Why do you want to get organized? Here's how I started this year

 Just because it's the start of a new calendar year doesn't mean you have to organize. In fact if you do it because you feel you should do it, the organizing you do will probably feel overwhelming and really hard to keep up.

I ended up finally organizing my quilt bins because I couldn't find a quilt top. So this can happen too - you might think you should organize, then don't because it feels like a should and then well, you can't find things!

I wanted to find my Sunbeams quilt top that I did with Sherry Shish (poweredbyquilting)'s winter line last year called Plum Pudding. You can read my blog tour post here. It was not in my regular tops-waiting-to-be-quilted tote. It wasn't on a shelf in the open or in the closet. I ran out of spots that I thought it could be. Minor panic and beginning of the year organizing pressure ensued!

I decided it was finally time to write down what was in my bins under the bed. I started a spreadsheet - a really basic one! I labelled the bins 1 - 4 and wrote down what was in them. Two of my bins are Christmas related tops and fabrics, two are mostly yardage and backing fabrics.

I also have a large tote in my closet that is supposed to be storing quilt tops. I started this quest to find the quilt top because I wanted to measure it for backing fabric. Then I realized it's listed on the pattern :)

But! I have so many other tops that I took the time to photograph and measure each one for backing. This is also now on a spreadsheet - a simple one! There isn't anything scary about making a detailed list so that I don't have to go through all these bins again just to measure one. Now when there's sales I can go to my list and buy enough yardage for backings.

During this process I actually did buy yardage for the Christmas quilt I had hanging in my quilting room. I even washed it! Now to haul out the batting and get that cut. . . In fact the quilt in the photo above has now replaced the Christmas one on my wall. It's only from 2009 or so?

In the end I photographed and measured 20 quilt tops. What I didn't do was go back in the original bins and pull out and measure the tops in them. Maybe next year!

I feel a lot better knowing where all these quilts are and that I can now quickly find out how much backing fabric I need for them. I also realize that there is always a quilt waiting to be quilted in addition to all the ones tempting me to start them!

I hope this inspires you to think about what and why you might want to organize something in your quilting space. Maybe it's scissors or thread or magazines that are starting to cause you stress because you can't find them or you know if they were better organized you could make room for more. Whatever the reason, enjoy the time you spend organizing - if you decide to do it.

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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