I’m a life-long crafter & artist.? I’m always willing to start a new project.? I think I’ve tried them all.? My greatest joy, even as a child, was sketching, coloring or doing something creative with my heart & hands.

If, like me, you enjoy the creative process, then you know that the area dedicated to your crafts?can easily become cluttered & messy.? Clutter of any kind makes it hard to be imaginative.? If mess & disorganization take over, you can find yourself tense, frustrated & without space to work properly.? You also may wind up wasting money purchasing items to replace the ones you can not find.? You may even?stop being creative altogether!

Take time to be green.? Spring clean & organize your craft area now.? Here are help-ful steps to help you get your craft area in tip-top shape:

• Gather up all of your craft, hobby & art supplies around the room (or around your house).? Place them on a table to begin the sorting process.
• Sort every item into piles based on the type of craft or hobby such as: scrap booking, sewing, knitting, painting, etc.
• Refine these piles further.? Are there crafts you no longer enjoy?? Put these items & any duplicates in a donate pile.?? Are there items that are old or expired?? Throw away any broken tools.??Discard any expired paint or other?craft items that are not usable.
• Look through what’s left.? Continue to donate & throw away all unusable items until you’re left with what you actually need & will use.
• Take the trash out immediately.
• Make your next stop the charity of your choice.? Drop off the items to donate.? Do this before proceeding further otherwise you will have a tendency to keep everything.
• Consider whether you have the right type of equipment.? There’s no substitute for a good desk chair.? Look for furniture items that have storage drawers, cubbies, etc. that suit your particular craft.? Rolling carts are help-ful with craft supplies.? Don’t forget about good lighting.? Purchase & assemble any new pieces before proceeding.
• Clean.? Dust, vacuum & mop your area now.? Don’t forget the windows.? Natural light is better for your eyes & your work.
• Organize your supplies.? Sort by color & type.??Sort fabric by color & fold them neatly over pieces of cardboard.? Place scrap booking supplies together (paper, stickers, scissors, etc.).? Sort paint by medium? — oil, acrylic, etc. & put like colors together.
• Place your items in containers that are easily accessible & easy to see.? Clear containers are great for smaller items.? Photos, etc. can be sorted & placed in boxes that are labeled (birthdays, vacations, etc.).
• Label everything.
• Put items you use often nearest your work area.? Store items you use less often above or below.?You should be easily able to readily see & be easily able to find all your tools & supplies at a glance.
• Inventory the items you have on hand.? You can shop more effectively & avoid duplicates in the future.

Now enjoy the fruits of all that hard work & go out there & create something wonderful!