Keeping A Clean Sewing Space: A How to

Sometimes I manage that amazing superpower of keeping a clean sewing space!… where everything has a place and the tabletops are clear of clutter… ahhh, It is so nice to know that creativity could happen at any moment!

However, more often than I like to admit, my sewing room used to look like a tornado a path of destruction. I couldn’t find a single thing. Like that rotary cutter, I swear was on the table a minute ago? oh, it’s over on my desk now… Why? I don’t know. It just is.

I felt uninspired when my sewing room was a mess… There was so much going on, I couldn’t even think… much less find room to create!

Maybe you know how I feel?

Are you drowning in clutter and fabric scraps?

Is your space to cramped and feels like it’s impossible to work in?

Are you overwhelmed or don’t even know where to start to make it better?

I got so tired of feeling frustrated and out of control…

How I fixed it: Keeping A Clean Sewing Space

I decided that I had had it one day. No more was I going to let the place that I called my “sanctuary“, “my happy place” and “my very own little slice of sanity” be a major source of stress for me!

When I thought about it like that, it was absolutely ridiculous that I couldn’t be happy in my own happy place, right?!

It took a while to figure out how to make things work and I have had a lot of trial and error over the years. My space isn’t “fancy” and you probably won’t find it in the pages of HGTV magazine… but I LOVE where I sew.

You can take a tour of my sewing room in this post.

Steps to Keeping a Clean Sewing Space: The Space Itself

1. Give yourself a good talking to and be honest with yourself

I mean like a mom talking to her toddler threatening to give away all the toys unless she cleaned them up kind of tough love talk.

If you have too much stuff that there is simply no way that it will fit nicely in the space that you’ve allotted for yourself, you have 2 options: 1) find more space or 2) get rid of some of your stuff

You can be as tough or as lenient in this that you want to be. After all, you are the only one who is the boss of you.

2. Assess Your Storage Needs

I used to have a bins and boxes problem. Do you know how I had a problem? I had empty boxes FOR my empty boxes!

It is the crafty/DIYer curse… you just NEVER know when you might need it right? So I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away or pass up a good deal on a pretty box.

I knew I really needed to be more organized and I was sure that not enough boxes to put things in was my problem. It absolutely was not! I would forget what was in my boxes and be unable to find things so I would end up buying duplicates or forgetting what I owned.

3. Sort and purge everything you possibly can

Purge the things that you know you will never end up using. Just get rid of it. Also, even though it is hard, let go of the things that you once were absolutely in love with but either realize that you will never have the time or just you simply just don’t feel that spark for anymore.

It does you no good to hold onto and let it take up physical space for years and years.

Don’t hold on to it unless it has a purpose or it really brings you joy.

The items you are purging, you can give to friends who are just building their collections or bring your stuff to a guild meeting to see if anyone wants it. You can donate your scraps. There are tons of charities that take fabric too!

Click here to read more about my favorite charities for quilters.

Or you can see if your guild is interested in doing a remnant sale! Everyone brings in unwanted scraps and remnants and sells it for a bit of cash. Win win!

4. Downsize your collections

Gather all of your tools and make piles of the duplicates. Make a goal to only own 5 scissors or whatever it is that you have.

Sometimes all it takes is putting everything into one place to realize you miiiight just have a problem.

After you’ve cleaned out your space it is time to organize it and keep it that way!

Ok, once you have it down to the essentials in your space and you are not wasting any space… you need to realize something…

Your space can still get messy! Ugh, I know. I’m so sorry.

I turn around after a particularly good sewing session and my space looks like someone left a toddler unattended for 10 minutes!

1. Have a specific place for everything.

Every tool, every pattern, every project.

Give everything a home and do your absolute best to return everything to its spot as soon as you are done with it.

Read more about how to organize your space with items from the dollar store!

2. Create zones in your sewing/crafting room.

If you have more than 1 hobby, create sections for each hobby and try your best to keep all the supplies in that area. Not only is it easier to reach, but it helps keep you organized and from things quickly spreading to the whole room!

3. Always Clean up 3 times.

• Do a quick tidy before you start any new projects.
• Clean up while you’re working on your project. Make sure you’re working as efficiently as possible. Keep trash off your worktable.
• Always do a thorough cleaning after you finish a project. (Like the queen is coming to visit!)

4. If you work on multiple projects at a time…

If you take no other advice from this list, do this one thing! It will help you immensely in the sewing room.

Have a dedicated box for each project and all its pieces/instructions. When you have to switch projects, pack everything up and put it on the shelf. You won’t accidentally misplace anything and when you’re ready to start again, you’ll have everything you need

I really hope this list helps you in keeping a clean sewing space.

Remember that it is your space and you can make it however you want it to be… as long as you make sure you surround yourself with the things you love and you leave yourself room to create!

Need more of an Action Plan?

Check out this 25 Day Guide that I created to give you a step by step plan to creating the sewing/crafting space of your dreams!!

I will be with you every single step of the way with detailed instructions!

So many people have used this guide to clean up their act in their sewing space and make it a place that they just can’t wait to get into! It is now the space of thier dreams!

Click here to learn more information about how YOU can create the space of your dreams too 🙂 You won’t regret it!