Tidying Up A Few Things

in particular my sewing storage and it's been instructive to say the least. I have always enjoyed sewing - I used to make most of my own and my children's clothes and I've been a patchworker and quilter for many years - and although these days arthritis has made it much harder to do either I still have an interest in both. For a few years a lot of things (mostly health related) have forced me to do only the bare minimum of sewing - repairs and minor adjustments mainly - but for a while now I've been working through the house decluttering and generally organising things better, thanks at least in part to having reread The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.

I've always gone with the theory that's there should be a place for everything and everything in its place but if I'm honest things had gotten a tad out of order and that was no longer working. The reread of Kondo's book a year or so ago inspired me to get 'stuff' - and we do seem to have an inordinate amount of 'stuff' - organised. I could see the task was pretty monumental, though, and I've made the mistake of looking at what needs to be done and being overwhelmed by the task before. I knew I needed help if I was ever going to get anywhere and that's where Julia Bickerstaff's 100 Day Goal (I've talked about it before) came to my aid, that and a closed Facebook of fellow 100 Day Goalers which helps keep me and my micro actions accountable.

It has helped even if I've fallen by the wayside for a while when health and other problems have overtaken me. So far I've reorganised my clothing cupboards and drawers going along with Marie Kondo's recommendations, worked my way through the dining room and family room and I'm currently tackling what is known here as 'the playroom'. That's the room that contains my office and all my sewing and craft equipment. The office section is fairly orderly but the rest ... well, I'd rather not admit to the state of it. I knew it needed attention and kept putting it off but now I've bitten the proverbial bullet and have been working through the mess - and it really was a mess.

While I'm not quite finished - I still have one drawer to sort and tidy - I'm discovering a treasure trove of useful items among the dross and there is certainly a lot of dross. Some things have been gifted to Miss Three and a Half for dress ups - she went home the other day draped in necklaces that I'll never wear again and truth be told it's a mystery  why I ever thought I would. But there's a lot more. I found enough assorted fasteners - hooks and eyes and press studs - to last for several lifetimes I suspect. The same applies to zippers, a motley collection of bias tapes in colours I cannot ever remember sewing with, hemming tapes, iron-on patches, inter-lining and ribbons - so many ribbons. Then there are containers of different kinds of pins. I have no idea why I ever bought some - wedding and lace pins are not something I have ever had a need for. Oh and the sewing needles - there must be hundreds of many varied sizes and types. Along with all that there are tape measures, marking chalks, belt makings, buttons of all shapes and sizes, a punch for putting rivets in belts and a collection of travel sewing kits - why those are there or where they came from I do not know.

I have no idea what I am going to do with much of this. For the moment I have simply discarded the obviously useless and sorted the rest into groups which will have to be sifted through again when I can find a way to find anything useful a new home. I have a idea that there are charities that might find a use for some of it but that will take some time and investigation. Wish me luck.