Hi friends!
It is the last week of the Creative Spaces Blog Hop and I hope you have had as much fun as I have!
This week we are supposed to talk about dealing with tools and rulers but wait, I sort of already did that back in the post about organizing! Oops!
Click here if you missed that post.
So, I thought I would show you what I did with that crazy “junk” drawer of mine. Kris Poor of Poorhouse Quilt Designs showed us her junk drawer and had suggestions on how to clean it up. So I thought it would be fun for me to clean up my drawer and add a couple of more tips to her list.
Click here to see her post.
Here is my drawer. Oh my.
Truly hard to open. I had to stick my hand in the drawer to try to hold things down to open it all the way.
Ok. I was ready. I had my hot cup of coffee, set my timer for 30 minutes (Kris’ suggestion) and got to work. I dumped the drawer on the floor and started sorting items. Yikes!
All that was in the drawer? At least I found the organizer trays!
I think the first thing I had to decide, once I saw what I had, was what did I want to store in that drawer? Was it going to be neat but still a repository for things that had no other home? Or was it to have a storage theme?
Storage theme? What am I talking about? Well, my thread storage boxes store thread, my colored cardboard bins store templates and rulers, my fun little lunch box stores colored pencils and pens …. so they all have a theme of items. And knowing what types of things are stored where makes it easier for them to go back where they belong, right?
So what was this drawer supposed to store? Given the collection of items I found at the bottom of the drawer, I think my original theme was things that had no other home. And truly, I think that is going to be the new plan as well.
In going thru the mess on the floor, I first separated by type of item. Then I put things that had another home where they belonged; thread went into my thread bins, rulers went into the ruler and template boxes, pens and pencils were stored in the pencil bin or in my Minnie Mouse mug that I use for pens I want to have easily accessible.
I put the tray organizers back in the drawer and found homes for other groups of items. This drawer now stores my hand sewing needles, thimbles, extra sewing machine needles, extra pins, velcro, elastic and bias tape, and my funnels- perfect for filling pin cushions with the crushed walnut shells!
It feels really good to have spent the time to clean out the drawer. My additional tips to add to Kris’ great list are:
1: Organize items by type.
2. Just do 1 small spot at a time. Really it is not so overwhelming that way and it feels great to have one spot cleaned up. It will help to motivate you to do another spot another time.
3. Celebrate each small success. I had a second hot cup of coffee and a homemade chocolate chip cookie. Yum!
I will admit that it took longer than 30 minutes. Of course part of that was the pup. Halfway thru my itemizing, Kira decided she wanted to help and she made her own piles of my things that were on the floor.
And then she added her toys.
So we took a break and went for a walk.
Want to know there weirdest thing I found in the drawer? The screws that were in my leg when I had surgery on my knee years ago!
Two years after the initial surgery, I had surgery to remove the screws. And I still have the screws. They even moved across the country with me. Weirdo.
I truly appreciate all of you who have popped in each week to read my posts about my Creative Space. As a thank you for following along, first I am having a Back to School Sale!
For the next week, any order placed in my shop on the website will get 15% off. And that is on top of any items that are already on sale! Last day of the sale is Tuesday Aug 21.
To get the sale, you must enter the coupon code 15off. Click here to check out the shop.
Plus, I am having a giveaway here on the blog. For the giveaway, I have a small collection of fun things for you as well as a surprise or 2 that will be included!
Giveaway is closed! Thanks to all who commented!
To enter, leave a comment on this post. If you are on Instagram and follow me, leave a separate comment with your Instagram name and you will get a second chance to win!
My Instagram name is: @seamslikeadreamquilts so you can find me and follow me!
See you next week!
happy quilting,
Kate
Many of you make your own quilts, but if you have friends who are looking to buy a quilt already made, I have some of my past magazine quilts up for sale in my ETSY shop. These are professionally quilted, 100% cotton fabric quilts that have never been washed or used except for photos. Click here to go to my ETSY shop to see the quilts. They will be 20% off during my Back to School Sale!
I follow you on Instagram, where I am @wordygirl11.
Your helper is adorable. You show great restraint in being able to get anything done when she is around. š
P.S. My partner still has the screws from a shoulder surgery he had back in the 60’s, when he was a kid. It is a good thing he pointed out to me that they are precious, so that I didn’t inadvertently throw out something I didn’t know was precious.
Beth,
Isn’t it funny how important things like that are? A little piece of our history.
Thanks for the great organizing tips! Just starting, but I have already decided that while I definitely need seam rippers, I probably don’t need 8 of them!! Enjoy reading your blog so much, my favorite read with my coffee break!!
Sheila,
Thank you so much for your kind words! I must admit though, I might need 8 seam rippers… one by the machine, one by the ironing table, one at the cutting table, one in my travel pile, one near the table where I hand sew binding… hmmm I am sure I can come up with 3 more places to store them. Maybe 2 by the sewing machine so when I drop one on the floor, I have a spare!
I follow on Instagram as dlsmiller52.
Love the idea to dump the drawer and set a timer to organize. Problem is I can’t get the drawer open! I put so much stuff in there and something is hung. That will be a goal-maybe I will find a treasure.
Debbie,
I hope you find a treasure! Good luck getting the drawer open.
Iām taking the one drawer at a time approach to shifting as well. Itās not as daunting, though it does mean lots of trips to the charity shops as I discover yet another pile of things stuffed into a cupboard and forgotten. Each house we shift to, seems to be older, and have less built in storage. Next stop, a cabin in the woods!
Thanks for the hints, the series has been fun to follow along.
Tarnia,
I am so glad you enjoyed the blog hop series. I agree one drawer at a time is much less daunting. What do they say- How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Thought eating an elephant does not sound good anyway!
Your drawer looks very neat! I have things like that in a flat box–it could use a going through also!!
Barb,
I hope you get a chance to go thru your storage box. Feels great when we organize even just a small spot!
Thanks for sharing your ideas, and I don’t blame you for keeping those screws from your surgery! Important reminder! I think trays are so helpful. Thanks, Kathy in Colo
Kathy,
I couldn’t throw them out! Silly maybe. And yes, trays really help so things have a place.And maybe stay in that place.
Cleaning and organizing always turn into treasure hunts/finds. And it feels so good to get things back into orderly fashion. Chocolate is my favorite reward.
Kay,
I agree. Chocolate is a wonderful reward!
I live in Southern Oregon and over the past +40 days we have lived in hazardous air quality due to forest fires in our area. So I have been inside and guess what I have been doing. Yep. Cleaning and organizing my sewing and jewelry making areas. Feels good!
Rita,
I hope things settle down soon for you and how nice that when it is all done, you will have an organized space!
? Just before I read your post I had actually just emptied a junk “box” and WoW the treasures I found!! I will not have to buy machine needles for awhile! – found at least 20 unopened packs of various sizes along with a box of flower-head pins – what a bonus find! I must have shopped a sale and then stashed them away! There were lots more sewing notions and I felt like it was a holiday to “find” such useful “gifts”!! – so much fun finding stuff that I had forgotten about!! Thanks so much for the organizing tips! Love hearing about Kira helping you!!
Debbie,
That does sound like a treasure trove of goodies in there!I hope it felt good to dump and organize. Now I need to move onto the next drawer!
I follow you on IG: quiltyloon
I have way too many junk drawers–I think I’ll go dump one out now and set the timer!
Verna,
Good luck with your junk drawer! I hope you find a treasure!
Always find something unexpected when going thru a junk drawer.
Candy,
True! And then you scratch your head wondering how and why it was put there!
Well, my junk drawer at my sewing table looks like that! And I have to put my hand in sometimes to be able to open it. It was never intended to be a junk drawer….but somehow it happened. Thank you for the photos and the encouragement. One drawer at a time sounds like a good start and would apply to everything!!
Rochelle,
I know how that goes. The drawer is intended to store certain items but becomes that junk drawer over time! Good luck!
I follow you on instagram! @cjhendryx
Oh, I so need to do this!! Thanks for the ideas!! (and giveaway)
Connie,
Cleaning out a little feels good! I have another drawer on the to-do list next!
I follow you on Instagram as tunaquilts. kthurn(at)bektel(dot)com
Everyone needs a junk drawer. I have several located around the house: in the entry, in the kitchen, in the sewing room, in the hall. It’s that drawer where I hide the stuff that accumulates on any horizontal surface that needs to be stashed when company is coming. I haven’t touched them in years. After reading your post, I think I’ll clean one out to find the weirdest item I’ve kept. Now my question is: Did you keep the screws or throw them away?
Tu-Na,
I kept the screws! I just couldn’t throw them away.
Organization! A concept I love but have never yet achieved. Your organization of a single drawer gives me hope for organizing at least in small ways. Tomorrow I will clean out a drawer!
Denise,
good luck with your drawer. I will say, it feels great when it is done!
I follow on IG as calund47
I really need to spend some time organizing, but Iād soooo much rather sew! Thanks for a bit of inspiration.
Cathy,
I agree! I never want to take the time to organize but this blog hop forced it on me, which I am now grateful for. Good luck!
@whitver.k. I believe this is my Instagram name lol.
Iām following you on IG via @winkowl
My drawer is a mess!! I could really use one of those organizers!!
Michele,
A drawer organizer really helps. Good luck with your drawer.
I try to keep things in their place, but sometimes it’s just quicker to toss into the junk drawer. I get it under control every few months.
Sandy,
I think it is pretty common to just toss stuff! Good that you do get it under control sometimes. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks for your tips. I don’t have a drawer in my sewing room but have a basket catchall. I think it’s time to tackle it.
Vicki,
Good luck cleaning up your basket- it will feel great when it is done!
I may not get the dusting done but my drawers are all,organized. It clears my head to organize.
Debbie,
I agree- a clean drawer, a clean area does help clear the mind.
I follow you on Instagram. I love everything you publish! cotten.gloria
Great Ideas all around. Thank you. I clean out my junk drawers when I pull something out of them, look at it and wonder what it is and why do I have this?
Love the way you do it. Especially the helper!
Carol,
Thank you! I think my be challenge going forward will be not filling the junk drawer up again. And my “helper” is a cutie!
I love getting my sewing room neat again after a project. Iām not neat while Iām working but need all the clutter put away before starting something new. Thanks for the giveaway!
Gloria,
That is such a good idea- to clean up after each project. Lately I have just been throwing piles on the floor and moving onto the next one. Starting with a clean area would be so much nicer!
Junk drawers are definitely full of treasures. I have a tower of drawers organized with one special drawer of crafty things for my granddaughter.
Thanks for sharing all the organizing tips. You saved your screws and I saved my gallstones. Don’t we save strange things. Thanks for giveaway.
Donna,
Gallstones! Oh too funny!It was fun to find things I had forgotten I had.
Thank you for sharing your organizing tips! I have new cabinets to be installed Friday so I can use all this help!
Cindy,
Good luck organizing your new cabinets- what fun!
I follow you on Instagram as wannajava2.
It’s so easy for a junk drawer to get out of hand with lots of crazy stuff! I know this from experience. Good tips for organizing and clearing out, I need to put some of them into action.
I believe we all have a drawer like that lol. I believe I have a few, Everytime I go through it it feels like a treasure chest.
We all need a junk drawer for all those bits that don’t fit into any particular category so guess that’s just the right place for the screws
Those junk drawers have a way of attracting things, even those things that have a designated place! It feels good to clean them out every now and then!
I love that you showed the items in the drawer and what it looked like after. Sometimes we get in a hurry and just throw it in.
Rita,
That is exactly right. I just kept stuffing things into the drawer without thinking about it!
Love how you found the screws from your knee in there! Thanks for sharing!!
Cheryl,
I know- so funny! I now like opening the drawer just to see how nice it looks!
Follower on Instagram. Would ? to be entered in your Drawing.
This has been an AWSOME Blog hop!! Great ideas all week…. Im soo going to miss it. Thanks for sharing.
Jacque,
I am so glad you enjoyed the blog hop! Thanks for being part of it.
Great ideas from everyone thanks
Very pretty thanks for sharing
Carol,
Thank you. happy quilting!
Makes me want to clean out my junk drawer!!
Kathy,
Well get to it and good luck!
I’m seeing a great big dump in my future! I’m wanting to get rid of all the “stuff” that doesn’t belong and being able to find the tools I’m looking for with ease!
Anita,
Good luck with your dump! I hope you find the tools you are looking for. I was surprised by a couple of templates I found in my drawer. Don’t even remember buying them!
I follow you on IG @icanquilt2
I can relate to your mess. It seems that I have soooo many pencils, markers, seam ripers, doodads that i can’t keep them organized.
Monica,
It is so easy to collect pens, pencils and other tools of the trade. I was traveling recently and had to stop myself from buying more. But they were so pretty!
I follow you on IG @RozzieAZ
Great suggestion to focus on one spot at a time so it is not overwhelming. Like the chocolate chip cookie idea too.
Rosalind,
I think the cookie was the best suggestion!
Thank you for sharing your space with us. I’m not surprised you saved the screws from your surgery because they represent an important time I your life. When my husband had to get his second pacemaker he chose to keep the first one. Medtronics even put his name on it before shipping it back to him.
Deborah,
You are right. It does represent an important time. I was non weight bearing for about 7 weeks and it was a long recovery but I made it thru!
I am really enjoying this blog hop, and I really love your dog helper! Thanks!
Dealing,
My dog helper is a cutie! And she lets me know when I have sent too much time sewing and not enough time playing with her!
Love the drawer. In my room it would last about 2 weeks. Funny you have the screws. I had the broken needle that was in my son’s foot for years, finally threw it in the trash.
Well, I felt a little better about some of my drawers when you shared your before and your after was lovely. I have to admit that when I try to clean out a part of my sewing space that I make a huge mess with piles everywhere and then panic where I’m going to put it all. That doesn’t stop me from adding to my collections. This has been a great blog hop and I appreciate all of the time you spent sharing pics of your space, tools, and ideas.
I follow you on Instagram as pksolberg. Thanks for all the inspiration!
I love the before and after! And I’d keep the screws too! Thanks for the ideas of dumping it out and sorting. I need to do that with more than one drawer! And my dog would love a walk in the process too. š
Thank you for the tips. I have a few sewing gadget drawers that need to be sorted through as well.
I follow you on Instagram – @sma_fb
You saved those pins for a good reason. It was a part of your journey in this life. A reminder maybe that life sometimes takes us down a path that we don’t want to be on, but leads to better paths that we couldn’t have found otherwise.
I have a drawer or two that could use a good sorting out. Who knows, maybe I’ll find a treasure among all the junk.
Drawer looks so much better, cute dog.
I follow you on IG @lolly2430.
Thanks for guiding us through the great drawer reorg! Gives me incentive to try the same here.
My Instagram name is @lindadnf. Followed you!
I really do need to tackle my junk drawer as well. Thanks so much for partcipating in this blog hop. Iāve enjoyed all the posts!
Linda,
I am so glad you liked the posts! Good luck with your drawer!
Having organized drawers is a real plus and…isn’t it fun finding those things you once thought were lost? Junk drawers aren’t all bad; always good to have a place to put something away when you aren’t sure what to do with it.
LJ,
I agree. A drawer for items that don’t fit other places can work. As long as there are not too many items so the drawer can’t close!
I think every house has a “junk” drawer. I love how you cleaned yours up! And the extra “help” from Kira was special, too!
Sandy,
I think you are right. A junk drawer has it’s place but… mine went to a hoarding drawer- way past junk!
I follow you on instagram as @mumbird3
I follow you on instagram @linhulen
I try to stay organized but I just have too much stuff!! I wish I could throw away!!!
Linda,
Too much stuff is certainly a problem for many quilters. It is why my drawer got as bad as it did!
Thanks for sharing your organizing tips with us
Donna,
You’re welcome! I hope some have helped!
I follow on Instagram too. I am Quilterpt.
Wow! That drawer looks great! I have to get going on a drawer I have just like that! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Nancy,
Good luck with the drawer. It is worth it!
I follow you on Instagram @ahevrard
It’s amazing what we find in our junk drawers. Sometimes a great discovery like something we’ve lost, and sometimes something that makes us wonder, like the screws you found.
Allison,
The screws were a funny find. I had forgotten that I still had them. And I still have them.
I’m also a follower on Instagram.
I too would save the SCREWS!!! Thank you for sharing.
Melody,
I know- right? I still have them. They did not get thrown out!
Yup I have two junk drawers in the studio that are almost jammed shut that I really need to do this to!!! Seems like I just keep putting bits and pieces in them!!! Time to dump and organize and purge! Thanks for the kick in the pants!!!
Allison,
Good luck and I will say, it feels good when it is done!
Whoa! wish my “junk” drawer was soooo pretty! š Great ideas for organizing! And your sweet helper definitely deserved take you both for nice walk! giggle.. Thank you for chance to win your Give-a-way..& thanks for great hints š
Lori,
She is a sweet girl; but a lot of work!
I already follow you on Instagram as ceciliaquilts.
I love it when I open a drawer and find everything organized and neat! Thanks for the great ideas.
Cecilia,
You’re welcome. It is a good feeling. Makes me feel like I can get things done!
Oh my goodness! Just setting up my very own sewing room. I now have so many wonderful tips to get me up and running! Thank you!