Organize Your Sewing Space

If you sew either as a hobby or just occasionally, you know that you collect a lot of tools, thread needles, pins and more. You may have a room for your sewing, just a table or simply store your sewing materials in a closet. No matter how much space you a lot for your sewing, it is important to keep it organized. You will enjoy your sewing a lot more if it is all neat, clean and organized.

Getting organized is more of a time commitment. You will spend time and energy getting everything sorted and organized. But when you are done, the rewards will more than outweigh the time that you put into the project

You may spend some money for organizing tools and storage units. But before you spend any money, you will want to look around your home and space to see what you may have available to use. Things like baskets, bins and plastic storage units are all readily available both online and offline.

Do not buy any tools until you sort and categorize all of your tools and supplies. You will not know what you need until you see what you have first.

Try your local thrift store. You can find binders to store patterns, plastic storage, bins and baskets. Your local dollar store (now$1.25 store) has lots of things that you can use at very reasonable prices.

Look at the things that you may have in your house that can be repurposed for your space. Things like baskets, bins, bags and more are great to reuse in your organization project.

Sorting And Purging

Before you get very specific about your tools and supplies, you need to sort and purge what you have.

1. Lay them all out in piles. Sort them in groups like patterns, material, tools, hand sewing, thread, etc.
2. Get rid of anything that is broken or unusable.
3. Purge any projects that you know you will never finish.
4. Set duplicates aside to donate or give away.

Create A Space For Everything That You Have.

Look at the space that you have and create zones for everything. Zones are based on the space that you have, the amount that you have and the budget that you have to organize it.

Zones just mean that everything in a group of items will all be together in one space. So, all your thread would be together, your needles will be together-all things in one category are together. So, when you are looking for your scissors for example, you would know to go to the scissors draw, for example. Zones save time, frustration and help you be more creative.

Zones do not have to be fancy Ikea cabinets; they can be as simple as Ziplock bags with labels on them. Ziplock bags are the easiest and most economical way to organize your space.

Look at your space and what you have a create a plan for your space. As you plan your space, look at the organizers that you have and decide what you will need to finish your organization project.

Using A Cart For Most Often Used Tools And Supplies

No matter how much space you may have, a craft cart is always a good alternative for storing your most often used tools and supplies. If you have a smaller space, your cart can be rolled into a closet. All of your most often used sewing tools and supplies are right there at your fingertips.

You can customize your craft cart for your needs. If you do not have a lot of supplies, this one cart, under $40 can be your whole organization space.

There are a few ways to start thinking about the storage space or sewing room to get yourself thinking in the right direction.

You do not have to spend a fortune to get your sewing room or space headed in the right direction.

• Gather all like thing together in one place. This is a perfect first step in getting things organized. Even if you have to put them in plastic bags, at least get all your tools and supplies gathered together in one place.
• Invest in a sewing table.
• Organize your fabric.
• Hang a pegboard.
• Use storage canisters.
• Opt for rolling storage.
• Make use of other spaces
• Add some drawers.

Ugh, my sewing basket where I store the majority of my supplies is a mess ! Half the time when I need things I spend more time looking for them and have less time to get my project done. Getting all my sewing supplies organized helped me save a lot of time !

• Having my sewing supplies organized means I spend less time looking for things and more time crafting
• I save money because I know what I have I had the habit of buying duplicate tools, because I did not even know what I owned
• A messy sewing area distracts what you want to get done and you mentally don't want to be in that space

I love the idea of using zip lock bags in all my organization projects. No matter how many bins or storage units you have, these bags are perfect to put it all together. I can put extra thread, needles, scissors, measuring tools and more bagged together. With one marker, I can write on them what they are. Best of all, I can see inside the bags ! They come in sizes from snack size, perfect for small notions to gallon bags-perfect for storing patterns !

Perfect Little Storage Units

I love Altoids and always have them in my purse. Those little tins are perfect for storing needles and small notions. Now I know exactly where all my needles are. They fit in your sewing box or any drawer. You could decorate them with a little Modge Podge and some fabric, or just take your label gun and label them. Either way, it's a perfect way to organize all your small stuff !

If you do nothing else to organize your sewing area, just doing this one thing will take you into the organized zone. If you sew, you love your thread, and it is easy to grow your collection pretty quickly. After a while, those colorful spools can get out of hand, and it is time to get them organized.

There are a few things to take into consideration as you get your thread organized:

• Do you have wall room to be able to hang a thread rack?
• Do you have a sewing table set up that has room for a tabletop thread holder?
• Do you have drawer space to store thread?
• How close to your sewing machine, do you want your thread?
• How much thread do you have?
• What kinds of thread do you have?
• Do you want your thread close by for easy access or do you want it stored away, unseen?

Storage Options

You can store your thread in different ways to customize your thread organization. You can opt to store it by color, by kind of thread, or by the type of spool the tread is on (spools, cones or bobbins).

1. Utilize precious wall space. A spool rack is an obvious choice. Not only will it save time looking through boxes for the thread you need, but it will act as a decor item for your sewing space. They are reasonably priced and come in different sizes to meet your needs.
2. Use smaller clear plastic containers to store similar threads. You may have a few spools that are specific to one need or type of sewing. Group them together in plastic containers. Use a label maker to create a label for them. This is an idea if you prefer to store your spools in drawers. The plastic containers will help you find what you need faster. This idea is also good if you do not have a lot of thread in your stash.
3. Store some of your plastic containers in bins and baskets with labels. There are so many bins and baskets on the markets these days. Why not use a pretty one to store your plastic containers?
4. If you use embroidery floss, consider using an embroidery floss cards and store system. It will keep your floss organized and clean.
5. Use shallow drawer thread organizers. These trays and compartments will help you organize your threads just the way you would like them.
6. Use glass jars. Keeping your threads in glass jars makes a pretty decor statement. And you can see exactly what you have. You can often find these types of jars at thrift stores and dollar stores.
7. Use a thread rack in a closet. If you do not have a lot of wall space, you can still use a spool rack in a closet. It is a nice way to use space that might not get otherwise used. You can cover the rack with a piece of plastic to keep the spools from getting dusty.
8. Use a thin shelf to store and display all of your thread. You can create a shelf just deep enough to hold a spool of thread. Then add a nail in the front to store the bobbin.
9. Use a pegboard to store threads. This is an alternative to the thread rack. You can custom cut the board to your specific needs. There are accessories to help you place them on your board.
10. Use a travel thread organizer. It is plastic and has handles. There are spaces to label your thread. It would be handy if you go to classes or have just a few thread spools in your stash.
11. Rotating tabletop thread organizer. This is made of wood with dowels that protrude on four sides. The organizer rotates so you have easy access on all sides.
12. Knitting needles in a vase. Thread your spools onto thin knitting needles and place them in a vase for a colorful arrangement.

• Sort and categorize all your patterns You can be as specific as you want. The number of categories is up to you
• Make sure that all the pieces are in your pattern
• Use zip log bags to store each pattern individually
• Make labels for the outside of the bag
• Store them in a drawer, a bin or a basket
• Get a three-ring binder to sort all of your PDF handouts and patterns

A rolling cart is the perfect alternative for storage and organization. You can opt to keep it in your craft room or roll it into a closet. They can be used to hold other organizers, bolt of cloth, your sewing machine....you name it.

Picking Up Loose Threads

I saw this idea and had to add it here, because it was so very smart. The Seasoned Homemaker took a very small paint roller -about two dollars and put a hair curler on top. Guess what? It picks up all of your loose threads ! Click on the picture to see exactly how she did it !

Fabric in piles, fabric in bags, fabric everywhere. Bits and pieces, folded yardage, quilling squares, it is so easy for our fabric stash to get out of hand. Organizing your fabric means less time looking for what you need, and more time to sew.

Here are some options to get it all under control:

• Step 1 is to gather it from all over your home. Spread it out on a bed or the floor. Gather it all from where ever you have it .
• Step 2 is to categorize your fabric- Make several piles in each category. You can do it by the kind of fabric or the color of the fabric. How you decide to do it is up to you.

1. Organize by size-separate them into small, medium and larger sized pieces.
2. Sort by type of material-cottons, satins, etc.
3. Store by color-all of your individual colors together

• Step 3 is to measure and record each piece of fabric that you own. You can use a legal pad or a notebook. You can also use a paper clip and a piece of fabric on the paper with the information on it. You can also make a document on your computer with the information. You also may want to record where the fabric is stored
• Step 4 Roll and fold the fabric
• Step 5 Put the fabric away.You may decide to store all of the same type or colors of fabric in one location.

  Decide how to store your fabric. That largely depends on the amount of space that you have. Cubbies are one alternative. You could also fold them and place them into a drawer or on a shelf.

  If you have closet space, you could drape the larger pieces over hangers. The medium and smaller pieces could hang with clothes pins on hangers. If you are using a closet, I recommend using the thin hangers (velvet) that are covered by material.

What Kind Of Fabric Organizers Can You Use?

• Open cubes
• Plastic drawer unit
• Sweater closet units
• Shelves
• Bookshelves
• On hangers in a closet

Finding a way to organize and store your sewing patterns is one of the easiest parts of your sewing room organization project.

The easiest way to get your patterns organized is to use loose leaf binders. The width or the number of binders that you need depends on the amount of patterns that you have. If you have a medium collection, invest in a wider binder. That will give you space for future expansion.

If you have a large collection color code your binders so that each binder holds a specific type of pattern.

Use page protectors to protect and hold your patterns.

Magazine holders are another option for you to consider. These stand nicely on a shelf or bookcase..

Organizing and storing your buttons makes your everyday sewing experience much more fun. Here are a few ideas to get your buttons organized:

• Use a pill box to sort and store your buttons

• Use wire basketsI love wire baskets for all my craft storage. They are sturdy and usually have handles that make them easy to move.
• Use a peg board where you can If you have dedicated space, a peg board is the perfect solution. You can sow and see all your tools and supplies. Peg board can also be used on the inside of a closet door or along a wall inside a closet
• Repurpose clear jars to hold your buttons One of my favorite thing to do while I watch TV is to sort my buttons. I put them in clear jars that I have decorated. They look great on my shelves and I can find the exact color I need
• Put your magazines in a wall mounted rack If you don't have space Make magazine holders from cereal boxes covered with paper
• If you have the space, incorporate a bookcase into your design. You can place your folded material, magazines and other supplies. This works in any sized space, even a closet
• Purchase a cabinet to match your décor You can store your sewing equipment and supplies and they will not be seen. Great idea for small areas
• Use photo storage boxes to store tools and notions These can often be purchased on sale. Just make sure to label every box
• Use a muffin tin to store small notions and tools I have used this idea in my paper craft area and it is an inexpensive idea that works well in a drawer
• If you have a desk, store your patterns in hanging file folders. You can organize them by labeling the folder.
• Store things like rick rack, zippers, bias tape ect. in see through mason jars
• Use under a bed for storage if you sew in a spare room
• Use a chest of drawers to store fabric, patterns and notions