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I try to clean up after each project so I'm ready to go again when I feel like stamping. Looking at a messy table kills my mojo because I know I have to pick up before I can start.
Sometimes I use IRIS 12X12 boxes for long projects I'm working on -- all the stuff goes in the box and the box can be put away for when I'm ready to work on it again.
I am by nature a very orderly person, and most of the time my craft room reflects my personality. However, I don't have a lot of space to lay out a project so I'll have to open up tv tables. Then maybe the club order will arrive from CTMH and that'll be laying in the middle of the floor. I'll tip toe in at 5am to plug my iPod into the charger, trip over the box on the floor, grab for something and knock over the tv table, and there we are. 5:01 am and it's a disaster. I'm embarrassed to admit how often this happens. I just try to remind myself to look at the craft table when I'm done for the day, and put away anything I've finished using- an ink pad, the extra paper. I can always pull it back out if I need it again, but seriously, you have to be able to see what you are working on and it can't be buried under a pile of other supplies. Then you knock over the coffee or the glue and you've just wasted a bunch of stuff, right?
I am very fortunate to have a dedicated craft room/office and, along with everyone else, it does get messy as I like to have things close and accessible. When I created the room, I committed to myself that nothing would get put away until I had a place labeled for it. So, I have cabinets, drawers, shelves, baskets, mason jars, etc, and all are labeled. My husband build me 2 shadow box-type shelves...one to hold CD cases with acrylic stamps and the other to hold Mason jars (buttons, brads, etc). I painted the shelves and covered the inside/back with coordinating fabric. My new tools (punches, embossing folders, scissors, etc) all get a label with my name on it before it gets used or put away (a great way to use all those mailing labels that come free in the mail). That way when I pack for a class, everything I take has my name on it. I have a wicker basket under my work table for larger paper scraps and a small plastic container with little drawers for scrap ribbon, die cut or punched pieces, or word greetings. I love to pull from scraps. After I've pulled from scraps for awhile, I'll donate my scraps and start over. My sister hs foster daughters and a daughter who love to scrap...or there are lots of other places to donate to. Admittedly, every once in awhile, it's necessary to call "time out" and clean up, put away, re-sort, just look through my materials to see what's available for new creative moods. I'm always open for new organizing techniques.
I agree that it's absolutely essential that every item has its place. Once you start on this quest, you might find you enjoy it, and it is immensely satisfying when everything is back in its place after finishing a project.
Ahhh the stampers age old question . . . . I just this past week reorganized my craft room in an effort to make it easier to keep tidy. Previously I had everything going around the walls with the middle area open. I asked my daughter to help me come up with a better arrangement and what she came up with made me really cringe, but honestly? It's working out so well! about 80% of the things I use the most are within arms reach which makes it so easy and convenient to just put things back where they belong when I'm done with it. I just blogged about this very topic last night. If you'd like to see pictures, feel free to stop on by for a looksee My Little Corner of Heaven
__________________ �:*�*:�My next house won't have a kitchen. Just a bunch of vending machines and garbage cans.�:*�*:�
I just try to use the Flylady technique and do it in 5 to 15 minute time periods. It seems less overwhelming that way. I get behind a lot but when I look at the pile and know that I only have to spend a short time at a spurt, it's a little easier to tackle.
How do you keep your craft room clean? Do you have any ideas or suggestions to give me? There�s got to be a better way, I must be missing something. :???:[/QUOTE]
The whole reason I wanted a crafting room was so that I could leave unfinished projects out and not leave them on my DR table for everyone to see or have to clean up every night. That said, I do put everything away when I complete something. I need a clean work surface in order to be able to work.
My new craft room in the basement is almost ready to move into and I'm in a giant panic! Our dining room is my current craft space and I can't even see the bottom layer of stuff covering the top of the table (since the new room was started, things have just been thrown on top of the pile since I'll just have to move and organize it later). I've never had enough space or storage in the dining room and now I know I have to have everything neat in order to justify the expense and work that went into the new room. It doesn't help anything that I work at a craft store! I'm just going to have to find a place for everything, so that it all has a place to go "home" to. Sometimes I wish one of those suprise organizing tv shows would show up and get me in shape!
All the responses have been great. It's always good to know other people can be "All Cleaned Up" challenged too.
I have definitely got a direction to go in now. I really, really need to follow the advice about everything having a place. If I can't find a home for something then either it has to go or something else will have to go so the other thing will have its own home.
Some of my stuffs' home is in my kitchen and living room. My craft room is way too small (that's my excuse) for everything. My Bigshot and basket of dies live on the kitchen table. My Cricut lives on a table in my living room. At least most everything else goes in my craft room where I keep the door shut. Kitties are not allowed in there without supervision. I have a set of shelves that isn't fastened to the wall and when I went in there one day and saw one of the cats climbing up the front of it I almost had a fit. This set of shelves is not secure or solid. I live in an apartment so fastening things to the wall is not allowed.
I have taken over the large dr table and it works great and meals are now on the small table by the kitchen. I have two cats - they have the run of the house... so why do they always have to sit their furry behinds in the middle of my craft table on my current project?? I like the idea of clean as you go just can't apply it to real life yet.
I dont have a stamp room, I have everything in a bookshelf, armoire, and boxes.
I do know where I have everything though ;)
do make a lot of mess when I create something but put everything where it belongs, unless I'm working on orders, but usually clean up after I finish something
My new craft room in the basement is almost ready to move into and I'm in a giant panic! Our dining room is my current craft space and I can't even see the bottom layer of stuff covering the top of the table (since the new room was started, things have just been thrown on top of the pile since I'll just have to move and organize it later). I've never had enough space or storage in the dining room and now I know I have to have everything neat in order to justify the expense and work that went into the new room. It doesn't help anything that I work at a craft store! I'm just going to have to find a place for everything, so that it all has a place to go "home" to. Sometimes I wish one of those suprise organizing tv shows would show up and get me in shape!
My advice is to take it slow and use post-it notes as labels while you sort and organize. You may end up moving things around quite a bit until you find the best fit for things and what works best for you. Once you're comfortable with your set-up, then do permanent labels.
I've also found that by designating a particular storage space for things, it helps me to keep my buying/hoarding in check. I generally don't allow myself to grow out of a storage area. So once it's full, I have to stop buying that item (glitter, stickles, ink pads, ribbons, brads, whatever) or get rid of something so that the new fits. Make sense?
I actually find myself totally psyched to organize my stash. You are going to LOVE being able to find anything, at any time, in just a few seconds when you need it. Heck, I'm excited for you! :lol:
You are going to LOVE being able to find anything, at any time, in just a few seconds when you need it.
Oh, to actually be able to find what I want when I want it - My Dream.
I can be really scatterbrained at times. After I cleaned up my room last weekend I couldn't find my name stamp anywhere. This stamp actually has a home on my work table but it wasn't there. I finally gave up looking for it, I figured it would turn up eventually. It did, I had put it in with a set of stamps. I never would have thought to look there. If I hadn't pulled that particular stamp set out I probably would have ended up buying a new name stamp.
I couldn't find my plastic mat that goes with my Stamp-a-ma-jig. I got a little ocd looking for this and spent about 2 - 3 hours one night looking for it. This has a home too, it lives with my Stamp-a-ma-jig, they are not supposed to be separated. I finally found my plastic mat, it was in a pile of scrap paper. It's a good thing I didn't put that pile into the recycle bin.
It's easy to say everything needs a home but it takes a while to get ut that way and to choose organizational tools to help you. You have to start by getting enough shelving or storage cubes, whatever you can afford and fits your space.
I highly recommend going vertical. Use the height up your walls to help you out. I love tall bookcases and full-height wall shelving! They are your friends! (if you can't fasten them to the wall, put something small like a strip of wood underneath the front edge to tip it back slightly. The top should rest against the wall making it harder to tip) But if you just shove your stuff on them it will still be messy and unorganized.
The eclectic, mixy-matchy look is what I want but it is very hard to pull off without looking messy and unfortunately, room design isn't my forte! So I use the same size and colour boxes so my eclectic pieces shine and my space looks neater. My room is the first thing you see when you come in my front door so I have to keep it contained.
I use photo boxes from Michaels for most things. They come in lots of colours and the kraft ones can be painted without removing a glossy finish and they are CHEAP! I get then on sale for $2 or 3 for $5! You can't beat that value! For my stamps in CD cases I use Kasset boxes from IKEA which is where my shelving is from too. I have their metal 'restaurant' kitchen style shelving near/under the windows (5 in my room!) and I have a tall book case as well.
I surround myself with my stuff, 85% of my stuff is within arms reach! I just twirl my chair to get there. But if you need to stand up often to stretch, put it just a bit further away.
When you first organize, make a little book or note where you put things especially things you don't use often. ASK ME HOW I KNOW! And if you need to see things to remember to use them, go through your boxes once in a while putting the stuff at the bottom at the top. Or use a Clip it Up product. Putting duplicates of adhesive, cardstock or other things you buy in bulk away in a well labeled box helps keep things neater too.
But once everything has a place, it is simple will power needed to keep it up. I can leave stuff if I am tired and clean it up next time but if you know yourself and you can't, then force yourself to just get it done! But I know it's hard. I am a great organizer but those last few odd things that don't to with anything else HAUNT my work space! I mean seriously, I can't dedicate a photo box to my ATC blanks. Just where do I put those? At your house that might be easy but we all have odd things to deal with. Those I have leaned to live with!
Someone recently saw my space and said, "this room reeks of creativity". That all I need to know!
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
I make a huge mess, it doesn't matter whether I'm making a card, layout or mini album.
I clean up after every project just so I can find the supplies I need for the next one....
Sorry to hijack but Margaret, your work is beyond beautiful! I love your details, they"re extraordinary. Your dd is beautiful as well!
__________________ Kelley- Mom to 2 beautiful boys and a princess! My blog: returning from a deep sleep!
Well, I wasn't going to even touch this thread because I've been slacking lately. Usually, I try to clean up after each project - or at least after two projects - so that I know where stuff is when I go to start the next project - even if I'm doing them one after another in the same day. However, I haven't been in a very crafty mood lately, and it seems that the clean up is what I skip over if I feel that way. When I get like this I just push everything out of the way and keep going until I have no room left. I now have no room left. So, right now my craft table looks like my craft cupboard puked all over it. Here's a picture to show you what it looks like...
I now need another room to start over. (I still don't feel like cleaning it...)
This is me too. I can't create with a mess on my desk, so even though I will pull out 75% of the same tools I just put away, I have to start with a CLEAN room, THEN I can be creative, lol!
That is me entirely. I will clean up everything, and I do mean everything even in between cards. It clears my mind to start a fresh project with a clean slate. Nothing frustrates me more than having to hunt under scraps of paper for a tool or what not.
The same goes for my sewing room. Fabric can stack up even worse than paper - and even though a sewing project can rarely be completed as quick as a card, I still won't leave things in disarray. When I return to my sewing room after a few days, or weeks - I can pick back up on my project and know exactly where my supplies are stored.
__________________ A good dog, a sewing machine, and an old guitar......
OK. I debated whether or not to 'join the fray'. Yikes, I'm glad none of you can actually see my craft room right now. It's probably in the worst shape that it's ever been in. I utilize anything I can to help in the storage department. Garage sales are a great way to get inexpensive containers, shelves and so on. I do love the plastic drawer storage cabinets, I just don't want to spend a fortune on them. Once in awhile, I'll go through my paper scraps and use my punches to cut out shapes. Then when I need an embellishment, I have several things ready. Of course, now that I have a Big Shot, those options have greatly increased. Maybe someday I'll get it all organized (sigh...)
I now need another room to start over. :smile: (I still don't feel like cleaning it...)
__________________
Cat_Woman,
I love your work area. It looks just like mine. Is that a cup of water in the middle? I wouldn't dare, I'd knock it over in less than a minute.
I went to the CK convention this past weekend. I left my house with my craft room in fairly decent shape. I hardly bought anything at the convention. Really!
Anyway I spent another 3 hours on Sunday trying to put everything away. I still have quite a ways to go to get to where I can see my table top. But I did get a lot of stuff put away. I just can't believe it took over 3 hours to do it.
It will probably take me till Mother's Day to get my room cleaned up. Seriously, I did get the table cleared off yesterday. I just have to find places for all the new stuff sitting around. That might be a problem.
This looks like a perfectly normal craft area in my opinion. :p
Quote:
Originally Posted by cat_woman
Well, I wasn't going to even touch this thread because I've been slacking lately. Usually, I try to clean up after each project - or at least after two projects - so that I know where stuff is when I go to start the next project - even if I'm doing them one after another in the same day. However, I haven't been in a very crafty mood lately, and it seems that the clean up is what I skip over if I feel that way. When I get like this I just push everything out of the way and keep going until I have no room left. I now have no room left. So, right now my craft table looks like my craft cupboard puked all over it. Here's a picture to show you what it looks like...
I now need another room to start over. (I still don't feel like cleaning it...)
How adorable is that? What kind of medium/paint is used on the mug?
I think she used a product called Porcellan Potch (sp?). I'm not really willing to pay $15 shipping for a $5 bottle of the medium so I found Delta Air-Dry PermEnamel Satin Glaze for glass/ceramic/tile. It needs to be cured for 10 days and then it is waterproof & dishwasher/microwave safe & oven proof to 350F. I bought it at Michaels in the section where the glass paints are.
@ cat-woman: You are brave to show us your craft space. That's about what my dining room table looks like right now, minus the markers and the mug. :lol:
I have no tips to share on how to keep a craft room clean, except maybe to refrain from too many projects. Now that I have read this thread I want to try these mugs.....another project:eek:!!!
So not wishing to hijack the thread but do they make a product like this in the US? Is Delta Air-dry PermEnamel Satin Glaze really the same stuff?
I have no tips to share on how to keep a craft room clean, except maybe to refrain from too many projects. Now that I have read this thread I want to try these mugs.....another project:eek:!!!
So not wishing to hijack the thread but do they make a product like this in the US? Is Delta Air-dry PermEnamel Satin Glaze really the same stuff?
The Delta company is an american company (Whittier, CA) so I would imagine it would be available all across the states. Its not exactly the same product, but it is similar in that its glaze/sealant for glass/ceramic/tile. This one isn't heat cured, but air cured (10 days), but still has the same protective qualities as the porcellan potch.
Well, I wasn't going to even touch this thread because I've been slacking lately. Usually, I try to clean up after each project - or at least after two projects - so that I know where stuff is when I go to start the next project - even if I'm doing them one after another in the same day. However, I haven't been in a very crafty mood lately, and it seems that the clean up is what I skip over if I feel that way. When I get like this I just push everything out of the way and keep going until I have no room left. I now have no room left. So, right now my craft table looks like my craft cupboard puked all over it. Here's a picture to show you what it looks like...
I now need another room to start over. (I still don't feel like cleaning it...)
That gorgeous polka dotted paper caught my eye, how divine! (I wasn't snooping - honest). lol
I should take a picture of my craft table and you would feel good about yours. But I'm not that brave. It's quite shameful really. (hangs head).
Does look a little bit messy! When mine gets like this I just do it in small bites, work for 15 minutes, then reward myself with 15 minutes of my favorite show or something, then back again for more cleaning.
I was working on cleaning and organizing my room this past weekend. I came across a 14x14 tray I bought to keep current projects in so I can continue them. It was well hidden on a lower shelf and overflowing with unfinished projects from a year ago!!
out of sight out of mind.
We just redid a 9 x 12 bedroom into a craft/computer room for me. I still have to gather up all the stuff (in carts and a food pantry all over the house) bring it upstairs to "the room" and then first start organizing it to put it away. My plan is to do it so that it's well organized and I'll know where things are. I bought a 4' folding table at Costco but my husband requested that I not leave it out and opened. So, since he agreed to spend so much money redoing the bedroom and he's painting the furnture for me, I agreed. Doesn't make sense to me but ok, I'll be nice and agree. So, cleaning up after a project will be required. Maybe that's a good thing. I also have 2 cats. I have to keep that door closed because Mushy will make shredded wheat out of the new carpet. It will be the only room in the house without cat hair - lol - first time in years! When you get rid of stuff, what do you do with it? I hate to throw perfectly good things away but if I'm not going to use them (why did I buy them?) they have to go.
I really could make all of you feel better just by taking a picture! I'm in the middle of re-organizing and got a full on dose of a nasty virus. So I have a table with a two completed cards on it and supplies pulled for at least three more plus the ongoing organizational mess, having bought containers and now just trying to find the like things to put together an store together and truthfully the hardest thing for me has been deciding that some storage I have bought in the past just didn't work for me or doesn't work for me in the current layout and deciding whether its Goodwill/Craigs list time or to hang on to repurpose.
But TBH what I have gotten done on the organization front I love so slowly and surely I'm winning the race but it's definitely a marathon not a sprint.
I absolutely love cleaning, so I clean up after crafting (I do make a mess while I stamp or scrap)... I used to have a craft room but I don't have an extra bedroom in my new house for that, so it's a combo of office space/living room/study room this time around. It is on the first floor, so it has to stay organized in case someone drops by
__________________ Anna.
"Fearless is not the absence of fear. Fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you." (Taylor Swift)
I'm getting better at keeping my space at least clean enough to work in. On Sunday I went to a workshop and I took enough stuff to make 40 cards. I had two rolling carts and a tote full of supplies. On Monday I put everything away. That's pretty amazing for me. That is one good thing about being unemployed, I have enough energy to actually do some cleaning and organizing. Now all I have to do is pull myself away from this computer.
And after putting everything away I made this cute little embossed box with an embossed flower on top.
I cleaned my desk this weekend after finishing my Easter cards and several very late thank you cards for birthday gifts [birthday was 3/28 and I usually get notes or cards out right away but...]. It's amazing how much room I actually have on my desk with everything put away; it's a 6 ft desk and I've been working in about 12 in - it's a wonder I could cut cardstock at all since I wasn't able to extend the cutter all the way! I'll try to keep it this way but it's always a battle for me since I plan to make one type of card and get sidetracked and pull out all sorts of stamps, paper, ribbon, etc. and it gets very messy again. Another problem is my love-hate relationship with my Simply Rene Clip it [ I think that's the name], I love that it hold so much but it takes up so much room on my desk. Always glad to hear I'm not the only messy card maker!
Can't wait to see your coffee mug!
