anyplace else. When you walked in the door (which had just enough clearance not to hit the dog food container) the space felt cramped and messy. The useless space behind the container just gathered clutter. See?

My new container is smaller and fits inside my black storage shelves (it took forever to find one that would fit but hold enough food!). It frees up that little corner when you walk in the door and takes the place of the cluttered spot. Gone with the messy, cluttered feeling as soon as I come home. It would always make me feel grumpy as I walked in the door.

Yes, it is ugly. I'm hoping a few coats of spray paint (primed with a plastic primer, painted on the outside only) will help the ugly factor. While I'm at it I'll also paint the cat food containers to it's right. I'm not sure what color. I would really like pumpkin orange, my accent color, but don't want a black and orange vibe going on in the kitchen. Too Halloween-ish for my comfort. I'd love to find a green spray paint that coordinates with my baskets. I'll probably wait until I paint the walls from the current nice looking milk chocolate (not my choice) to a fresh light aqua first and then see what would work best.

Anyway, sometimes its a small thing like a new dog food container that can make a large impact on how a space feels and functions. I only gained 1'x2' of space, but it made a world of difference. (Doesn't that door look horrible? It will get a crisp coat of white when all the trim and doors are painted later this year).

Have you made any small changes that had a big impact?

Organizing the Linen Closet - After

Remember my post about how horrible my linen closet was? Go back here for all the before pictures.

Ack! However did I put up with it for the almost 3 years I've lived here? Then while I was slaving away working my magic on the closet I gave you some organizing tips and tricks for your own linen closet here.

Now prepare yourself for the wonders of the newly painted and organized linen closet!

Empty! You should see my bedroom - it's as if the linen closet vomited in there. How will I ever sleep? My bed is just covered with ... stuff.

Look at the difference white paint makes! The walls were a dirty peachy flesh color before. I wonder how I even saw anything in the dark closet. I had to paint the shelves in place in the closet because I have no room. You should have seen me when I decided that the bottom of the shelves were reflecting their icky color onto the white shelf below it and needed to be white also. I was twisted in half trying to paint the bottom of the shelf while not sticking my hair or hands in the wet paint. Needless to say, I came out looking like a skunk!

Top left side. Only bedding and pillows on the top shelf now. I still haven't found a home for all the other crap that was there, but I will! I even have room for rags now on the towel shelf. I had to give my son a towel folding lessen so that it stays this pretty. To fit my closet shelf, fold the towel in 3rds lengthwise then in 3rds widthwise. Works like a charm.

Top right side. Notice that the shelves are labeled so items go back into their proper place! I still want all white towels (except for the rag pile with the green and blue towels here). It will have to wait for a sale and after new tires are purchased for my car.

 

Middle left side. See all the pretty baskets nicely labeled?! No excuse for not being able to find anything now.

 Middle right side. Did I mention that I used that new Behr paint that is the primer and paint mixed in one? It went on smoothly and covered fairly well. I only did a single coat - I was impatient and lazy. With stuff in the closet, you can't even see that the coverage is spotty in places. I did have a nifty roller cover that was made to paint corners also. It worked well and I had to do hardly any cutting in with a brush.

Bottom left side. I was able to move some cleaners out from being stuffed under the kitchen sink to the closet now. I did take a basket of spray paint, wood stain, lemon oil, WD-40, etc. down to my basement storage locker. It doesn't belong in my linen closet and it freed up so much room! Yes, the litter box had to stay in the closet.

Bottom right side. Look! I have room for toilet paper and rolls of paper towels now. See the empty piece of carpeting? Room for a box of cat litter! How lovely.

I didn't get my cleaning tools moved from my front hall closet to the linen closet yet. Truth be told, I was having so much fun organizing and labeling that I forgot all about them until I sat down to write this post! I'll probably wait until I paint the doors and trim in the condo now before I move them.

Total cost: 

$10 for 10 baskets at the Dollar Store

$34 for a gallon of paint. I only used a fraction and will use the rest to paint my trim and doors in the condo.

Time spent: An hour getting the shelves prepped for painting (remember? They had stuck on bits of shelf liner and glue). And it took longer than I thought to empty the closet. All told about 5 hours from start to finish with prep work and painting including cleaning up. Add another hour to dig out my bed and make room so I could sleep. The next day, sorting by like item, putting the stuff into baskets, labeling and organizing the closet took about 4 hours. I went through and checked all expiration dates, wiped everything down and made a list of needed items as I went. I consolidated a lot of boxes that had just one or two items left. I didn't realize but I had duplicates of several items because I couldn't find anything in the closet. And I spent a little extra time getting the baskets in the "right" place and order. A little OCD perhaps? I also had to recycle the empty old baskets and put away the misc. stuff that hadn't found a home yet.

Is it weird that I am totally in love with my new labeled and organized closet? I open the door to look at it even if I don't need something. I could hardly wait to share it with you. Such a feeling of satisfaction and job well done. All is right with the world.

What have you organized recently? And how did it make you feel?

Linking up to these wonderful parties. Go check them out!

Organizing the Linen Closet - Tips and Tricks

Did you read my post about my aggravating linen closet here? As promised here are some tips and techniques to get your closet organized and staying that way.

I'm making progress on my organizing job. This weekend it's painting time for the closet and I have my new baskets to organize all my items in. Next week you will get to see pictures of the before and after of my closet!

Photo Apartment Therapy

Linen closets are generally a multipurpose storage area. Many odds and ends -- such as vacuum cleaners, ironing boards and cleaning supplies -- can find their way into a linen closet. It can seem like a lot to ask from one small closet.

Decide what you want to use your linen closet for. Only bedding and towels? Medicines? Cleaning supplies? Remove anything else that doesn't belong there. We usually use 20% of what we own 80% of  the time.

When you start cleaning your linen closet, take everything out and sort it into like piles. It will be easy to see what you have.

Consolidate all medicine in one place. That way you can find them and don't have duplicates. This goes for cleaners also, although your linen closet might not be the best place for them

Use a revolving spice rack (flat no bottles) to store your medicines on. That way it's easy to see what you need and takes up little space. Once I see how many meds we have and need, I might implement this idea. My shelves are spaced widely, I might get a 2 tier rack  like this one and use one tier for first aid supplies.

Get rid of outdated products and medicine or things you know you won't use. Follow your local guidelines on proper waste disposal.

If you have unused toiletries that you'll never use donate them to a woman's shelter

When the closet is empty, wipe down the shelves with a warm soapy water. Let dry before you return anything to the shelves.

Roll towels to increase shelf space.

If you fold towels, fold lengthwise (long ends together), then the end with the top of the towel in 1/3 then the bottom with the fold over so all ends are enclosed in the towel and it won't unravel in the closet.

Keep a box of baking soda in the closet or you can hang a sachet of pine (I always just use a fresh bag of wood chip animal bedding from the pet store) or lavender in cheesecloth to keep the closet smelling nice. Hanging a dryer sheet also works.

Lay down acid free tissue paper so fabrics don't discolor over time. This is a good tip for my quilts, but I feel is unnecessary for my towels and sheets.

Use adjustable wire shelving for space organization and air flow.

Consider under shelf wire mount baskets (for wash clothes) and shelf dividers from the Container Store (I LOVE that place) to help keep you organized if your shelves do not adjust.

In addition to labeling baskets, label the shelves where things like towels and sheets go. Martha Stewart does this and her closets are like closet porn they are so good.

Use space bags for large bulky items used only occasionally like quilts and comforters.

If you don't want to purchase space bags, try a thicker ply garbage bag, suck the air out with a vacuum cleaner and tie securely. Just don't forget to label what's in it.

Keep frequently used items at eye level and in the front of the closet.

Keep infrequently used items toward the back of the closet or on the top hard to reach shelf.

Wash everything in the closet at least once every 6 months to keep it fresh.

Always replace newly laundered items on the top of the stack and take fresh from the bottom to rotate your items.

Sort your towels and sheets and have no more than 3 towel sets (towel, hand towel and washcloth) per person and 3 sets of sheets per bed. I think that is CRAZY Talk. We have one set of sheets, the one that is on the bed. You have to be efficient in your laundry at my house. We have 2 towels each, 1 guest towel and 2 large "cleaning" towels that can double as a small beach towel. Remember I'm in a very small space.

If you have more than this in your closet sort it.  Put left overs in the rag pile and donate the rest. If they are in too bad shape to donate to a charity shop, animal rescue organizations will usually gladly take them.

Keep extra sheet sets organized by storing them in a pillow case.

Don't cram the shelves too tightly. You want to be able to get your hands in there without scraping your knuckles. This is for two reasons. One you can then pull out an item without everything else coming out with it and it allows air flow around the items so they stay fresh.

If you have to cram stuff to get it all to fit, you have too much stuff.

Shelves should be 10 inches apart for sheets and table linens, 12-16 inches apart for towels and 18 inches or more for comforters and other bulky items.

Table lines are best stored on a hanger (just not a wire one)

If you have to fold table lines, fold them with tissue paper to reduce the creasing.

Store extra blankets and sheets in the decorative pillow shams that come with bedding sets on your bed. In the guest room, you can have the guest towels in the pillow sham and out of your linen closet. (I've never thought of this!)

How do you keep your linen closet organized?

Organizing the Linen Closet - Before

My linen closet is driving me crazy!  Towels are falling off the shelves. There is no room for toilet paper. Some rarely used but necessary cleaning supplies (like goo-gone) are stuffed on a shelf. And the top shelf has some quilts, extra pillows, a throw, some magazine holders that aren't being used and other misc stuff crammed in there so they don't fall down. The walls and non-adjustable shelves are a dingy, dirty looking off white from the previous owners (probably painted years ago). They once had shelf liner paper installed and then removed so glue and backing bits are still stuck on.


Oh and did I mention that the cat's litter box is on the floor of the closet? Yep, we have to have the door propped open with a door stop so the cat can always get in, but that the dog stays out and away from those yummy to him kitty brownies. Yuck. (OK, confession time. I cleaned the cat box area before I took the picture. It usually is uhh a little messy with litter kicked around and some old newspaper under the box to catch it, which doesn't work). Remember I'm in 650 sq. feet with no real basement (a storage locker) and no garage and a small bathroom with only a small cabinet above the toilet, so I have to be creative.

It's definitely time to straighten, thin out and organize the closet. I currently have supplies in extra tupperware containers mismatched plastic baskets, freezer containers and just loose. You can't see the other side of the closet closest to the camera since the door only opens so far and there is a wall right behind me, but it's pretty much in the same condition as the rest of the closet. I'm looking forward to matching baskets from the dollar store to corral all my stuff and to use the space efficiently. (And it will look so pretty!)

Also, I currently have my mop, broom and swiffer on the inside of my front door closet. I just realized the last time I had guests and opened the door to hang up their coats that might not be the best place for my cleaning tools. Who wants to hang their coat up near a dirty broom and dust pan? I don't and my coats are in that closet! If I can, I want to hang the tools on the door in my already packed linen closet. Then I can hang table cloths in the front hall closets with the coats and free up a couple drawers in my already packed buffet. It's just a juggling act at my house.

Anyway, my projects are to paint the inside of the linen closet and the shelves. Move the tools from the front closet and hang them in the linen closet and make sure the door still closes and the cat won't knock them down. Sort through the medicines and first aid supplies and dispose of any outdated ones. Make a list of needed items and purchase them. Organize my remaining supplies and put them in baskets and label them (I love using my labeler!). And go through the items that don't really belong in the linen closet and see if I can find homes for them someplace else. That way, I can bring all my quilts and bedding (which are in 3 different closets) and have them organized in one place.

Next week I'll have some tips and tricks on organizing your linen closet.  In 2 weeks I hope to have things reorganized and spiffy looking.

Do you have any linen closet horror stories? We'd love to hear them!

Organize Your Life in 5 Easy Steps

Do you ever have days or weeks where things just start to feel like they are spinning out of control? You're under a time crunch, chores are undone and then seem overwhelming, errands are put off, groceries are low, laundry piles are high.

I sometimes get in these downward spirals where I just want to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head until it all goes away. Well it only goes away because I make it go away.

Now I know that organizing your life is more complex than these 5 little steps, but they will  get you back on track and help keep you there, even if your life isn't out of control. 

1. Plan your day. Use a calendar or an organizer. Keep track of all of you and your families appointments and important days in one place. Get in the habit of checking it before you go to bed so you can prep for the day ahead and first thing in the morning so you know what you are doing for the day. Teach your family to write down their important dates and to check the calendar also.

2. Schedule your chores. This works great for me as my chores are scheduled around work and other set appointments in my week. Tuesday is laundry and cleaning day, Thursday is grocery, errands, car gas. I water the plants and take special care of the pets on Sunday. There is such freedom in having a schedule for weekly chores. I don't have to think about laundry or housework until its Tuesday. Groceries are purchased on a routine basis so meals are planned, lists are made and the shopping done. After awhile your week will have a rhythm and the chores just flow and almost do themselves.

3. Set some priorities, goals and deadlines. Once you have the first two steps down you should see some room to take a breath. Because now you know what is scheduled for the day and know what has to be done, the rest of the time is Free! You don't have to worry about the million other things to do because they are scheduled for another day. Start scheduling in things like crafting, gardening, special time with your loved ones, etc. Set them up like an appointment and treat them as such. You wouldn't think of not going to your Dr. appointment because you were asked to do something else at the last minute. Start putting your needs and wants toward the top of your list.

4. Unclutter - both your possessions and your commitments. I went through a major downsizing a few years back. After the shock subsided I found my new streamlined home and possessions were freeing. I had less stuff, less to take care of, less to worry about, less to clean. My closets were substantially reduced. My clothing decreased to that which fit and I actually wore. Did you know you probably only wear 20% of the clothes in your closet?  (More details on how to declutter to come.)

Is your schedule filled to the brim with activities, committees, commitments, etc? See what you can drop. Give yourself a limit of either time (hours) or number of activities you and your family will participate in. You don't have to do everything. Make time to be with your family and just be. Time with your family is precious and fleeting.

5. 15 Minute Rule. You can do anything for 15 minutes. Thanks to Flylady this has changed my life. (Google her). When I'm overwhelmed and stuck I set my timer for 15 minutes and get to work. When the timer goes off I stop. I can then evaluate if I want to work another 15 minutes or take a break. No penalty for taking a break. You can also use TV commercials to the same effect. I get my dish washing (done by hand and I hate it) in 15 minute chunks with my breaks spent on my computer. Set your timer and put away laundry for 15 minutes. I bet you'll be surprised how much you get accomplished. I believe we think things take way longer than they actually do.

OK, time for the disclaimer. When my life is going along smoothly I'm actually following these 5 steps. When I get off kilter it's usually because I've dropped the ball on one of my steps along the way. I have to pick it back up and then things start to even themselves out. These are things that work for me and I find invaluable. Your mileage might vary. But give one or two a try if you aren't already doing them. See what happens!

Quick Declutter Tips From Unclutterer

 

Everyone is busy and sometimes decluttering falls to the bottom of a long list of chores to do. In fact I've heard that there is a rare breed of people out there who don't like to organize and declutter?!

Having a clutter-filled home can be overwhelming and exhausting. It can cause stress, anxiety and reduce productivity. Clutter can seriously cut into decorating and crafting time. It's hard to accessorize when you can't see the table tops. And glue guns are dangerous when used in the wilds of a messy dining room table. When left undone little problems quickly become big problems. Soon enough it's easier to just do nothing. Then you show up on A&E's the Hoarders (kidding).

I came across this article on the fun and interesting website, Unclutterer on 10 tips to beat clutter in less than five minutes. It was written by Gretchen Rubin. Check out my favorites, but don't forget to visit their website to see all 10 tips!

Make your bed each morning. (Why is this so difficult for me to do?!)

Follow the “one-minute rule” – push yourself to do any chore that takes less than one minute. Throw away the junk mail, close the cabinet door, put your dirty socks in the hamper, hang up your wet towel. (Also, you can work just during commercial breaks on TV. It's amazing how much you can get done).

Pause for a moment before you “store” something. Storing something means you don’t intend to use it much. Other than holiday decorations and seasonal clothes, you should strive to “store” as little as possible. (This is an easy one for me as I have about zero storage space in my small condo).

Identify an organization or person to whom you can give things you no longer need – it’s much easier to get rid of unneeded stuff if you can envision someone else getting good use from them. Also, figure out a place to store those things until you hand them over. (I love Freecycle. It's so personal and friendly. Otherwise my items go into a bag behind my bedroom door and get donated on my next trip to the thrift store).

Hang up your coat. (Yes, Mother).

Before you go to bed, take five minutes to do an “evening tidy-up.” Don’t tackle anything ambitious, but just stack up the magazines, put your shoes away, shove the chairs into place, etc. Just a few minutes of tidying can make your house look a lot better, and it’s a calming thing to do before going to sleep. Plus it makes the morning nicer. (For me this makes all the difference in the world!)

What's your favorite decluttering tip?

Organizing Clutter

I live in a condo that is about 650 square feet with my teenage son, a dog who sheds enough hair to make another dog, and a cat. Storage is at a premium. In my quest to destuffify (made up word) my basement storage locker, I listed a few things for sale on Craig's List (LOVE LOVE Craig's List) because we all know you can't organize clutter (Thanks Flylady!). 

Wait, you didn't know that? It's true. I used to think it was a bunch of hooey. I mean my precious stuff was neatly contained in storage boxes, lovingly labeled (I love to label things) and stored on a pretty metal shelf in a room solely dedicated to the storage of stuff in my large basement (previous house). Of course it was organized!


Maybe, technically it was, you would think. That is if you didn't understand that clutter and organization are diametrically opposed.  Clutter can't be organized. Clutter sucks the life out of you. It weighs down on you, being dragged from place to place.  It consumes space and time and thought. It's MESSY! Even though my stuff was contained, I didn't realize it was EMOTIONAL clutter.


As an example, I had my wedding dress (a cute white cotton summer dress with an embroidered bodice) stored. It wasn't "preserved" or anything. It was just folded up in a tub where it yellowed on the crease lines. The funny thing was I WAS DIVORCED ABOUT 12 YEARS. Why I still held onto the dress was a mystery. Actually it wasn't. I was a "Keeper". I kept things because it was too hard to throw them away. Who wants to get rid of their wedding dress?! So I stowed it away in a box neatly labeled "Kathleen's Keepsakes". I moved that box with me. I looked at that box and that dress and felt bad. I was divorced a long time for goodness sakes. What was I holding onto? It was just clutter and needed to be gone. I still had the memories (and pictures) of that beautiful dress. So out it went. Emotional and physical clutter gone!


Think of how much better you would feel without all that STUFF hanging around, either physically or emotionally. I was ruthless and decluttered my beautiful storage room. Keepsakes that were only "keep for the sake of I can't throw it away because I'm a Keeper" got tosses or donated. Boxes were consolidated, new labels were made (swoon). I was left with boxes filled with things I truly loved and made me feel good or were useful (like Christmas decorations).  All the emotional clutter was gone! (Well not all, just the stuff that was contained in boxes, you understand.) It was much easier to make my last move because I had so much less stuff. (I still had too much to move into a 650 sq. ft condo, but that's another story). 


With this last round of decluttering I can walk around my storage locker. I can twirl in circles and access boxes (of good stuff, not clutter) without moving a bunch of chairs and other items. I still have some things to get rid of, like my camping gear (I haven't been camping in, oh, 10 years or so... CLUTTER (sing song voice).)


Decluttering is a process, like peeling an onion. You take it layers and pieces at a time. Sometimes there might be a few tears. But in the end you can be left with something very satisfying - peace of mind and empty space. 

Organizing the Storage Locker

Hi there! Welcome to my inaugural post on my blog. This should be fun!!

One of my projects for the New Year is to organize my basement storage locker. It is packed and to get to anything I have to move dining chairs (another project) out of the way. So organization involves destuffifying (made up word) it. I listed 2 black leather slipper chairs I'd been holding onto for a couple of years (with no possible place to put them in the condo) for sale on Craig's List. (I LOVE LOVE Craig's List.) They sold within 3 days. Score! The young couple who purchased them drove 45 minutes to my condo and could only fit one chair in their car (these chairs are huge ... what were they thinking?). Today they made a second trip in their SUV to get the second chair. Here's a picture of the chair. Cute, Comfy and now Gone!

Bolstered by my success, I listed a metal bookshelf for sale (I should have dusted it first!). This sold in 2 days. It was picked up today. Gone!

On a roll, I listed these Mid Century Modern hanging light fixtures for sale. I purchased these for a steal on Craig's List 2-ish years ago. That was before I understood that you can't really hang something from a cement ceiling. In my defense, I didn't know it was cement. It's covered by a thick layer of white fluffy stuff (probably asbestos). Someone has committed to picking them up in 2 days. Almost Gone!

With this new influx of cash, I'll fund a couple decorating projects I've had on the back burner. Stay tuned for more info on these.