I sat down to blog yesterday and was completely at a loss as to what to write about. Everything sounded so mundane.
Today I have a brain full and no time to get it all out.
First of all (and probably the only thing I’ll write about today) I cleaned out my sewing room, or most of it, yesterday. I removed all sewing stuff from the room, the closet, the hall closet, the chest in the guest room, the buffet downstairs, the closet in our room and even a couple pieces from the dining room. Yes, I was spread all over the house, to my husband’s chagrin as well as my own. I was hoping to, at some point, move everything into the sewing room but had not yet created an organized environment in the closet there to accommodate it all. So…the picture to the left shows you the pile of goodness I created and sorted through yesterday. It covered our bed and stretched around much of it’s perimeter, then piled up a good 5 feet into the air. I sorted out one large outdoor garbage bag of trash and divided all the fabric into colors yesterday. The tools and odds and ends were sorted and placed in separate shoe boxes or whatever was handy and there is now a much more organized way to find what I would like. However, it still needs more sorting. There is no reason for a woman with as little time as I have to be storing so much. I have become somewhat of a pack-rat and I’m not proud of it. I need to gear up for purging and I need motivation. My mind looks at a piece of fabric and sees three or four options for it. As a quilter I see even the smallest scrap as usable material and have to talk myself into throwing things away. I need a motto, a phrase that makes sense and encourages me that it is in my best interest to get rid of this or that. Another issue that arises is sentiment. A lot of this fabric was my mother’s and as useless as it may be, it is hard to throw out what I know she had something in mind for. As if she would care! But it’s hard. So, if anyone has any good purging phrases, I’m looking for a motto to move me forward in my quest for organization and serenity in our once too large bedroom. I’m open for suggestions. You are all so smart…I know one of you has the key phrase that will click with me.
I’m never the one that comes up with the clever/inspiring saying. I’m the one that says, “oh why didn’t I think of that?”. So I can’t help you but I am impressed with the amount of stuff you have.
Mary,
I have been meaning to call you but I haven’t…I’m a loser. But since you posted this, I am inspired to say that if you want some weekend day, maybe we could all come over and share ideas or just hang out or something. Just whenever is convenient and nonbusy. I don’t want to put any pressure on you at all.
I have a few little books of projects that I got from the library, maybe you’d like to go through them and find new ideas or something. Or at least just hang out. Or whatever. I’d like to hang out sometime. Fact of the matter is, we may be moving sometime, and I don’t know when or where, but it’s in the mix for the future. (Shhh don’t spread the news too far and wide yet. Eh, it’s not really a huge secret but I don’t know enough details at all to answer many questions from family you know?)
But anyway, yeah! Let me know OK? I might try to give you a call today if you are OK with it and you aren’t too busy. I miss you guys!!!
Also: I know your pain, girl. My house is strewn with art supplies and sewing fabric and child’s craft supplies and I need a better place to put it all because my bedroom closet is literally full to the CEILING! You couldn’t cram more in there and you couldn’t get to what you want at the bottom if you wanted to without pulling it all out first. It’s…well…since we got the bigger house, our amount of random crap has grown exponentially. What’s a woman to do? If you want help some weekend, that’d be another good reason for me to come over. I’m good at rolling up my sleeves and motivating! 😀 (Motivating myself is a whole ‘nother story. HA!)
Possible rules of thumb:
“Anything I’ve had 1/2/3 (you choose) years and haven’t put to use should be thrown out”
“Anything that is too expensive/rare for me to ever aquire again may be kept, but only if I have a plan for it and will use it within the next year”
“Anything less than a quarter yard should not be kept”
“Anything that I would not buy in a store, but am keeping because someone gave it to me and I feel sentimental/ obligated should not be kept”
And, let me just say that I completely understand the thing about your mom’s supplies. Your memory of her is not lessened if you let go of things you are not using. She does not reside in things, and things will not make her any more “alive” to you. I had to really remind myself of this when the large mixing bowl that my mom made broke. It hurt and I cried, but it didn’t rob me of any time we had together, any of the memories…anything. You can honor her in a project, that’s fine. I’m sure she would have loved seeing what a creative, talented woman you have become. But, don’t let yourself be frozen, either, in feeling that you must or should use these things. Anything that you don’t see yourself getting around to using, offer to sisters, cousins- even your brother- and see if anyone might put them to use before throwing them away.
That’s it. I’m all out of ideas. Because, well, I’ve not got my own sewing stash organized to perfection either. My own rule right now is that I should do everything I can to create out of what I have and not purchase new until I’ve made a good dent in the stash. So far so good.
I’m no help here. I’m always afraid to throw things away. Every time I purge, there’s always an item or more that down the road I regret getting rid of. You have a tough chore ahead of you. Sorry 🙁 I have a friend who is a professional organizer. She could probably help assign some rules for you to purge by. If you’re interested I can get you in touch with her.
Mmmm. I’m SO not good at throwing things away. I am of no help whatsoever here, due to the fact that it requires all the energy I have to refrain from suggesting you send it all to me 🙂 Just kidding. My husband would kill me.
You should visit, unclutterer.com
It’s a good site for ideas about getting some of the clutter out of our lives.