Muddling through and catching up ...

So, here we are on the 11th of the month ... so far I've put away all our Christmas decorations (in the attic where they belong) and have started going through the random boxes and piles filled with paperwork that seem to have accumulated between Labor Day (when we have our annual barbeque) and Christmas.  (Yes, I will admit that in order to present a lovely, clean and organized looking home, I go through our house and clean the "public viewing" areas by throwing everything in a box that I don't need immediate access to.  Don't judge me.)

M.O. Signature Binder - Photo courtesy of  seejanework.com

As I go through all of these papers, I'm sorting them into my newly developed Project Binder.  What's this you ask?  Well ... it's a lovely purple binder that was neglected for oh, 2 years that I had sitting on my bookshelf and decided to use along with the box of page protectors and package of dividers that were there even longer.  I love these binders ... cute inside pattern, pretty purple color and a little cut out to easily pull off the shelf.  Since I have umpteen hobbies and interests, I divvied the sections into the following:  Scrapbooking, Knitting, Cooking & Baking, Quilting/Sewing and General Projects.  After I sorted through most of my paperwork I slipped my printouts of projects, patterns and ideas into the page protectors.  Now instead of trying to remember if I printed something, archived it in emails or simply just haven't thought of it in a while it'll all be in one place.  

After that mess was organized, why not continue?  While my niece and husband played his new Batman Wii game that he got for Christmas, I emptied out our 2 front hall closets ... the surprise storage area for my quilting and sewing projects. Oy vey.  I have quite the little stash going.  I went through my fabric for a couple of upcoming projects that I need to get working on ... and the rest of the closet contents are still sitting on the floor in our front hallway.  (Luckily we don't have visitors coming through the front door in the next couple of days.)  

Here's where the muddling through comes in ... the hubby is sick, we're expecting anywhere close to a foot of snow tomorrow ... which means that I'm hoping so very very much that it will snow so badly that I will justifiably have to call out from work.  If that happens ... then I'll be able to attack the mess in the front hall and be done with it.  Once that's done, please don't worry - I'll have plenty more to organize.  Namely the boxes that have the "organized" crap in it that I've sorted through.

I have to say ... after proof reading this, I realize how pathetic this little organizational feat sounds ... but it makes me happy, so I'll live with accepting that! 
 

This weekend ...

I've been wanting to do this for a while, but I think this weekend may be it.  I want to go through our house room by room and list (here's where I wish I had a little mini recorder, but I guess I could leave myself a voice mail, huh?) everything that I want done or thrown out or moved or SOMETHING in every room.

Ambitious? Yes.  Will the hubs think I'm nuts?  Of course.  (What else is new?) ... But on my quest to be committed this year (not institutionalized, mind you) .... I need a really good and reasonable plan of action.  I think one room a month isn't a bad idea.  

Now, it's off to bed ... there's supposedly a snow storm coming in NY ... as per the lines at the grocery store (and the weather report).  I'll believe it when I see it!

Have you ever .... ?

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I'm working on a commissioned quilt for a friend.  I've cut all the fabrics, labeled them so I don't confuse myself and was going to pin them together for sewing while watching TV with the hubby.  (See?  All ready to go.)

Now ... I have my lovely & beautiful craft room ... however - I don't sew there.  I sew on our beautifully huge kitchen table.  It's big enough for me to spread everything out, or quilt a queen size project - and it's closer to my hubby since he probably wouldn't like me using the sewing machine next to him while we watch TV.  (Just a guess there.)  This being said .... I kind of have taken to putting my sewing supplies in our front foyer closet.  (Who needs to hang guests' coats?)   Around Thanksgiving when everything has to be "guest perfect" ... a whole bunch of stuff got put into an extra large reusable shopping bag that I picked up from The Christmas Tree Shoppe. 


I had only taken out what I needed so far (cutting mat, ruler, tools) and had left the other stuff in there.  I now needed pins ... and lots of them ... the pin cushion just wasn't going to cut it.  I had to get my other box of pins that I use just for this type of thing.  Only problem?  They weren't where I thought they were.  They *should* be in the little tote carrier that holds all my little stuff ... seam ripper, measuring tape, etc. for sewing .... shouldn't they?


And so began "the search" .... I couldn't find the pins in the bag, in the containers or in any other godforsaken item that I had around.  I searched.  I looked in my craft room, the laundry room and everywhere else I could think that I may have used or put them for "safe keeping".  Nothing.

What else is a girl to do?  I had (HAD) to organize all my sewing stuff.  That's right - go through all the fabric stash and reorganize into different containers ... after all ... I *have* to do this, so why not make it useful organization time.   I *still* couldn't find them.  All my fabric had been sorted, folded or refolded and categorized (felt and flannel have their own boxes, yardage and fat quarters do as well) and I, like a good wife ... went whining to my husband.  


God Bless him ... he actually helped me look for about 3 minutes - and marveled at the fact that I couldn't find them.  Then he asked what was to me the funniest question ... "well, why don't you go through your stuff and look for them."  I stared at him.  I looked back at the kitchen table, did my best Vanna arm swipe to show him the table and said "What do you think THAT is?"

 


He shook his head and went back to watching TV.  I, however could not.  I needed those damn pins!  EVERYTHING that was downstairs had been sorted through ... where the hell were these things?  I went back up into the craft room and looked on my desk ... nothing ... looked around the room in various places ... nothing.  Then ... sitting on the old sewing desk/table from my grandmother was a white basket.  Hm ... it wouldn't be in there - that is just old sewing stuff that I had put aside.  How wrong was I?  They were right there, next to a pair of scissors and some bobbins ... just waiting to be used.


Needless to say, I was too damn tired after reorganizing everything to even think about pinning things together that night - but I did finally get it done last night as my husband snickered next to me, mumbling something about me being crazy.  It's not my fault the pin found his arm! ;)


Please tell me that this has happened to you at some point too ... that I'm not the only one that has reorganized an entire section of something looking for one tiny little thing?