Get Organized: Choose Your Challenge

I finally figured out how to store my plastic templates! Even us Challenge 1 takers were supposed to at least try and tackle the worst spot in our rooms this week. I had been storing them in an Art Bin on my bookshelf but they were completely unorganized, tangled and bent most of the time.

Unfortunately, even skipping ahead and reading the material for week 23 didn't help me. None of the suggestions were going to work. Instead, after purging ruthlessly, I came up with my own idea. I am so stoked! Now, I'll wait and see if it actually works like I'm hoping it will.

This is why I'm looking forward to the weeks when each area is discussed. I can hardly wait to see all the ideas for organizing and see which ones I'm going to steal for my space.

I'm both a sorter and a digger. I like to have everything sorted by type, like all the ribbon together (which it isn't ) and then sorted by colour range (yellows/oranges/browns in one tub, reds, pinks/purples, blues/greens, neutrals, black/white) but I'm happy to dig through each tub.

My eyelets are all mixed together in one pot, but my brads are mostly separated into colours in pill-boxes.

My flowers are in two sections: by colour in tubs, and I have another bag of assorted flowers that I grab to take to crops. I don't mind digging through that.

Stickers are together in a basket but not arranged in any order other than size of packs, so that I can see each one. I don't have that many.

Alphas are all together in a hanging wallet, neutrals on the left and colours on the right, with the smallest in the front. Again, I don't have a huge amount.

Well, I am a sorter all of the way! I need to have everything separated into categories/themes/colors...whatever works for that specific item.....I hate having to dig through my ribbon to find what I want....

I have started cleaning out my room/area, but of course life happens but I will be getting back to it tonight or tomorrow morning......

Way to go, ladies!!

I might skip ahead this weekend to scraps, punches, or embellies, as those are some of my biggest problems.

Well I'm really proud of myself, I found out I'm a digger...not a full out digger but I like digging through my ribbon, so I took all of my ribbon and placed it in zip lock bags by color, now I can pull out the red bag and dig through it and find the perfect ribbon. It was such a mess before part of it on cards part of it in a ribbon bag part of it in jars.

Now to find the next pile to work on

Oh and the 1 gallon bags are all going to hang on a big ring and hang from a cup hook on my peg board

I made great headway on my craft closet today, not the main studio mind you, just the closet. I have EVERYTHING out the is not paper craft related or been used in the last year and a half. I can even shut the doors now if I choose. Now if I could only shut the door to the rest of the mess!

I found some an old picture album I forgot I had, it was stuck down in a corner with piles of things on it. I have been taking the items out of the closet that I have to give serious thought about purging from my stash.

I am going with Challenge #1 for several reasons.

Mostly I just need to take it slower paced and contemplate ideas before I commit to a change.

I like a lot about my space as is (given what I have to work with), but it still could use tweaks in a few areas.

Well, Brainstorming my needs from the last two weeks brought me to this analysis -if I were a cave-woman my cave would have lots of cubbie holes, as I think this through, one cubbie for round rocks, one cubbie for square, but...I am not a digger, so start over, one cubbie for small round rocks, one cubbie for medium round rocks and one cubbie for large round rocks-got the picture???? Then, so, albeit, all the round small cubbie holes are green and all the medium round cubbies are red..... Sometimes the sorting takes over!

Now, Week 3, since I just got a studio after a 3 year wait from packing up my 24 ft one AND I just unloaded the rest of my boxes and started unpacking I am going for Challenge #1. I just can not bare the thought of packing it up as I still have 3 large ones to unpack. I will say it has been a pleasure to unpack and how much stuff I had forgotten and how pretty it is, which called for some additional notes to my Assessment Sheet!!!!

I unexpectedly have the next 4 days off so I am going to contact support to get L4 to start on my paper.

Jill, I must tell you that this class has been enlightening. I use to work as a Workflow Office Specialist which addressed not only where and how the office supplies were keep and handled but how groups handle paperwork and responsibilities. But I must say so far this class has got my attention!! Thank you at scrapbook.com and the original gal who created the class, hats off!

I will be doing Challenge #2!

Although, we just moved into this apartment in January, I haven't really gone through my supplies, so this will be a good thing for me.....

I have officially decided to do challenge 2! Although between the two jobs, hubby, housework and dogs it could be hard to get it all cleaned out and painted this week, but I will do my darnedest! I have my paint color picked out, and can't wait to spruce up my space!

My email came in late yesterday. Also Vae sent me a link that got me started, thank you.... she could tell I was stressing.

Oh my, just thinking about doing challenge #2 takes my breath away and gives me the shakes!! Be without my studio for weeks??? I design in my studio every day! I scrap just for myself and I’m no longer on a stamping design team. I have so many photos to get scrapped that I made a commitment to focus on doing just scrapping this year. I also had a taste of NO STUDIO access during Christmas and found myself pacing up and down the hallway every day!! Not fun!

We just redecorated the kitchen and bricked the front of our house so any major changes in my studio is out of the question for a year or two anyway. I am happy with the counters and storage space that I have. I picked up remnants at a local shop that makes and installs Formica counters. I have gone for functionality rather than style.

I will be doing challenge #1

I will not be changing my studio location. I just need to sort through and organize all my supplies, get rid of a few things, (shh don’t say that too loud or I start stressing), repurpose that big file cabinet for 8.5x11 papers, and get new curtains.

I better get those bags to start moving a few things out then start sorting my paper.

I have to go with 1 since I don't have any place to put stuff but I am going to gather up all of my ribbon that is all over my room and put it in a bag and then try to find a way to contain it.

My paper is also going in one place and when we get to paper I will get it sorted I have several problem areas but I think if I take them one at a time that will help.

I really really need a small table that I can scrap on that is wider then what I have. Mine is only about 12 inches deep as it's built into my closet.

My e-mail arrived at 01:23 as usual. I'm sure I didn't sign up at that time, but never mind, they're getting through OK. Thank you!

I'm going with Challenge #1. We only moved back into our house a year ago. I decorated with blues, purples and white for our study/treatment/craft/mus ic room for its calming, creative properties. We kept the old shelving brackets and brought the big pine bookcase back in. The desks and drawer units were bought for the space, and fit perfectly. I only have the shelving and the bottom 1 and a half shelves of the bookcase for my stash, but we are agreed that at least one other shelf contains computer stuff that does not have to live there.

I cleared up the shelving once I identified my issue areas in Week #1. My remaining hot spots are my paper (on the floor in magazine boxes - pretty accessible and organised but not ideal. Not sure where to go with this), my ribbon which is in 4 (now 3 - I just had a brain-wave!) different places and I keep forgetting to look in some of them, and my stickers which I hardly ever use. I'm not sure whether I don't use them because they aren't in view, or because I don't like stickers very much. I don't own that many, and they are organised.

I'm going to choose paper as my problem area.

I am going with option 1 for a few reasons. My scrap space is small enough, and my mess is only in the cabinet and at my table. We have no extra room/space for boxes. I finally get a 6 week (but hopefully longer) break from chemo - I finally have energy and health for crafting.

My organizational containers arrived yesterday for embellishments, journaling, etc. I will label them aaalllllllllll the little drawers and start filling them this week.

I am also in search of a good bin to store completed (and partial) layouts. That is proving to be a challenge.

Stick, I LOVE that you shared Pinterest for Design Files. Yep, just Love it! Thank you!

Okay team, here's some scoop. If you're not getting and emails after signing up, please PM me with your email address again and the date you signed up if you can remember. Also check your spam. Kels has been working on this for days and I think she's almost got the problem fixed. I'm not techno savvy (as our staff will attest), but I can pass on info to them and will stick with this like a rash until it's working for you.

Here's what's been worked out so far. Once you sign up for the course there will be a link to the full course of materials at the end of the welcome letter and in each lesson (week). We'll have weeks 1-10 updated with the link by next week. If you want to work ahead, check email links in the introduction or first two weeks. If you're to the point of working ahead of the weekly emails on the things noted in your Space Assessment Handout and can't find the full course please contact [email protected] and let us know.

Clear? I hope so, if not, speak up.

Now, I know there will be those who want to work ahead of the class emails and we don't want you to loose momentum because of our glitch. OR you're THAT kid who finished their test first in grade school (why wasn't I so lucky). (I did turn a test in first once just to be THAT kid and got a REALLY BAD grade--it was totally worth it though to find out what it feels like to stroll to the teachers desk and slap down a test.) I digress...

So work ahead, but please don't forget those of us who are keeping the pace with each week and need your encouragement. In other words, post in our forums when you find something remarkable that works, or something new you've discovered (no matter what week you're working on), or just let us know how you're doing so we can cheer you on.

I really would like to do challenge 2, but we will see how much space I have and how willing my DH is to put up with the piles and boxes I am sure to have!

Sewflake, Have you tried checking your spam folder to see if your computer rejected me?

I'm going for Challenge #2. I'm currently in a 1 BR apartment and we are building a house. It should be done in 2-4 weeks so I'm going to try to get all my scrapcrap organized before I box it up, so that when I unpack it's mostly ready to go

It seems I've already started a modified challenge #2 - modified because my "studio" is really just four specific cabinet/closet/container locations, and I truly do not have ANY room to completely remove everything and put it elsewhere while I'm redoing it. So the totally clean empty room the handout recommends is conceptual, but I can easily work with it.

Jill - another suggestion for the Design File - Pinterest! I've been using pinterest as a design file for other house projects and redecorating and I love how easy it is.

I got my email. I'm signing up for challenge # 2. Not only do I need a means to organize what I have, but I need to designate a specific place too.

My email came thru right on time.

Just got my email! Can't wait to sit down tonight after dinner and read through it, although I apparently got an alt. email rather than a HTML email...oh well!

My email just came through

Stephanie, we don't even get the emails at the same time it sounds like so some will have it the first of the week some till the end of the week. I can see myself completely forgetting by the time mine comes around since we are all on a different timing schedule.

I doubt I will ever be able to find the information you mentioned.

Sewflake I really don't think anyone has received them yet today...Mine is always here by noon and it's 7 and not a sign of it.

Well this isn't good. I'm still not getting emails for the organization challenge and here we are in week #3.

Just reading the other posts

Well that means I won't get it till the week is over, that sucks.

I'd like to know too since my email isn't here and it's always here by now

This is what I read in the Get Organized Introduction: "Once a week, be prepared to receive an email containing a link to information for the weekly
focus and associated challenge(s). The amount of material varies from week to week. Just skip
what doesn’t apply to you. The complete curriculum is available for those who
want to work ahead of the weekly email, and there is a Table of Contents you can
review to assess your needs, level of commitment and whether you want to work on your own or within the class.


Does anyone know where this complete curriculum can be found?

I usually have mine by now but not here yet...I'm sure it will be here soon. Is there any way we can have the email added to the first post so we could read it again

Aha, thanks Kels, that makes sense.

Hi Everyone - all week three emails will come at the same time stamp that week 1 and week 2 came... when you sign up it captured the date and time and the entire 27-week program will operate off of that.

So, please keep that in mind as you wait for your weekly emails I'm sorry there isn't a way to change the "time" at which you receive the emails :/

Thanks for your patience and understanding!

Central time zone here and no email yet. I bet it come this evening.

My emails don't normally show up until late afternoon or evening. Gotta love being on the West Coast! haha

I'm wondering if I'm just imagining it but I thought I read somewhere that the complete curriculum would be available if you wanted to work ahead of the emails. Did I really read that and if so, where can that be found? And no, I am not ahead but I'd just like to have it available in case I fall off the wagon and forget to watch for my emails. Thanks in advance!

My first two weeks' e-mails didn't come through for another 9 hours, I just checked the time stamp on them. That was gone 1am Wednesday morning. I'm UTC+1. So no panic just yet for me!

Since my brand new organization drawers won't be in my hands until later tonight, I think I can be patient for the Week 3 email. I'm starting to worry that I just might fall behind.

I will wait a bit longer in case the email comes through a little later today, but so far nothing. I don't know what time or time zone the challenges are posted from.
I did get last week's email for week 2, late on Friday afternoon. I know Jill have been working to get all the "bugs" out.

I did not get an email last week and want to make sure I get week 3 can Kels or Jil check on this for me?
THANKS!

It's decision-making time! Will you choose Challenge #1 or Challenge #2?