March 22, 2012

Organizing Your Stash...Day 1

Recently I found these fun creamy glassware pieces at my favorite thrift shop. It sparked an organizing frenzy in my craft department. Big time. This week I'm going to share my recent organization sessions with you. :)
If you're a paper crafter you know how the goodies pile up, right? I was noticing that since I started Project Life and the Studio Calico kit club, my collection of smaller packaged items was growing. Big time. So how do you store it all? That is the question. When I receive new crafty items the packaging is enticing. And so pretty. I never want to tear into it. But I have found the secret to using up my stash and not hoarding it. I take it all out of the packaging.

I know for some this is terrifying. You want to keep everything in it's place. You want it to look pretty. But I find that if I leave items in their packaging I don't use them. So here's what I I do when I get a new stash of goodies: I admire them and fondle the packaging for a while before the items ever actually make it down to the craft department. Once in the craft department area they sit for a while so I can admire the pretty packaging again. Then once I'm over that I tear into the packaging. *gasp*
I am a visual crafter. I love to have things neat and tidy though. I love to have places for all my things. But recently my preferred method of organization is what I call "organized clutter". Everywhere. It's bad. I know you know what I mean. There are little organized piles of like stuff sitting around everywhere. That's how I roll. So my thought is if I can corral those little piles into something that looks nice but still sits out where I can see it, it's all good.

So that's where my pretty little vintage finds come into play. I took my little pile of goodies and tore everything out of the packaging. I started with brads, buttons, little yo-yo's, wood letters and little paper flags. Most of these items came from my Studio Calico kits. Some are items that I order online. I separated them into the little sections of my milk glass so the like items are still grouped together. Now everything is out in sight but it's all organized. I can look over to where I keep these little trays and the ideas are sparked. Visual organization is what it's about for me.
But I know what you're thinking. If it's not all showing in the cute packaging, "how do you know what you have?" I keep fun plates or trays like this plate from Anthropology handy. When I want to look at all my brads, for example, I scoop them out and spread them out on the plate. Each little collection is organized by like items. Do not dump everything into one big bowl, that may cause organizational mayhem. Not good.

And I know you're also asking, "how do you know what company makes what?" I don't know how I do it but most of the time I can remember what company makes a certain item. I tend to purchase from just a handful of favorite lines so their signature look shines through. I couldn't remember how old Jordan was the other day but when it comes to my crafty stuff, it's all up there. Ha!
Soooo.....I'd love your comments on how you organize. Are you a visual organizer? What do you like to store your goodies in? What are your favorite vintage finds? Got a photo, I'd love for you to link it up. I'll be sharing a few more posts of my visual organizing in the next week or so please visit again soon.

Disclaimer: I am by no means a well organized person. I am a hoarder, a collector, my mother's daughter. I get it honest. When you see one area of my house organized, just be careful when you open a closet or drawer. It might explode like a jack-in-the-box! But it's all good with me. I'll keep on wishing for that day when my house is all neat and tidy at the same time.

A good idea: Sometimes you just need to get over it and start purging. Those items you loved 5 years ago might not ever be your style again. Get rid of it. I'm going to keep this in mind and keep on sorting and cleaning out. Feeeeeeeels good, friends.

19 comments:

Sarah Martina said...

Mish! I love where you started with your organization talks because this is where I struggle THE MOST. I have way too many small packages of embellishments piled, stacked, & hanging around. I have lots of small vintage containers for things like pins and pearls, but for some reason the other embellishments stay packaged up. I love the idea of a bigger container with small compartments to sort of keep things out and visible (right where i like it) but still some what organized. Great post!

Unknown said...

LOL. I have to say that I did gasp and cringe just a little when you said you take things out of their packages. I have been trying to do that myself. I love your vintage finds to contain your goodies!!!

As far as my way to organize little doo dads...hmm....constantly a work in progress! lol. I have my brads in a drawer labeled as brads but I love the treasure hunting aspect of having them in vintage storage!

Bevie Pearl said...

Mish, I love your organization ideas. When I saw your post today, I immediately remembered this container I have..it is suppose to be for serving...like 3 different dips or 3 different salad dressings. I immediately went and got it and it is filled and sitting in my crap-ft room. I agree about the packaging....some items are easier to unpack than others. LOL. Thanks for your organization ideas. I can't wait to see what else you will be sharing.

TERIBERI'S CREATIONS said...

LOVE THIS POST ♥♥♥ I have to agree with you...I AM a visual crafter. If I don't SEE it, I won't use it and yes, I'm a hoarder too (putting down my head in shame LOL) Taking everything out of the packages is AWESOME. Since I started Project Life, I feel I have to have everything where I can easily access it. I belive "using" the things in my stash has made my pages come to life. Here is my blog post (video) showing my PL Organization: http://teriberi2.blogspot.com/2012/02/project-life.html This has worked for me so far. I do love your vintage containers - they are super cute and perfect. I enjoy your blog so much. Oh and speaking of "cute" packaging....your store is one of them ;) ♥♥ Hugs, T

Robin said...

This post couldn't come at a better time for me!! I am cleaning and purging today... and your right, my style has completely changed!! Listed loads of stuff on my blog for sale in hopes to get more space for what I do use!

Becky said...

Thank you for this post today! I too am a visual crafter and everything in my room is OUT where I can see it. Let me ask you this, once you have said items in said dish, where do you put it? Is it right on your main desk? This is what I'm struggling with. I love having my items right out on my desk where I can see them, but at the same time, I want my desk to be clutter free. Is this possible??? :)

Chrisd said...

Mish,
Oh my Mom had those great three section condiment dishes. I wish I had rescued them from the estate sale we had years ago but it is great to see them again. They are perfect for storing those gotta use items easily in the work area.

Lynda said...

Oh Mish! I have to see what I have or I forget about it...love your milk glass dishes! I have learned however, that I must do as you do - take the goodies out of their packages - so that I will not be tempted to hoard them! Great blog post!

Meredith MacRitchie said...

I do like you! I have jar after jar upon jar... I just picked up some cute ones from the dollar store and went to town. All my buttons are on one shelf, each colour in their own jar (that one's obvious)... all my embellishments are in jars, and organized according to what they are, and sometimes according to occasion; all my Xmas jars are together, for instance. I am like you - don't know my own name most days, but ask me where to find that tiny little floral stamp, and I'll tell you exactly which set it came from and what the set is called. My crafting parter/mother in law constantly balks at me, because I can name nearly any paper in her drawer - and she just knows she thought it was pretty. How many kids do I have again?

Andrea said...

I always love to hear about your sorting and displaying ideas - such purrty pieces those are! And I especially love the disclaimer! Thanks for keeping it real for us :)

kbhistory said...

LOVE IT!!!
Thank you - this post was perfect timing for me as well! I love to see my things - albeit in an organized fashion. I can totally see where taking things out of their packaging would make them much more "usable." But I am not sure I would remember exactly what company made them...so the question becomes - does that really matter????
Hmmmmm.... Thanks for the great post - cannot wait to see the next ones!
-Kristin B.

kbhistory said...

LOVE IT!!!
Thank you - this post was perfect timing for me as well! I love to see my things - albeit in an organized fashion. I can totally see where taking things out of their packaging would make them much more "usable." But I am not sure I would remember exactly what company made them...so the question becomes - does that really matter????
Hmmmmm.... Thanks for the great post - cannot wait to see the next ones!
-Kristin B.

Janie said...

I have been in "organizing mode" too. Next weekend I will be converting my guest room (still need a bed in there)into a craft room. You just gave me an idea. I have quite a few "hobnob" vintage pieces in my dining hutch that I think I will "break out" to use!
I too like to take things out of packaging, just easier to see and find.

Rebecca Ednie said...

I have several ways of organizing my embellishments. Most tiny ones I also remove from the packaging. Buttons, brads, eyelets, paper clips etc all live in small clear jars or clear containers that stack together. They are round and each one screws into the one on top of it with one lid on top. That way I can see what's inside each one. Not too pretty but practical. I wish they made them in glass!

Some things come in packaging that is similar in size to the product like sheets of bling so they stay intact inside a photo storage box. I can flip through the packages easily. I store lots of other items inside SU! stamp boxes standing up inside of photo boxes. Very organized.

Unless there is a Ton of yardage, ribbon comes off the spools and is wrapped with a white twist tie and stored in a large jar from IKEA. Again, I can see what's in there. Lace is also in a photo box. Stuff stuck in drawers gets forgotten. Stickers hang from a Clip It Up. I'd store everything on them except they do take up a lot of room.

lam said...

I also have too many small packages of embellishments piled, stacked, & hanging around. I´m a visual crafter too and I´ve learned that I use more stuff if I can se it, but I haven`t jet found a system that works, so it´s very inspiring to read the way you do it.

LMcBurney said...

I have found that product that goes into a drawer gets forgotten. I have pulled out lots of embellishments and put them on a clip it up. That really helps me. I love the look of your bowls but I don't want to give up valuable table space. Where to you keep them? Hey, How about some advice on how to purge? I need to purge some things. What do you do with it?

Sheri said...

Love this idea. It might help me use things more and not hoard them to just look at. I've been incorporating lots more of my vintage finds into my studio. I found some little tart pans that work great for odds and ends. What I always think of with this is, OK, I'll just say it...DUST! Oh, and I have been collecting old clothespins and wooden spools and wrapping my ribbon around them and sorting by color in different kinds of lidded jars.

Kelly said...

i love your milk glass! i have some blue depression glass divided bowls that i use for the same things. one thing that i have found (as i don't always remember where things come from) is that i just clip the company name from the packaging and put that little tag in the bottom of the bowl or jar and then it is always there for me. this isn't such an issue for me as i don't really submit too often but it is nice to know. thanks for the great tips.

Laurie said...

Mish, I love organizing tips. I daresay it is one of the most fun parts of scrapping for me! I wonder when you take stuff out of packaging, what if it has sticky stuff on the back for adhering?

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