Anne Whalley

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How using "The life - changing magic of tidying up" to organize my sewing room, landed me in hospital!

When your husband understands that you need to see your Fabric and Pattern Collection to be inspired to sew, you know he gets it.

Cher Knit Dress StyleArc Pattern

I have been collecting Fabric and Patterns for quite some time, so I'm sure you can understand I needed a miracle so that I didn't end up dying with the most Fabric. I really don't see how "She who dies with the most Fabric Wins" can be true. I would be looking down from heaven and cringing at my Hope chest (maybe truck load would be more accurate) of fabric being cut up in primary school art classes for collages.... and then eventually thrown out after being on the fridge for a week. That's a reality check for you.

Cher Knit Dress

What to do!? Well for starters my clever husband put in some shelves for my Fabric. These shelves were attached to the ceiling via ropes and clear plastic tubes. His main concern was for the Fabric to be off the floor and to be free from sharp edges.

A messy transition period that really needed to happen. I started to really look at my Fabric... all of it!!! You know what I'm talking about! I realized there were quite a few pieces that I really didn't love anymore. I was able to recognize this difference because of my first reactions. The fabric I was still "head over heels in love with" I immediately held and still swooned with joy. My conclusion was I would rather sew up the Fabric I was still in love with and send the "good but not great" on to another home.

Marie Kondo

At this time I saw a copy of https://www.amazon.com.au/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing-ebook/dp/B00KK0PICK and decided it was a good time read this book and see if I could speed up my tidying up. N.B. I would rather be sewing than rearranging Fabric and Patterns!

Be warned this book is dangerous. Marie Kondo knows her subject and relays in a way that is definitely life changing. Marathon tidying is dangerous ... really dangerous for your back! On page 205 Marie Kondo writes about when her shoulders and neck froze. How timely to read this. Shortly after I bent over to do up my shoelaces and stayed longer than normal! All was not well. Zealous tidying up resulted in an over use of the lower back. I'll spare you the details as it's painful to look back. Anyhoo I'm back in action and tidying smart not fast.

Hopefully looking forward to finally finishing my tidying and on to sewing some really fabulous fabrics into patterns that won't wait... but they have to!

Life is far too short to be making my "may as well sew this" instead of "get out of my way I need this in my wardrobe now" projects.

Thanks to Marie Kondo

https://youtu.be/NkwJ-g0iJ6w

 

I can see clearly now the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way..

Slowly be tidied away....

 

Final warning "Read the book but take breaks between tidying sessions even if you don't think it's necessary!"

 

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