Hello and happy Monday! Today I have some more organizing tips to share! This year’s cleaning and purging of the sewing room has been quite the journey as I’ve been forcing myself to deal with some things that haven’t really been organized in years (think boxes of serger thread not used in a decade, miscellaneous notions, and older fabrics).
Just
this weekend I realized how important my filing system is in the sewing
room and thought I’d share some of the ways I use files to stay
organized. I have been using a filing system for years, but just this week started something new as well.
I’m lucky to have a couple of file
drawers at the end of my cutting table. I don’t often share the photo
from this view, but this is the part of the cutting table that protrudes
out into the room. The small drawer at the top holds rulers and rotary cutters,
keeping them at easy reach. In the two file drawers I store paper
patterns organized by category. Some are organized by designer, and
some are organized by the type of pattern or season. I also store all of the instruction pages to all of my specialty rulers in one of these files. This helps out when I go to use a ruler and need a reminder on the particular instructions.
But over the past few years, I’ve still ended up with paper clutter in the sewing room. I’ve tried to coral it in piles, tried using a clip board, and tried keeping it in the closet. But none of that was working. So…a small portable file came to the rescue! I keep this on the shelf in the closet and love being able to keep the paper clutter out of the way while still having important papers close by. Just to give you an idea, these are the file categories I keep in this file:
- Goals and Work in Progress notes
- Scrap quilt ideas (so helpful to have notes and cutting info. right at hand)
- Handmade Christmas gift ideas
- Design ideas
- Inventory
- Templates (from patterns I use over and over)
- Thoughts
Just in the week that I’ve had this in place I’ve been amazed at how helpful it’s been!
And…the flat surfaces have been staying much neater. It’s been great to put all of the paper clutter into the file box and know I’ll be able to access it quickly the next time I need it!
You can pin the image above to easily come back to this page…and visit my Pinterest board on organizing for quilters for even more ideas! Hope this helps you with your organizing this year…thanks so much for stopping by!
Lee Brinkley says
Thanks so much for sharing your santuary with us!!! It is beautiful!! My husband and I are in the process of building our dream retirement home on top of a mountain and I have so many ideas for my sewing santuary. I can't wait for the house to be finished so that I can start putting the entire house today!!! Your blog has been so educational and helpful!!!
Татьяна says
Большое спасибо за идеи!
Carol D. says
Love the file box idea. Maybe it will work for those bots of paper that float around and get lost. Wondering what you use to hang all the small quilts in your studio. Thanks.
Yvonne says
Happy Monday! Thank you for the ideas and I was thinking about the file drawer. Where did you find the cabinet?
Hildy says
Thank you for all your tips!
Monica says
It's always nice to read and see what others do. Always good ideas at hand, which motivated some of my changes. I was glad to replace my ironing board cover and some small valances to lace sheers. Just little change makes a big difference. Thanks for the inspiration!
Bekka_Sails says
Beautiful! What color are your walls painted?
Quilt Fabric Pizazz says
Very pretty sewing room. Reminds me of Lori Holt's with all the birds egg blue and white.
Libby says
Beautiful sewing room…….thanks for sharing tips and inspiration for the New Year. I have lots of clutter to get rid of and I will be working very diligently on that issue (it may take me all of 2018, but I am determined to do it
Unknown says
Sherri,
Wow, just LOVE how bright and cheerful your sewing room is, and the light aqua paint color is so key to all that….do you happen to know the paint color/manufacturer (Sherwin-Williams, etc) of your beautiful room?? Great inspiration from your article and photos! Thanks, Colleen
Rosemary B❤️ says
THANK YOU bunches for the inspiration. I need it!!?
WoolenSails says
Wonderful way to keep things in order and I do need a better filing cabinet, mine is a cheap one and the folders are not stiff enough. Did you make the white cutting table or bought new? I have a large table and it is too wide, so I want to make one on wheels so i can use it for pinning quilts too.
Debbie