The northland is home to hundreds if not a thousand crafters. With creative minds and right brain thinkers, organizing becomes a challenge. With creativity sometimes breeds lack of focus leading to many unfinished projects or lots of ideas for future use.
In my experience as a professional organizer, most people ask specifically about organizing their crafts; in this area it is scrapbooking and quilting. With these hobbies comes a great financial investment, and inefficient use of materials defeats the purpose of the projects beauty. In other words, what good does 10 yards of beautiful fabric if it is buried under 40 more yards of beautiful material?
I have been a scrapbooker for over 10 years and have truly struggled with finalizing my books and putting the complete pages in the books. Most scrapbooks sit on a shelf and go months go by without much appreciation for all of the hard work and creativity you poured into it. In my quest as a professional organizer I have been searching for a method of “practical display” and effective preservation.
Displaying your scrapbook pages in a practical way means showing everyone your creativity and the hard work you’ve done. I have recently found several inspiring options, my favorite being a simple curtain rod, from which clips hang 3 or 4 12” x 12” scrapbook pages. This is a new way to display scrapbook pages and circulating your artwork. When you complete new pages, you can retire the old ones into a book, comfortable that they have been admired for their true beauty. I love to display the current pictures of my friends and family for all who enter my home.
This concept also applies to quilters. I have worked with many clients who quilt and it seems that they all choose fabrics for their colors and patterns. Most crafters have many projects going on at one time, with many waiting years to be finished. Where do you store your unfinished projects? What is keeping them from being complete? Do you ever get overwhelmed by the quantity of material you own? Do you have relatives who comment on your collection? Take charge of your craft room or projects by staying on track. Display fabrics by color in clear totes. Shoebox size totes with lids are perfect for “quarters” or scraps. Larger clear totes work well for larger quantities of material. Take all batting and store in a clear vacuum seal bag and suck out the air. These store well hanging in a closet or under a couch or bed. Keep your entire collection of tools store securely and grouped together. Rolling carts work well to hold needles, thread, pins and bobbins.
Any crafter will probably agree that having a craft room is ideal, but not always possible. Many crafters also prefer to craft in the company of their families at their dining room table or in the family room. In this situation storage of your crafting materials becomes a challenge so that you don’t impede the intended use for the space. Your family needs to be able to function in the space that you choose to share. Tap into your creativity and create a workspace out of unused furniture in your home such as an old dresser or hutch. Pay attention to things that inspire you like pictures or patterns from magazines or simply finished pieces that were exceptionally challenging. Keep your space clean and clear so that you enjoy returning to unfinished projects. Store all unfinished projects in clearly labeled totes or bins.
The task of organizing your crafts can be overwhelming but exhilarating as well. I suggest taking a weekend (of bad weather) and begin by weeding through your collection, parting with items you know that you will never use or no longer like. Keep your favorites and store them accordingly. While going through your materials, don’t be surprised if your creativity is sparked and you begin to get a lot of great ideas. You can start matching materials together and storing them in clear bags or totes with a note reminding you of your idea. Challenge yourself not to act on the project immediately but rather keep processing your materials and create a truly inspiring space ready and waiting for you to create unlimited masterpieces.
If you struggle don’t be discouraged. Help is available. Find a friend or family member that you can trust to keep you focused. Team up with another crafter and agree to help each other. Always know that there are other crafters out there struggling just like you.
Bergstrom is a professional organizer and consultant.
