Happy New Year! We’ve heard from so many of you that it is a major goal to get your sewing areas organized, and we are going to help. We’ll call it COMQG Sew Organized 2020, and be using a social media hashtag of the same name. (You don’t even have to be a Guild member to participate! Just subscribe to this blog for new challenges.) Read on to see what the organizing challenge is for January, but first: 

Consider looking at the areas of your space that could use organizers. Measure the shelves and spaces available and think about what type of boxes will help to keep your items organized. Purchasing a few ahead of time that fit your shelves can really create an instant face lift in your space and will be very helpful throughout these challenges! 

Now for the challenge!

January

1. Start a donation box/shelf!

This is the new home for all the fabrics, tools, trims, and books you don’t mind parting with. As we go through our organization journey we’ll come across materials we’ve had for years, but never seem to use. This is their new designated location.

Now, the donation box does not mean you have to just cold donate the fabrics in it. You could reserve these fabrics for charity projects, gifts, guild projects, friends, etc. They are fabrics you will visit and use, but they no longer go into your official (#prized) stash.

These should still be fabrics you like and enjoy using, but do not feel a small pang of heartache when you part. They are to be used with excitement and the freedom of decreasing your stash.

Also consider the value of items placed in this box. If it is a lot of yardage or several fabrics you can make into a bundle, consider holding those aside as gifts or even re-sale. Look for opportunities locally to sell or trade some of these items. Here in Columbus, Ohio our local quilt shops are a great resource for these events, such as Sew to Speaks de-stash on the lawn.

You can challenge yourself as much as you like in filling this box. If you are looking to free up some much needed space, try to move a few more things over into your donation box you may not have before. 

Now that you have this box in a designated place it will likely grow over time. A good way to prevent this box from morphing into a secondary stash is to use it frequently. Shop there first when beginning a new project. It’s perfect for many uses, such as to learn a new skill, make muslins, gifts, completing guild challenges, or donation quilts to name a few.

Bonus Challenge:

If you are really trying to whip your sewing room into shape for 2020 and your stash is feeling a little out of control…

Could you shop your stash exclusively for all of 2020? What about 6 months? This can be a great design challenge that can broaden your perspective on a project before you even begin. It can encourage you to use new color, pattern, and designer combinations you may not have tried before. Not to mention its very friendly with your budget 😉

Best of luck!

Use the #COMQGseworganized2020 to show us your progress!