In between all the many errands that I did for myself and others:) I did some decluttering which didn't really help the overall household chores, but made a few places look better. Hubby decided he wanted me to rearrange some things in our master closet. I decided it might not be a bad plan, so I tackled that. It all looks better, but not picture worthy as we have just a standard walk in closet. Nothing special, but I can say it is all clean of dust bunnies and neatly organized.
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| Not the master closet, but my sewing room. You have to be in the room to see this view. It is a happy view for me...all my favorite things mixed in with some sewing and stitching stuff. |
Then, it was onto the sewing room. I have been thinking about getting rid of quite a bit in this room since I made the decision to lighten up on the sewing. A decision that has made me feel lighter in mood.
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| See that top left blue basket. It has LOTS of pens and pencils. Check it out below. |
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| Have you ever seen that many? Remember we are school teachers here. Every workshop gives you a pen, plus the many that I collected of different colors. I should have a lifetime supply. |
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| This set of cabinets got an overhaul and are much emptier now. |
I have been a fabric hoarder. There really isn't another word will do besides "hoarder." It wasn't pretty! I was pretty brutal with myself and honestly felt much like the way I felt when I cleaned out my clothes after retirement and losing weight.
A sick kind of feeling of how much money you spent and the fact that you really wasted that money. I could take the time to try and sell it, but I have to be honest...I hate doing garage sales or trying to sell things.
I took every piece of fabric out of the cabinets and hauled them into the close by bedroom. I put them into various piles such as: definitely donate, maybe yes, maybe no, I will really use this, I might use this. Yes, the piles were insane, but I worked through it and then decided on an amount to keep.
I had a little sad party about it and then just boxed it all up nicely and labeled the box as to the wonders in it and am praying that someone will walk in Goodwill and be so happy that I donated it.
The lesson learned here is ... don't buy it unless I REALLY plan to use it that week.
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| Out of the three cabinets, this is the only one that houses fabric anymore and only one shelf. |
After I unloaded the fabric cabinets, I tidied up a few other places in there. I still have so many things that could probably go, but I have to plan for a mission trip, so I am going to wait on making all those plans. If I don't use those crafty items, some of them are going which will free up two large drawers in there.
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| This is the messiest of the drawers. It is kind of the catchall of supplies I don't want up top. Do you think I have enough tape? |
I have lots of storage in this room and quite frankly there is a lot of it not being used well, but I enjoy being in there, because it is "MY" room.
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| Remember my writing box that I bought at the antique sale??? |
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| It sits on my counter and corrals my scissors, rulers, and a few sewing notions. |
In other news, Gus turned 10 months old yesterday. He is doing well. As I write this post, he and Lemony are rolling in the floor having a morning play romp. Lemony is usually good for two of those a day. She would have made a good mama dog.
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| I have said before I have to wait until he sleeps to photograph him, because he is in MOTION a lot. |
I have more to share this week, but I tell you I have lots of appointments, so it may be another slim posting week.
I promise there is a stitching post in there soon...
I have been stitching on Home of a Needleworker...
And these two projects are sitting on my counter just waiting for a little sewing time.
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| I actually ordered the exact ribbon to finish this one. I don't think anything else would do. |
The view from my kitchen windows...
The geraniums are popping.
I am stopping for now and will try and be back soon,
Sandy
Your geraniums look good, Sandy; what a lovely view from your kitchen windows. Gus is a cutie. Good for you on decluttering and letting things go! I hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Robin. The decluttering really did feel good. When I get to that garage - now that will be a good thing.
DeleteI so envy your sewing room. I would love to have a nice organized craft area. Right now one closet and an area of the attic are my craft areas. A room where I could just close the door when I m finished without having to put things away. I have been doing a good bit of finishing so I have bits and bobs of fabric for that. The lady at Hobby lLobby knows I purchase a quarter yard of the fabrics I need. She enjoys hearing what I am up to I also got out Smoky Mountain Christmas and world on him a bit on Santa Sunday. It is slow going and some days I am tempted to give up but I hav too much completed. Better get going...PT at Ten then some errands. Have a blessed day Sandy.
ReplyDeleteYou are going to be so glad you finished that Smokey Mountain Christmas one day. I felt that way on the cardinals at one point. That sewing room was my gift for retirement and honestly it is just perfect. I love it. I love to do my quiet time in there in the mornings. There is a pair of cardinals that hang out in the trees just outside that window. I wish I was a photographer, because I could get some great shots.
DeleteI have been doing some decluttering to!! It's so easy to collect too much 'stuff' and I'm on a mission to stop that habit. Gus is adorable, I am a dog lover and have two of my own. Your geraniums look great, I haven't had any in several years. Maybe I'll have some this year.
ReplyDeleteGeraniums are one of my favorites. I am on a mission too Mary not to collect so much stuff. I have a list where I write things down I see that I like and want. I wait a while and see if the want passes. It generally does:)
DeleteOh, all of that space in your sewing room would be so wonderful to have, Sandy! What a great job you did of paring down your fabrics--I'm sure that was hard... I try not to buy except with a certain use in mind, but I do love fabrics, too.
ReplyDeleteYour red geraniums look so pretty (I say as I look outside and see the snow falling yet again here in western PA!)... sigh...
I love to just walk in a fabric store and just look. It really felt good to get it all out of there and there will be no more buying unless I have a specific thing that will done pronto!
DeleteSpring will come...I hope soon for you.
It is actually cooler here as well...well, the sixties which is great for those geraniums. They will be drooping come late July and August from the heat.
That kind of work you've been doing is hard to get around to but feels so good when it's complete. When we moved, I realized how much money I've wasted shopping mindlessly. I'm really making an effort not to do that anymore.
ReplyDeleteAll of those pens made me laugh! I'm a former teacher too...our son is a student...my husband has a home office. All of those lead to a surplus of pens! What are we to do with all of those? I feel guilty putting them in the trash!
I mean really ---how many pens does one need? :) I hate to throw them in the trash also. I can't believe how much stuff I have collected. I have been doing a lot of this since retirement. It has been almost a process of letting go of some of it. I have vowed not to do this again. IF I had to move that might put a light under my tail and make me do it faster I guess.
DeleteYour sewing room is wonderful. I would love to have a designated space like that where I can hide everything behind closet doors. I love home of a Needlworker, it's on my list to do. You chose the sweetest fabrics to finish your two latest stitches with, were they from your stash? It must have felt really good to declutter....I have a hard time doing that because as soon as I get rid of something I discover a need for it!
ReplyDeleteMary, I just have collected so much stuff that I will never use. I will never ever use all of that fabric. My mom did talk to one of her quilter friends, so she wants the cotton pieces. I have it all piled up, but haven't made it to Goodwill yet, so I will pull those out for her today. That makes me a feel a wee bit better. One of the pieces for the umbrella is from my stash. I had kept it because I liked the colors and it came from a quilting store, not just Joann's. The other piece I went to the quilting store and got in their bin of left overs. I actually discovered that they have two big bins in their store where they have leftovers and there were some really pretty pieces in there. From now on, I going there first.
DeleteI KNOW I am blessed with the room. It is small, but absolutely perfect. My hubby surprised me when I retired with it. It had been a catchall room and I had started pinning pictures of what I wanted. My daughter noticed and put a bug in her dad's ear. In my first couple of months blogging posts' you can see what the room looked like. We knocked the closet out and made the desk area. Best decision ever.
Sandy, you are doing a fantastic job pairing down. I must say after some major purging years ago I found myself becoming a lot more selective about what came into my home. There are so many things now I allow the stores to dust and take care of. 🙂. Judy
ReplyDeleteI like that...letting the store dust it.
DeleteI have been doing that a bit more as well.