I’m busy making my main studio space more usable… check out my progress AND enter my giveaway!
I give you a BEFORE tour
My main studio space is where I work all the time. It has my projects in progress, machines, computer, and most of my fabric.
About 3pm I started pulling all the projects out of my studio space to resort them and put them into better size container and more effective & productive spots for my use. I did a video for you
For the post part I’m not doing fabric, just projects.
That includes all the different products I review or test. PLUS I had some UFOs in my main space that were not being worked on and taking up valuable work space. They needed to be moved.
Taking it out is EASY.
Deciding how to regroup and where in my studio should it now be, is more difficult. I started when I got up.
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For our family business we work at home, so our whole small home has become our office.
We have no basement and no usable attic. So my business takes up 4 rooms in our home.
- My studio is my main work room and what you see all the time. It is the family room of our home, it’s what in the videos with my beautiful Koala Furniture and my Baby lock machines
- The shipping department has one room as his office.
- We have 1 other rooms for quilts, batting, notions, projects not being working on, other fabric, books, etc.
- AND the ‘over flow’ room right now is our dining room as it can’t all fit in the one room upstairs. The photo above is one wall in my dining room. On the wall is my village quilt (BUY the pattern here), and the blocks are from my Triangle book (HERE)
In my studio I keep JUST what I’m working on and my main fabric. On that video I talk about it being messy. It is ‘messy’ in that projects were not in optimum work places, split across areas, and things got put in spots that took up valuable space in my small room
Now for a few photos of my ‘after’
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Keeping it organized keeps my sanity 
Hope you enjoy watching as I make progress!
If you are new here, welcome! I run a lot of fun projects
These are my 2 latest FREE sew alongs, join me!
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1,818 Responses
My biggest problem is space! Space to store, space to move, space for a good sized design wall and space to work on large quits. Of course if I didn’t have SO MUCH FABRIC maybe I’d have more space, but what fun would that be!
My problem is the room I am using for sewing and quilting, my husband also uses for his golf habit and clubs. My quilts I am working on are out in the room and the rest is in containers stuffed into the closet. Of which you can’t shut the door.
I’m lacking an ergonomic space. I use the 12′ x12′ guest bedroom as my workshop. I’ve pushed the queen size bed off to the side to give my sewing and cutting tables the space needed. It gets tight. I get bumped a lot. I’m always moving projects around the room. On the bed, off the bed. On the table, off the table. I have many clear totes filled with scrap fabric sorted by colors piled high on top of a tall dresser. I like to do art quilts and all these bits and pieces get put to use. I still haven’t figured out how to organize all my cutting tools, and sewing supplies. I lack wall space since there’s doors and window on all 4 walls. And I don’t have a central location for my fabric stash. It’s in closets and dressers throughout the house. I would love a set up where I could see what I have and have them close by.
My biggest problem is how to store my scraps…I have tubs for strips, squares, but the pieces I cant cut into usable sizes are a bit daunting! well, at times a lot daunting…when I get flustered, I through them in a bag and toss them into another container to be used when I remember that they are there!
My biggest problem is the closet. I need to empty it, get rid of what I don’t need, put the clothes elsewhere then use it for organizing quilting stuff. My room might look less cluttered after all that!
Getting the big spare room cleaned out so I can have my own sewing room.
What a fun giveaway…thank you for the chance to win! 🙂 That little “Sew Much Attitude” tote is super cute.
I have loved following along with your orginzation project so far. You have sew many good ideas.
I have too much thread. Piecing thread, sewing thread, embroidery thread, perl cotton, LOTS of thread. I like fabric…a lot! I like BOMs and QALs, but I love thread. I keep outgrowing all methods of storing it. I must sew faster! I have no wall space, so the thread is in plastic drawers, cabinets, on 2 pegboards, in 2 gallon ice tea jars, and on my sewing table. There may also be a bit of it in the dining room. I really need a new (better) plan for thread!
I will be watching all your moves. 🙂
I don’t want to get rid of even the smallest pieces of fabric! Try to keep a bag beside my cutting table so that I can just throw it in there to save for my scrap quilt!
My biggest organization problem is clutter. I can’t work in a messy room, so I move the kits, fabric and notions to another room. When I need something, the box comes back to the sewing room, stuff gets pulled out and there is chaos.
My problem is I have way too much stuff. I can’t keep up with what I already have before buying more. I have a bedroom to sew in and a partial basement for my longarm.
Ugh! My biggest challenge is similar to yours, but I REALLY am color challenged. I have NO idea how to organize my prints and multicolored batiks. Are they blue, mostly pink, have black backgrounds. On and on!!! Gah!!! It positively drives me batty and then I get paralysis by analysis. And then it’s bedtime and all my fabric is STILL lying on the guest bed. Good thing we don’t have any guests. I also don’t want to bother folding up a few fat quarters on comic book cardboard. That just seems like a wasted effort. And if I ONLY could find a doggone sewing machine that will fit into one of my two can
Binets, I wouldn’t have to sew using a piano bench and a dog grooming table for my cutting and sewing area. Maybe one day.
I love to see how the professionals do things! I’m always looking for faster, easier ways.
Although I have great, organized storage containers in the closet that are all labeled. I have very little space to work on anything, so I have to move a number of boxes before I can access what I am trying to get too.
My problem is zero space for all my crafts. Do crafters have to downsize? Ever? LOL
My organization problem is the when I get everything organized…especially material by color….I then want to organize by holiday etc….and again color…make sense? Probably why i’m driving myself crazy!!! i did get a three tier cart on wheels…. it is so helpful….three projects that actually are staying organized!
My problem is that not only do I quilt but also make soap, crochet and knit but also make rugs. I have a craft room that is only 12′ x 12’and in a small home with all space occupied, I barely have room to put anything .I guess I need to downsize. Lol
My biggest organizational challenge is lack of space. My sewing room is also a guest bedroom. I am currently working on three active projects, and they are spread across the bed. I HAD my fabric sorted by color, yardage in a cabinet, fat quarters in drawers. Then purchased 80 yards of quality quilting fabric @ $ .44 per yard, yep 44cents a yard and trying to get it stored. Running out of room.
My biggest problem right now is finding that last little thing for a particular project. I have been organizing and preparing to move, but want to continue working on some Christmas gifts, but when I need something I know I have, it eludes me. Often it will be in a bin that has already been moved up north! Once the move is over I will have a separate small building for just my sewing and crafting, but until then, I have stuff all over the place!
Organization of everything!! Too much stuff from my former career, general books, and other hobby materials contribute to the chaos. My quilt fabric and tools are sort of confined to a set of wire shelves, but the fabric is not sorted in any way. I’ve been searching for baskets of a particular size to fit on some shelves, but haven’t found them yet, although I do have a plan to sort fabrics by size, color and project once baskets are here.
My biggest organizational problem is that I don’t make the time to do it often enough. My sewing room is messier than I like to admit.
My problem is space & storage. I just don’t have the room to have everything all separated & really nicely organized & stored in my small craft room.
I have run out of room and have sewing related items all over the house. My husband said I didn’t need more sewing room space, I needed a new house to sew in!
Hmmmm been slowly solving all my storage issues but my room seems to getting smaller some how.
I have fallen in love with far quarter bundles. Now I can’t decide if I should break them up and store by color or leave together.
Stash reorganization.. The plan I started 10 years ago doesn’t work for the way I sew today. Need to be able to see all fabric on the shelf. Prior stacks were two deep from the front.
Wow,happy to know I’m not the only one who gets distracted while trying to organize, sort, and clear out,, needs that particular new fabric for I don’t know what yet but it will come to me, wants to learn another new skill that takes a whole different collection of fun things, etc. Looks like my biggest problem in getting organized is me!
My biggest organization issues are:
1. What do I put my new fabrics in to keep them easy to see and organized?
2. What do I put my used fabrics in so they’re easy to see and find when I need a little extra for a project?
3. Where do I store it all???
Fortunately, #3 is about to be solved as I just bought a 12’x20′ “shed” that will be exclusively used for my sewing and quilting.
Next, I need to solve #1 and #2 so my workspace doesn’t become an immediate mess!
SPACE! Most of my stuff is in a spare bedroom upstairs! I sort Fabric three ways large yardage on bolts upright on the floor, fat quarters and yardage less than three yards all sorted by color! Then I have three large clear containers with kits and projects inside with an intemized list down inside the front. Then there are the fifteen project boxes with incomplete projects! All my rulers, thread, magazines, books, patterns,batting, fusible, etc. And of course my large machine! I’ve been sewing on the kitchen island with my travel machine. And there are bits and pieces in the dining room! I have a room over the garage that one day will get heat and air so that I can move everything there!
My biggest problem is that I have too many projects going at any one time and stuff scattered everywhere. Sometimes I can’t work on something because I’ve misplaced something I need for it.
I would love to have shelving that showcases what I have so I can use up my stash. I find while I am somewhat organized, I need to use things I have already purchase. I think it would also help me choose fabrics for quilts seeing everything.
My biggest Organizational Problem is I have too many projects in containers from subscription boxes, or just whim shopping. It’s over taking space in my sewing room.
My biggest organizational problem is changing priorities! This leads to a stack of ufos.
Not having a good place or good storage soluation fir my fabric. It us in plastic bins that I cannot easily get to when I need something. Thtlerefore, my cutting table is piled high with things that need to be put away. I need a storage unit where I can store my fabric and easily get yo it to see what I have.
my biggest problem is everything is packed up at the moment and i cant sew at all: and then i try to save every little scrap- just in case i can use it later
My organization problem is too many UFOs, and I keep buying more projects, books and fabrics. I use bins and run out of room, and then stash things in every little spot. My cutting and ironing center is covered two feet high with containers. Yikes!
My biggest organizing challenge is where to keep all the work in process projects. I have several projects going on at once!
My biggest problem is my husband. I finally got to the point where I cleaned out the room where my fabric lives and where sewing is to happen. A table was set up so I could refold fabric and my husband promptly appropriated it for himself. There is not enough space available to put a pincushion. And he is making piles on the floor so that I can not even reach my fabric. It is a good thing he does have some redeeming qualities otherwise who knows what could happen…
I have too many projects that I have purchased over time. I didn’t realize that I was overdoing it. I liked it and I bought it. I have cut way back on my buying. I only wish I had figured out sooner to kind of pace myself. Gotta plan it out and start sewing!
My biggest problem is SPACE. What to put what where. But I shall prevail with inspiration from you and the other responders. I am not alone!!
My biggest challenge is storing and sorting my stash of fabric. Most is stored in Rubbermaid tubs. Periodically I resort and A) can’t determine a better way to sort it and B)wonder what was I planning to use it for.
Keeping it organized after I get it all done. Seems I work hard to get it done and then start letting it get messy real quick.
My biggest problem is What do I do with those scraps/fabrics left over after a project is finished? They usually get put in a bag or scrap tub or drawer instead of being organized. Help!!
My biggest problem is to much stuff in to small a room. My daughter-in-law also sews in there a couple days a week. Two of us in there working on wedding dresses.
My biggest issue is with organizing my fabrics including my scraps – I save everything! Then I feel overwhelmed with projects to complete and I can’t seem to get started!
My biggest problem is that I want everthing at my fingertips and so I always have a nest of clutter around me.
My problem is me! I love gadgets and rulers and notions. I have them all organized in boxes, bags,baskets Andy trays but it seems that I have no sense of what goes where. I need to organize my thoughts and get things in reasonable groups.
Maureen
My biggest problem is how to store my project totes so that I can easily get to the one I want to do next. Send like I have to move half or more of the totes to get to the one I want.
My biggest problem is that I want to do everything right now! LOL Actually I think organizing patterns is most difficult for me! How to gather them so when I want a specific pattern I can find it!
Two of my favorite organizational tools are my label maker and the iBookshelf app. All my books are entered into the app and then organized just like a library! A nice feature of this app is that works across different platforms and you print a spreadsheet of every book in your library AND it keeps a running total of how much your library is worth!
Space! Never enough space. My sewing room is over run because not enough space!
Space for all my tools, and fabric. Everything I have tried just makes my space smaller and the problem still exists!