What did I do this weekend? I sorted and de-cluttered my closets. I mainly focused on creating an office space so that I can work on my goals for the New Year and have everything I need easily accessible. There is nothing worse than trying to do a craft and digging around in a dark closet, pulling our various tubs and bins filled with zip-lock bags of random items. Over the years I estimate I must have spent a fortune buying and re-buying the same pen or ribbon because I couldn’t locate what I was looking for in the moment I needed it.
My main interests are sewing, and jewelry design. I hope to get my Etsy store up and running this year and I need to rebuild my inventory for the 2013 season of Last Thursday. Last Thursday is a huge art festival where local artists sell their creations. The event is held the last Thursday of every month in the Alberta district.
My first step was to pull everything out and put it into categories. I then went through each pile and reduced the bulk by half. I made a donation box for SCRAP a local charity that sells recycled art supplies. I always say that you need to let go of the ugly before you can grasp the beautiful. This is so true. Your design will be compromised if you keep everything. It is so important to let things go.
After I de-cluttered. I sorted small items into mason and baby food jars. I banished my old system of zip lock baggies. Second I got some large jars for my ribbon collection and sewing notions. I even used old antique ball jars to hang on the outside of the rack to store scissors (which I use 20 times a day) and feathers I don’t want to hide because they are beautiful and this way they wont be crushed.
I hung up strands of beads with nails inside frames I had already hanging on my wall.
I made an inspiration board from one frame by tacking ribbon inside and using some clothes pins to hang items I admire. I also used binder rings to hand magazine pages of designs I like. I hold punched my favorite business cards and put a small binder ring on it and made a rolodex of sorts. Another idea to save space and personalize your space is to hang pictures and mementos on the wall behind your office supplies. I created this neat envelope ribbon by pinning a yard of satin blanket binding to the wall using upholstery nails (they are prettier than regular nail heads). The Blanket Binding comes folded in half and is pressed and flat this creates an envelope on your wall to poke pictures and cards into. I decorated mine with pom-pom trim which will also serve as a place to hang earrings and buttons after I make them.
Since I already had a collection of hobnail milk glass I utilized some of the pieces to store pens and paper clips for everyday office tasks. The result is a beautiful functional space that allows me to work on crafts or check e-mail. I hope this post inspires you to de-clutter and beautify your own space. Happy crafting!
