Studio Clean Up

5.3 2011

On Saturday I spent the better part of the afternoon organizing my small fabric stash.

Things had gotten a teensy bit out of control.

I prefer to organize by fabric type + then color. How do you organize your stash?

My solution was to stack the black shelves + Chris works at a cabinet shop + was able to bust out the white shelf for me. I’m using the top half as a work flow station. 

I also donated 6 huge garbage bags full of fabric to the thrift store. I’ll admit it, I may have had too much fabric.

Comments

1. The Becks :

   Ooo which thrift store?! I'm in Provo and there's only a couple :) I would love to go check some of your throwaways!
2. Flora :

   Love looking at the stacks of fabric...What is it about fabric that can make some people happy?
   Just did a post on my sewing room....
3. Sarah@AlpinePoppy :

   Bag balm :)
4. kayemkay :

   I spent my whole weekend doing the same thing! I'm so relieved to not be the only one posting embarrassing messy office pictures.
5. margo :

   too funny! I call areas like this in my house "my shame". Congrats on being a brave blogger to post it and a big round of applause for tackling it! margosaymaybe.blogspot.com
6. Melanie Burk :

   It looks great! I spent all of Saturday cleaning out my office too! It was a DISASTER. But my motto? Messiness breeds creativity. I should make a poster out of that.
7. Jessica :

   I love seeing people's workspaces in all their messy glory whether than perfectly staged for photos. Now I feel better about my unorganization :) Great improvement though.
8. carey :

   The Bag Balm tin makes me happy.
9. Katie :

   I am inspired good job.
10. emma :

    ooh! i organize by type too!
11. Cold Oatmeal and Purple Cows :

    AHHHH thanks for posting. I qm forever cleaning my sewing room, but end up in the same position in about a week!
12. Bonny :

    Sweet desk. I've always wondered why you chose Big Cartel instead of Etsy. Care to share?
    
    PS - I could totally use a Dr. Pepper right now. I'll take the sugar-filled heart-attack variety.
13. Sascha :

    I sort by fabric type and then color (ish). Mostly for me it's knits and cottons. I don't have a lot of other stuff to organize. Unfortunately my space looks about a bajillion times worse than your before photo so I really don't know what is under the mess. I do know I have garments cut and ready to sew in a size 5 for my 7 year old. So much for that!
14. Alison :

    does this mean I have to organize my stash now?
    
    I like the diet dr. pepper can on the desk. it makes it look like the project was powered by it. Maybe you could score a sponsorship, "creativity fueled by dr. pepper."
    
    just a thought!
15. Mom :

    I love fabric too! My solution is to ask for the extra bolts when they are empty (WalMart is really good about giving them away as is Hancock). That keeps everything so nice and organized. Last time I went through and got rid of tons of stuff I donated it to the drama department of my kids' high school. They were absolutely thrilled with the over 200 yards of fabric because they are always looking for costumes and props and half the time they want old stuff that I have decided is hideous since I bought it 10 years ago and never got around to my projects. I guess that's what happens when you have a dozen kids...life, not projects.
    Sandy
    www.twelvemakesadozen.blogspot.com
16. Katie :

    nice work! I love the before and after. I arrange my fabric the same way -- style and color. After organizing, though, mine stays that way for about two days, max!
17. KS :

    Love your blog. Love your mocassins. Thanks for being inspiring to someone like me! I design for a living and have zero time to design for myself...sigh...someday! :)
18. shell87 :

    this made me feel a bit better haha, i too have way to much fabric and one room i store some of it in and other crafy items looks worse then your photo's but soon will look equil i hope. my issue is i too should thrift away about half my fabric but of that bunch it all came from my great grandmothers house after she passed away so even though i can't think of uses for it i hate the idea of thrifting it away.
    
    i wish i had a room dedicated as a studio, right now we have a computer room and my desk is overflowing with odds and ends making it unsable, under all is my sewing machine. then the spare room i have stuff as i said but most is in bins in the bacement. unfortunatly the bedrooms in this place are tiny though our tv/media room is massive as is the pool table room but that doesn't help me much (thought of ways for it to but all the walls i could put storage on are already taken or windows and doors ..... grumble)
    
    though a metal shelving unit like that in what will one day be switched into our laundry room might just fit the bill, might see if i can find one at a good deal.
19. Tang :

    Whoa, that's some intense organizing!