How do you organize a space to quilt, sew, scrapbook, and do crafts? My hat is off to all you great quilters and crafters out there. You have such an amazing ability to produce beautiful, creative works. Here’s an example of how to use organizing to maximize your ability to produce creative works.
[Disclaimer: I have organizing skills… not so much photography skills. 🙂 So, please show mercy regarding my before and after pictures.]
Let me detail one of my project’s for you. My client had just switched spaces with her pre-teen daughter. Her daughter now occupied the former quilting area – the cavernous bonus room. And, my client’s quilting area now occupied the daughter’s former bedroom, which was a 60% downsize in square footage when compared to the former quilting area. The sacrifices we mothers make…
The switch between the rooms had been made, but little organizing and no decluttering had taken place so far. The sewing machine was set up (see the brown wood behind the great big box with lots of stuff on top of it).
Individual quilting projects often remained in the bags in which their fabric was purchased, or other tote bags, or sometimes small bins with lids, but all were scattered and stacked around the room on the floor… everywhere.
My client had a fabulous piece of furniture for closed storage of fabrics and notions that were not linked to a project yet. But, it had been packed full for some time, needed some purging of fabrics that no longer interested her, and reordering a bit.
Remember, she has this great piece of furniture full of fabric, and she also has the floor covered with bins, totes, and bags of fabric. Here’s another shot of some of that.
With all that valuable material on the floor, where could we go but up? 🙂 Vertical storage was a big part of this client’s solution. She was firm about wanting to use the organizing products (bins, containers, baskets) she had on hand already, to the extent possible. We were able to do that with the exception of one primary purchase that was in line with her budget and her husband’s handyman ability… wall-to-wall, 12″ deep Rubbermaid white wire shelving. We used the shelving along one entire wall and hid the shelving’s contents behind a few sets of inexpensive sheets she selected to coordinate with her newly painted room.
Here’s what was behind the beautiful “curtains.” I would have loved for all the containers to have matched with coordinating bins/lids for everything. But, we were adjusting for her budget, preferences, and time allotted.
She was thrilled with the outcome! She could see all of her stuff. She could pull out projects, work on them, and put them back when her interest in that project waned. Since everything now had a home, she knew where to return it.
Here are more After pictures. I hate it that I don’t have any pictures of her thread, scissors, triangles, and notions that were organized neatly inside her sewing machine cabinet shelves and drawers.
Well, there you have it. Here’s how one client used existing organizing products and worked with the space she had to optimize her potential for creative output . So, will you hold it against me if I admit to you she later had to have shoulder surgery because she was able to do so much quilting ? The good news is, now with her newly repaired shoulder , she can do even more quilting and crafting ! You can do this.
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” Galations 6:4 (The Message)
Hello, my name is Tina Bonifacio, and I am a Professional Organizer working with residential and commercial clients in the greater Savannah, Georgia area. For more information, visit https://organizedbytina.com. Thanks for stopping by. You are welcome back anytime. 
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