Organizing Creatively

I really do like organizing things.  Especially if I can colour code and have matching baskets and binders, and lovely shelves.  And January always pulls hard at my organizing fingers.

First time my grand students returned for art 1010 we tackled the art room.  First to go was that standing chalk board as it took up way to much real estate.  The layout of the whole hobby room is good but we did tighten up the far wall.  The white baskets have craft supplies for the kiddoes general use but I doubt they really look in them so that was the biggest change.  

In use

Ready for use 

 In the beginning

Midway

We pushed my stamp cupboard right to the wall which eliminated all the long stuff hidden in the corner.  The girls organized the stencils and Joshua took all the scrap book itsy bitsy stuff from the one cupboard and that now holds paper, white, card stock and construction paper while the other still has the scrap booking paper. Paper just does better when it lays flat.  I told the kids that those two cupboards had been part of their mum and aunt's bedroom.  Besides a bed, they each had a chest and a table and chair with hanging cupboards above.  Good old Ikea.  I am not sure just how much help they were but it surely got me going even though this is a low budget sort with no colour coordinated goodies.!

Almost done

And that's how things stood Wednesday night.  I knew I'd be discouraged if I faced the mess on that counter in the morning so most was stacked behind it.

 It worked because Thursday morning I tackled the bookshelves.  Not a huge change but some sorting and moving.  

 And as I am sorting papers I will be putting mixed media papers in the back of the long counter these bookcases face.  Each grand student has two shelves and I have two. Moving all the journaling stuff to the desk leaves four shelves for mixed media projects.   This old store counter was a bear to get moved from the farm to the new hobby room.  The top is leather so we put glass on top.  It really is invaluable.  I might need another day with my little artists to sort through this.  Maybe they can be  persuaded to part with some that are less precious!!!

I switched out my hand sewing stash for my beading/jewelry stuff which is housed in an old china cabinet in the hallway.  There wasn't really a space for keeping it together and it made sense to keep the handwork stuff with all the threads and ribbons. ALL my sewing stuff will be at the west end.  Each sewing machine will have its supplies handy.  

The big ironing board has a storage spot and I am fine tuning the smaller set up which is on wheels and can be moved wherever its needed.

The bulk of the 'stuff' is going on the desk which I realized I hadn't been using.  It will now be my daily planning/journal  spot and I will do all things that don't need paints and mixed media techniques.  The way I control my stashes is-  This much space and no more!  So there will be some editing.

I had thought I'd have this sorted but to tell the truth this is a bigger job than I thought.  Its not the actual scrap booking ephemera.  That has gone kinda quick.  I just can't seem to let go of all the flotsam and jetsom that flows through my daily life.  Odd because I am beginning to realize I rather like a cluttered look in my journals!    I was terribly tempted to continue to shove memorabilia into any available box but the reason it is avalanching is because I stop at this point every  single  time.  I have learnt that the weight of STUFF just drains creativity so...

Things got worse before they got better and I am still in mid process.  But things are feeling lighter already.  And I am starting to get inspired to do something with all the stuff.

 In the mean time Eliana had a birthday and she brought her cake and cake decorating paraphernalia.  Not my favourite creative thing to do.   Lots of room for improvement that's for sure.
 
This is long enough and now I have a goal and a plan for next week's blog post!  HA! That's if I survive the avalanches!!!

We are enveloped in a snow storm so there is no better time to sift through and at least assign baskets to time periods.