The Craft Area Reclaimed

My February mini project was to organize my craft area (aka the dumpster). Items got dumped there while waiting for their final destination, either it’s home here or elsewhere. The inspiration for the project was born out of desperation. I wanted to make some greeting cards but first I had to clear a work space and dig out the supplies.

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When I finally starting working on the project it only took about 2 1/2 hours to get the majority of the project done. My goal was to get the items out of the craft area that don’t live there, make it simpler to get the supplies out and to put them away.

My first step was to make a plan. I decided to create two craft zones, one for sewing and one for paper crafts. I took every thing off the shelves and put groups of items together. Because I had the least volume of sewing supplies I put them on the smaller shelf. I moved the small shelf next to the sewing machine to create the sewing zone.

I moved the two larger shelves together for the paper craft and scrapbooking zone. I sorted and purged the drawers in the craft cart because the supplies were a mess! I put the smaller craft items, colored pencils, adhesives and rubber stamps in the drawers. Each drawer now has a specific purpose. If I need a tape runner, it’s in the top drawer.

I still have a few small projects to finish. I want to label the craft cart drawers and the storage boxes, and purge the rubber stamps (again). The last small project is to get rid of the dried up markers. Time to get the creative juices flowing!

5 Productivity Road Blocks

I struggle with getting things done. I make great to do lists and have big plans, but then I get side-tracked. I hurry to get the most important things done at the last minute. These are my (self-inflicted) productivity road blocks.

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1. Not writing it down. When it isn’t on the to do list I forget about it and it doesn’t get done. That applies to household chores, scheduling appointments, projects and even mailing cards on time. If I don’t have a reminder, I will forget to mail birthday cards.

2. I really don’t want to do it. The chores on my list I really don’t want to do, I avoid. Usually, I’ll do something unproductive while I’m avoiding the dreaded task. Ultimately, I just won’t get the chore done or I’ll move on and get anything else done.

3. In a minute. I tell myself I’ll come back and finish it “in a minute”. In reality, the “minute” might be a minute, an hour, or a week later. I’ll get back to it eventually. Getting Things Done author David Allen says if it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now. I waste more time going from unfinished project to unfinished project than it would have taken do just finish what I started.

4. Social Media. Ouch! I don’t mean actually posting on social media or checking in once in a while, I’m talking about refreshing the screen every two minutes in case I missed something important. Then I realize I’ve waisted an hour or more just scrolling along.

5. Game apps. That realization really hurt. This is my biggest productivity crusher. I will play games where I can pop bubbles or break blocks until I run out of lives or coins and then try just one more time. Hours will pass without me realizing it.

What are your productivity road blocks? What steps did you take to overcome them? Please share your ideas in the comments. I need the help!

February Mini Project

I’m still recovering from purging and organizing our storage room. Because it’s late in the month I’m doing a mini project for February. I’m tackling the ~~crap~~ craft corner. It has gotten a little out of control and has become a catch-all area for the other sorting projects. The craft tables are a great place to put things just until I decide where they belong and put them there.

I sorted and purged some of the craft items in earlier organizing projects but it needs to be done again. I need to be very honest with myself about what I can and will use. Then organize what’s left and label the containers so I can find the supplies I want to use.

I wanted to make some greeting cards this week. Before I could start that project I had to clear a work space on the table. Cleaning the workspace before I can even start crafting drains my desire to work on any projects. I also realized many of my markers are dried out, supplies that don’t work also take the joy out of being creative.

My goal for this project is to be able to find the supplies I want to use and easily be able to put them away. I want the corner to be a happy crafting area again and not the crap corner. Please share your craft supply organizing ideas in the comments.

Wait! I Might Need That!

Yes, that’s was my excuse for keeping a lot of things I don’t use. Because someday I might need the little kids craft supplies. I don’t have little kids at home! My “little” is taller than me and will be driving (too) soon. Do I really need to keep the finger paints and sidewalk chalk? There are also things I keep out of guilt because I think I should keep them. Maybe because it was expensive or it was a gift that has out lived it usefulness. Those aren’t good reasons to store items that aren’t used or loved.

Clutter is no more than postponed decisions. – Barbara Hemphill

Our simplifying process started in September with the challenge to get rid of one item a day, I kept that going in October but concentrating on clothes and crafts. November I downsized our Christmas decorations as I got them ready to put out for the holidays. January’s project was our basement storage room. The second load of donations from January’s decluttering were dropped off this week. It felt really good to get the piles donations, trash and recycle out of the family room.

Five months into decluttering I thought I might be missing some things or regretting giving them away. The truth is, I’m not missing any thing. I haven’t wondered where I put an item or wished I hadn’t gotten rid of something. Maybe because we are taking baby steps to decluttering or because we have too much stuff. I’m also more thoughtful about what I buy because if I don’t need it, use it and love it, it will quickly become clutter. I love having empty spaces! Not to fill them up with more stuff but to be able to see, use and enjoy what we have.