Sewing Room Organization Part 3

I am still removing fabric from my many places around my house. I even found one box under my bed that had been there for two years. I had forgotten all about it.

I have made a list for anyone that starting this process.

  • Have boxes and big bags for the items you don’t want anymore
  • Have several places you want to give or sell from your sewing room
  • Have a timeline for finishing each part of your room
  • Paper and pencil to write your list or computer set up to use as you do this
  • Place to put your give donations until you can get them out of your house

I started with a big outdoor leaf bags, a couple of cardboard boxes and the plastic bins that I stored so much in. I took the first box closest to me and got to it. Smaller pieces went into the big bag for the people that make dog beds and other stuffed things. All of my projects went onto the floor in my many sizes of plastic zip top bags. The big pieces of fabric went into the boxes when I started than progressed into the bins that I was keeping all of this in. I didn’t have any use for the 8 large bins that I was taking everything out of so they too would be going to new homes.

 

I advocate giving the fabric to someone that will use it. I have a family and friends that sew they get first pick before they leave to other charities I like to support. I support Project Linus a nationwide organization to help family in need, by giving my fabric to them to make into the blankets.  I have a friend and her mom that make blankets for them and she is always happy to receive fabric without buying it. Go to their website to find the local chapter near you.

Some other places for you to look into are your local quilt guilds for their charity quilts, different quilt stores that help others with giving and supporting children in learning to sew. I am bring some to a store in Buellton called The Creation Station who teach children and give all kinds of different fabrics to help other organizations.  I have friends that know other people that make dog beds for the ASPCA. I don’t know the contact but you can look into this in your area. Just start asking around and you will be surprise at who want s your fabric for all kinds of wonderful things. I found my notions like ribbons and trims could go to my church preschool Little Shephard’s Preschool.

Elementary schools don’t do arts or crafts any more. Call around and find a preschool you like to support and they will be happy to get it. You can also have a big or in my case huge garage sale. I have a friend Jamie that works at a private high school and they do a lot of different art so they have needs for 3 yard fabric pieces and fabric strips. Be creative in your thoughts if you would like to give your fabric, notions and crafts away. I try not to put all of this fabric and notions into the landfills.

I have also given furniture to our local charities. I found that not all charities will take big pieces of furniture or don’t have space for it at the time I needed to get them moved out of my space. Please call them before you go and deliver your items to them.

When my friend Jamie came over and I showed her what I was doing and talked on about my projects and the clearing of my sewing room for almost an hour until I talked about my commissions. She suggested that I make them at the top of my list instead of the bottom. This helped me to decide that each part of my room needs a timeline to get it done. If I don’t get my sewing room finished in a timely manner I won’t get my commissions done and I won’t get paid. This is what I am doing this all for in the first place. I couldn’t move in my sewing room when I started now there is space. I also called one of my clients to start the research part of that project.

For every box I opened there was some kind of project or fabric I thought I would make into a project. This made it necessary to have my computer out and open at all times making my project list. I made the decision to have some of these old quilt tops quilted by someone or a couple of people. I marked these with a red * so I could take them off of my list. I got to take 19 off of my list by giving them away with my fabric and I might decide to take more off of the list. I then made my Top 5 List with deadlines so I get them done. This list doesn’t have the commissions on it but they will be happening as I do the top 5 list.

I am continuing to give more of my fabric away so I will fulfill my first objective of everything must fit in my sewing room or something else must leave. As I keep looking at my fabric and tools I want my room to feel good too so I am finding space in my big white cabinet to put my many other tools for fabric painting and dying.

Through this whole process I have less and less attachment to my fabric with more and more in favor of my freedom from my chaos of my sewing room. I have found that this is a very rewarding experience and have been wanting to keep clearing and cleaning the rest of my house. I won’t be posting about those unless all of you really want me too.

The next time I post I will be finished going through my wonderful sewing room with more pictures that will tell the story of how I did it. Until next time keep Simply Sewing Art!

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