I have enough stuff to last 4 lifetimes. I just kept buying, but I was working full time, weddings and grandbabies started coming, and I didn’t have the time or energy to sew. Then 2020 happened and I got furloughed. My entire house was a complete disaster. Enter my daughter, who is a stay at home mom, and has the guts to say “DOES THIS BRING YOU JOY??” She’s brutal when it comes to clutter and I need that badly. She helped me reclaim most of the downstairs, although my husband’s garage workbench is taking over the desk in the kitchen again😡. She’s been helping me with my sewing spaces. I have two rooms upstairs (her old room and her brother’s old room). There’s still a long way to go, but at least I can move around in my main sewing room and actually sew! I need to purge quilt kits that I know I’ll never get to, but I need to get her back over to help me do it. She pushes me to make the hard decisions. I have such a hard time letting go😫😫. I’m so lucky to have her❤️

This is like an ADHD crafters therapy class, thank you 😊 🙏

I've had some of my stash so long, it's vintage now...

@marjoriemrasek5069

3 жыл бұрын

)l

@PattymacMakes

3 жыл бұрын

LOL Same!

@barbwalter1869

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly! I have material I made an outfit for my two-year-old daughter. she's now 32 and I've made that same material in a quilt I made her two-year-old son!

@shellieglass289

3 жыл бұрын

Keep in mind d, some fabric eventually gets "dry rot", disintegrates, and is unusable

@almadeliamorris8745

2 жыл бұрын

Oh wow. I love vintage material and lace. I have some too. I make gifts for my sisters and it makes it very special to add the vintage touch. They love it!

She resonated with me when she mentioned dumping stuff in your sewing room. I thought I was the only one. I’m listening to the whole series before getting started

I have gotten good at purging things I don’t like or use to make more room for fabric. My weakness, that I cannot seem to harness, is collecting quilting books. Maybe an episode about organizing books and patterns could be a future topic?

This video is going to save me hundreds of dollars! I have now determined to reorganize my space without buying any new furniture or containers!

😄 The third option - ". . . or are you just avoiding your sewing room . . ." showing a picture of a closed door - cracks me up! That's me right there in my hallway 🤣, hence, one of my reasons for watching this video. I just enjoy watching your videos, regardless of the subject!

It’s probably OCD but I need to clean and declutter before I sew. It’s easier for me if I give myself 10 mins each time to clean up before leaving the room.

@joycesinclair9397

3 жыл бұрын

I tend to clean when I get a “section” finished. I brush down my cutting table, empty my scrap catcher, put usable scraps into my scrap box, fold and stack my fabric, then I’m ready to start afresh.

@tracywodonga8112

3 жыл бұрын

it's a good habit

You inspired me ! I just de cluttered my design board. It had turned into a bulletin board. Thanks for inspiration.

You don’t know how much I need you. Lol

@judithaaron6985

3 жыл бұрын

Ditto!!

Oh my goodness...those darn squirrels! I know exactly what you are talking about...I have a few of them, right now,....keeping busy and looking ever so cute up in my quilting room... just the other day I thought, Hey! wouldn't it be fun to to a children's I Spy quilt...with using all 2.5 inch squares of different things (ladybug, other insects, small nursery print animals)...so I went out, and bought some fabric...and it is now on a shelf up there...rather than just writing down in a journal for a FUTURE project....after all my other ufo's are done! lol!

Yes yes! My sewing room is a minefield! Lol

I've used Body Doubling for years. I've asked friends to drop by with their book/knitting/wine and I sew/declutter/clean.

Tip 5 speaks to me. I use the squirrels as motivation to finish what I’m working on so I can then give the cute little squirrel my full attention.

I understand the efficiency goal of keeping your work stations close to each other. However, because I need exercise, I have my three stations set up as far from each other as I can, thus requiring me to hustle from one end of the house to the other. I also like to put my machine on a counter so I can stand to sew. Working toward a goal of sitting no more than four hours each day.

The guilt is a huge thing. Thanks for bringing it up. I have been watching your declutterring videos over and over as I have a large studio space but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t overbought. lol can’t wait for the 2024 challenge.

With some of my fabrics, I gave some away to some friends who I know that sew alot because it was just sitting in my plastic tote box taking up space. With my scraps I cut them into different size squares and put them in a plastic shoe box to sew later. 1 time a friend came over to visit and I gave her all of my cut up squares and other fabrics because the ladies in her church were planning on sewing quilts to give away for Christmas so I gave her what I had to give them a head start.

This is the one thing I've been trying to do. My daughter keep telling me, please get rid off some of my sewing and stop reorganizing the stuff. I just thoughts I was the only one had a lot of sewing stuff. I enjoy watching your videos.

Thanks Karen. I now have a picture of a squirrel on my wall!

In my decluttering I tend to find a Herd of Squirrels! This is great information and I can’t wait for the challenge - thank you!

I’ve been tackling this for about 1 year now. Scrap quilt production has been part of the result! Just prior to this video I cleaned overspray off my floor....ewwwww! But, it is clean now!

I love that you call them Squirrels!! It’s so appropriate!! 😂😲 🐿👀🐿 👀 🐿 👀

Hello, well I did it. My sewing room is clear of clutter, garbage, etc. I gave to guilds around my town all the stuff that I did not need or want. It's feels so great to have a clean space. Thank for everything Karen.

My husband and I moved into a brand new house three years ago. My sewing space is in the spare room where I constantly trip over the antique bedroom furniture. I finally built a wall of shelves last year... and promptly filled it with all of the stuff in my bins. But they're still full... I have been avoiding the whole room since Christmas. Thanks for the reminder that it's time for a declutter! I have a new grandbaby to make a quilt for. Ugh, time to get busy...

Too many squirrels! Thanks for the great tips.... just what I needed to Just Get It Done!

Letting go is the hardest! I think I have every scrap of fabric from every item I have ever sewn. I'm relatively new to quilting; I used to be a garment sewer only (from children's clothes to wedding dresses and figure skating outfits for my 4 children). My thinking was that I could not throw out a piece larger than an inch because I might be able to use it someday. And I always had in mind that when my kids were grown I would make them a quilt with the leftover fabric from items I had made them as children- kind of a memory quilt. I had no idea that spandex is no an ideal quilting fabric 🤣. My thinking now is that I should find something useful to make out of my scraps so recently made a turban headband out of leftover fabric from 32 yrs ago! Rifling through bins of fabric scraps can be exhausting so I have started sorted them by fabric type. I plan to use your earlier videos to cut all the cotton type fabric (who can remember what the fabric content was from that long ago) into manageable pieces for blocks. And looks like some of it will be used for making doll clothes for my granddaughter. So many projects and ideas, so little time 😢. Thank you for the great strategies

@gerrysiebert8639

3 жыл бұрын

Same here. No quilts but clothes and household item sewing. Never threw anything out. Inherited stuff as well. Think I'll have trouble getting rid of scraps etc bc I think everything might be useful someday. Child of depression era parents...you know they saved string!!! Now 67 and better get decluttering to save my children from this same fate!

@mssixty3426

3 жыл бұрын

@@gerrysiebert8639 me too!

Yup, my interrupters are Squirrels and Butterflies. Lol. I’ll start keeping a notepad nearby.

As my kids were growing up and out of clothes, I had to initiate a twice a year declutter program and extended it to anything that could grow out of hand. So each spring and fall, right at the time we switch the clothes, is when we execute.

Love the squirrel analogy! This is exactly what happened when I was reorganizing the bathroom drawers! I got so wrapped up in making dividers that I lost track of the bigger job.

when the pandemic first happened and I was furloughed for 3 months I did a hard core de-stash and organized my sewing space. now almost a year later I can see which fabrics, projects and supplies I've worked with and get rid of the rest. Thanks for sharing another great video! 👍

It warmed my heart to hear your reference to a Mack truck. I worked in specifications & production at Mack for over 30 years. The final five years is when my love of quilting returned & I joined my local guild. I love all your videos & recomend them constantly.

@JustGetitDoneQuilts

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you

I spend so much time looking for things, it just frustrates the daylights out of me! I need this!

My name is... and I am a fabriholic. My daughter finally convinced me to go through my stash. I ended up taking 14 garbage bags of fabric away to a charity I knew would make good use of it. I was NEVER going to have the time to use it all.

Thankyou Karen ! Those pesky squirrels getting in all areas, not just sewing. I am working on the 'getting in your own way' stuff right now. Henceforth squirrels included next. Will be watching with much interest.

I love to rewatch Karen's organizing videos. I do one or two of her suggestions every now and then and slowly but surely my room is looking better and working better for me.

@JustGetitDoneQuilts

2 жыл бұрын

Almost time to do another

This series is honestly pure gold for me. Thank you!

Yes I need to “forgive “ at the moment I won’t let anyone into my sanctuary as it is horrid

I call myself a clutter nut, must be all the squirrels. My sewing roomsss, yes three rooms and a bolt of fabric storage area. Guess I should take the challenge.

Happy Friday everyone. It's been a crazy week for Brandy and I as we get all out ducks in line for the Declutter Challenge. Those dregs of 2020 are everywhere and I want them gone LOL. So grab your coffee and enjoy.

@k.ruthwilliams2750

3 жыл бұрын

“Brandy and ME”

@cleementine

3 жыл бұрын

@@k.ruthwilliams2750 Not cool.

@adevore1971

2 жыл бұрын

@@k.ruthwilliams2750 wrong

@kathrynschmidt2860

2 жыл бұрын

Are you able to put the T+Cs up so we can see them please Karen?

I know this is a few years back. I just finally sorted.my strips bin, and lossed anything less than 1.25" wide and 4.5" long That is the smallest I like to work with. Everythin is sorted by color, so I'll make strips to continue the long rows I've been working on. Might be pads for our kitties to snooze on the seaonal storage bins in.my.closet, or a car quilt used f9r lots of reasons. Next is my chips and chunks bin. I will go through that to see how many 2.5" squares I can make for my hexie project tote. I have a long way to go for that. Whatever scraps are smaller than that will be tossed. I don't deal with them, that's too small for my sanity.😏. When I get these two bins emptied, I will make use of those to replace bins with lids that don't snap tight, and remove them from the house. It took my sister, and I, our spouses and families over 4 years to go through our parents' house, starting 10 years ago. We don't have huge piles of anything, in our own homes, because none of us want to have our grown kids go through thaaaat all again with our shtuff* (I came up with this* word while working on our parents' place.)

This will definitely help! What I love about your process, you can apply these steps to any room.

Just spent 3 days organizing my stash by size of cut in little bins folded to fit in them this way I can shop from my stash easier I can see all my fabric and love it.

You are a breath of fresh air and you give me hope and will allow me to again be creative because I am currently drowning!!! Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Panasonic ❤Their microwave is a Genius.

For years I forbid anyone for entering my studio. (It looks like a hoarders room.) I have to lock the door because some my friends try to take a peak. Won’t they be surprised when they sneak a peak and find a clean, organized sew studio. Thanks for the information. I on my way to declutter.

Okay I subscribed and commented on Facebook only to receive emails from unknown people telling me to comment on KZread. Not very tech savy so was surprised to receive these comments. I am looking forward to continue watching your you tube videos and learning better quilting habits.

Between you and Cathy Hay I feel like my mental health has some very good mentors. ❤️

@JustGetitDoneQuilts

3 жыл бұрын

❤️ Cathy Hay

@rachelburgener819

3 жыл бұрын

So who is Cathy Hay?!? ❤️😀

@JustGetitDoneQuilts

3 жыл бұрын

You need to google the Peacock Dress

My bedroom is also my sewing/craft space. I started cleaning it up earlier this week but I can only do a bit each day. This is so timely for me.

@lizagervais8621

2 жыл бұрын

Moved to a new place (both rentals) but my sewing space is still part of my bedroom.

I just refreshed my space and fixed the triangle - what a difference it makes! I do however have a closet to declutter so I’m aboard!

@JustGetitDoneQuilts

3 жыл бұрын

Amazing what I difference it makes. I just moved my ironing board three feet...what a difference

Good morning Karen. It’s 9.00am Saturday here in Sydney, Australia and a beautiful sunny day so far. Great video and very helpful. I only wish I could get my husband to watch it for his study - not good 🥴.

Oh! I needed this advice years ago! Thank you. Your practical ideas and encouragement is priceless.

Karen, Love #1,,,,, it’s the best advice yet!

Your very first tip happily surprised me, made me smile, and may sound a little crazy, but brought a tear to my eye. Boy did I need to hear that! Thank you so much for these tips; you are the best, Karen 💐

Thank you so much for this! I am going to get rid of the small "strings" that I don't really want to do anything with. They will go to a friend who uses cotton scraps for pet beds. And for now, I am going to focus on 1.5" strips, 2.5" strips, 10" squares, Fat Quarters, and Yardage. This is going to make my life so much easier and more relaxing. Thanks, Karen!!!

Karen, your videos & tips truly MOVE me together something done-sorting, cleaning, moving along, etc. Thanks so much!!

@mariecolello4222

2 жыл бұрын

To get something done, too!

I discovered your KZread about a year ago when you talked about your journal and I have been following you ever since. The decluttering journey and your many tips have become part of my life and I am looking forward to the next three weeks.

You're my new best friend.

I have a yard of very nice wool tweed, given to me by my grandma-in 1970-along with my first sewing scissors. It’s not going anywhere, although I may turn it into a memory bear.

Yay! I just shared this with my accountability partners. Thanks for putting a name on the squirrel! Creative people have super active brains, and we waste so much energy thinking about future projects instead of pouring it into the task at hand. As always, you are doing a great job with your videos.

@annasheldon8380

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Lily, I'm no longer alone with thinking of future projects. So happy to know this.

I love this video! It uses the flylady principle of a 15 minute declutter. I'll try to follow the challenge.

I have a small 2 bedroom trailer and the back room is..I should say had become a storage room for everything and I need to clear it out and make me a sewing room.YES...I lost my sewjo as well. Looking forward to the declutter challange

I donated some of my fabrics to a local school who are teaching textiles. They were really grateful 😊

My sewing room is my kitchen table, we live in a small ish 2 bed house in the UK and are on a very low budget. My sewing stuff is kept in a small drawer unit and bags 😓 the bags usually stored in my bedroom, wardrobe and behind the kitchen door. We are planning on making a sewing/ crafting station in our bedroom as it's a half decent size 🥰 can't wait. Thanks for the handy tips on decluttering, I can use these tips for the rest of our belongings. I love your videos, thank you. XXX

@angelar1500

3 жыл бұрын

Holy moly, this is my story! 'Cept for the husband, which I suppose means I have more available space in my bedroom! Yea! 🤓

@JSCRocketScientist

3 жыл бұрын

We have 6 children and me sewing space was always my kitchen table. The repair guy always complained that there were toast crumbs in my machine. Now that I have a sewing and weaving room, it’s even worse. I’m looking forward to this!

@yvethemetriccrafter688

3 жыл бұрын

Nice to meet another uk quilter on here, hey, 👋

@lauramarjoram2692

3 жыл бұрын

Hey everyone, I wasn't expecting replies, hi Angela and Yves art! Wow rocketscientist you have 6 kids! I have one little boy, we're so lucky to have him, he's very curious and always eager to learn, he's nearly 5 and has always been interested in watching me sew and crochet, he'll just ask "mummy, can I come and sit with you and watch how you do it" He's a great little helper. Have you guys got your kids sewing? If so what age did they start? Xxx

@JSCRocketScientist

3 жыл бұрын

@@lauramarjoram2692 I started them sewing buttons on cloth by 5. About 8 I took them to a local quilt shop for kids sewing machine classes. They used a series of books called Sewing Machine Fun by Nancy Smith. My children are all adults now and even the boys sew from time to time. They weren’t very interested until they discovered they could make bean bags to throw at their sisters. One of my daughters is a quilter now.

i just love your site so much ... so with covid i had to start working from home and my work space started to invade my sewing space... so i moved to a 3 bed room ... 1. for my bedroom 1 for my computer room and 1 for my sewing room... i live in apartments .. at the moment... ... believe me i am in heaven now but i still have to struggle with the organization and declutter... one of my things i learned was think vertical ... when it comes to storage... or placement of things...

Hello, I try for the first time your challenge. I’m French and I don’t speak and understand very well American language but I try this challenge because I think I need it. Thanks you 👍👍

Yeppers...I use multiple rooms. My sewing room is a large closet, it seems.

@cherylwilliams42

3 жыл бұрын

I just make more of a mess. Ug!

Next show will be with Mary Fons !!!! This is so amazing ....my two favourite quilters in one talk ....I cant wait !!!!

@JustGetitDoneQuilts

3 жыл бұрын

She is so wonderful in this interview

OMG! This is my life! My dad was a serious hoarder so I never learned how to declutter. I'm going to take all your lessons and start on my sewing room/office. Wish me luck!!! LOL! Thanks!

Your organization videos, stash buster, scrap management, UFO management are the best I've found! I've had to watch them several times, especially this one, but I have the courage to ACTUALLY DECLUTTER. Not just try to organize the overwhelming clutter. Started yesterday. Have a bunch to go, but it will be a functional space!

@carriedoty4527

Жыл бұрын

I started Decluttering my sewing/craft room yesterday! Your channel is awesome!! Thanks Kathy!

Thanks Karen exactly what I needed to hear, really need to clean & declutter!!😏🇨🇦

@JustGetitDoneQuilts

3 жыл бұрын

You can do it!

I’m not a quilter but thanks to you I’m going to give it a go!

You made a gorgeous quilt using left over pieces - maybe after every 3rd quilt or so an eclectic/crazy one [my favorites] could be made from all those left over pieces - before buying fabric for the next quilt.

Thank you for this video. I’m moving and my feelings of packing up have been complex. Thank you for the advise on forgiveness.

I have been working on my sewing room/crafting room for a year. There are some good habits I have gotten into but still have to thin things out which is very difficult. I will have to check out the Declutter Challenge as I would love to get the room under control.

Wow. Loved the video. I live in a fifth wheel. No room for a sewing room. But that's my dream. Maybe 1 day I will have one. I too still make masks, American doll clothes, design flour sack dish towels, and also make jewelry. I love doing all that, it's my relaxation time. I'm thinking about moving out my breakfast table for a nice sewing table. I would not miss my kitchen table.

Love your attitude. I started quilting in 1976 and I'm quite sure that thee is still some fabric hanging around since then..

I definitely need this now! In preparation for a future move, we moved my sewing/craft area from one large room to a smaller space equivalent to what will be available after the move. I was able to put the main furniture (sewing table/cutting table/ironing board/bookcases) where it made sense to me. My plan was to use the now empty space in the old room to sort and declutter so that I would only move what I was keeping into the new space. However, almost immediately, the old space was needed for another purpose. My husband moved everything out of the old room, some of it into what was to be his section of the new area and some on top of my sewing and cutting tables. I went from looking forward to decluttering to feeling a bit overwhelmed. I have gotten all of my sewing table and half of my cutting table cleared. As of yesterday, with the help of my husband, walking space is now available to reach the totes and stuff piled on totes and bookcases. I am no longer feeling overwhelmed but your tips, tasks, and challenges will be a great help! Thank you!

Love this video! Started decluttering while watching then realised I better sit down and take notes!

Some of these tips are actually also fantastic for managing executive functions across the board. I'm currently learning to reparent my brain after an adult adhd diagnosis, and I can see these tactics helping me in more areas of my life than just my sewing hobby. Loved this

I took 2 weeks vacation for the first time in forever. I was looking forward to sewing, but of course, I jammed it the first day and had to take it in to be repaired. So time to de litter. In the process, I joined the “Buy Nothing “ group on FB. I highly recommend checking into it. I posted craft materials that I couldn’t remember when much less why I had them. They were all snatched up immediately. It is so refreshing to get rid of things. We don’t realize how much clutter and over capacity overwhelm us and add guilt.

Squirrel 🐿!😂. Thank you for giving it a name!

This challenge sounds fun!!

Decluttering is not organizing...okay, I might be able to do this!

@cleementine

3 жыл бұрын

Wasn't that an amazing tidbit?! *LIGHTBULB!* No wonder I have never finished organizing properly before. That and the squirrels.

Just organized and gave away a large shoe box of little things for my grand daughter to use in her arts and crafts! Yippy, more things gone! It’s a win win!

I need a sabbatical to do this in my whole house!

I could go on and on about how much I enjoy your videos. I did join Skillshare back in the day when they sponsored you and let it renew each year. I'm glad I did. There are so many great classes there. Thanks for the video.

Hi Karen, I have to tell you that on Monday the 11th of January, I will be in hospital where the surgeon will take my old hip out and put a brand new one. That's decluttering too isn't it ? Love from France

@JustGetitDoneQuilts

3 жыл бұрын

It is...and decluttering is great to do when you are recovering too. New hip , new you. You can start whenever you are up to it. I’ll be thinking of you on Monday. All the best for a speedy recovery

@reneeanne2918

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much Karen. Quilting and quilters are such a help. Lots of love from France !

I feel you were looking directly at me while making this video! You touched on all the things that I struggle with - thank you! It's like what I always thought an "intervention" might feel like! What reassures me is that if a talented, creative and extraordinary quilter and crafter like yourself struggles with this, I am not alone. I can't wait for the Declutter Challenge - I sew need this right about now and to get 2021 off to a great start. :)

@deborahwindholz8750

2 жыл бұрын

Me too

I can’t wait to get started on this.

I'm gonna need you to stop spying on me.

@rachelburgener819

3 жыл бұрын

😳😝🤣❤️😀

@mindytaylor523

3 жыл бұрын

😳😳🤣🤣😂 I thought it was just me.

@TheWoodlandGardener

3 жыл бұрын

LOL!!!!

@donnamammele8327

3 жыл бұрын

Right?? Me too!

Timers are the best

Karen, our group of fiberistas refer to our clutter as SABLE. This is ‘Stash Accumulated Beyond Life Expectancy’.

Enjoyed the video and looking forward to the challenge!

Always can use tips in this area. I am a packrat.

Great tips.

Karen thank you so much !!

Squirrels!!!! I see them everyday; now I know what to do with them! Thank you!

I LOVE YOU!!! I just found you watching Utube on tv. I have been binge watching you and find you to be so personable and so very knowledgeable. I can't get enough! I am a beginner quilter. My first task is doing seven tee shirt quilts for my grandchildren.

I’ve been watching deckuttering kitchen videos thinking. I don’t need this. But then I see this video and at last a video I need thank you.

I'm so glad to see that gorgeous red wall hanging again. I was missing it when you were videoing from your new space.