Comments on: Using KonMari to Declutter the Sewing Room

By: The Potential of a New Sewing Room – Historical Sewing

The Potential of a New Sewing Room – Historical Sewing — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 17:12:45 +0000

[…] to sell. That meant pictures on the walls…. and my sewing room. (So glad I’ve KonMari-ed my things over the […]

By: Jennifer Rosbrugh

Jennifer Rosbrugh — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 16:12:26 +0000

In reply to Rachel. How wonderful to be able to design your sewing space! Have fun doing so. Thanks for all the ideas. Ikea items are fabulous!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 17:01:49 +0000

I enjoyed reading this post. Over the last couple months I have been weeding through the stash of fabric and craft supplies I have accumulated over the last 15 or so years. This isn’t as overwhelming as some may think, having moved a few times and this purging along the way.
I am looking forward to, soon, having a studio space for sewing, bookbinding, and printmaking. Having an all to me closed off space is exciting, but finding proper storage is a must especially since I can design the space from the ground up.
That being said I discovered, what I hope will be a good solution for my particular needs, Ikea wardrobes or the Pax closets. The larger drawers are big enough for a substitute flat file drawer, those needed for proper storage of large format paper. I also had the idea to hang my fabric yardage similarly to the way velvet is hung in the fabric store.
I know that cost can be an issue, as it is for many of us. The Ikea website has a planner that is easy to use and allows you to see what you need and preplan. Once that is done you can see the cost and figure out how to break it down into manageable chunks or buy a few pieces at a time.
Modular systems like these can be taken apart and reassembled when needed, if you are careful that is. I have three international moves that prove this.
I hope this helps someone out there.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 00:48:53 +0000

In reply to Linda/Isabelle.

Linda/Isabelle –
I’m not certain, but I read that as “a huge push to make a dress, overdress, cap and veil for an SCA event”. I’ve been in the SCA (West) for 40 years, and I don’t think there IS such a thing as a “push-dress”!

By: Jennifer Rosbrugh

Jennifer Rosbrugh — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 17:05:04 +0000

In reply to Debbi. Yes to these thoughts! I'm currently going through my trims and have the same issues of letting go when it could still be useful for another project I *might* make in the future. It can be really tough with some pieces. Donations: local theater groups; a local quilting/sewing group that makes blankets for newborns; historical societies or living history museums might have ideas; I have friends making dresses for Dress a Girl Around the World but other organizations similar to this may take donations.

By: Debbi

Debbi — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 09:08:36 +0000

Very timely article and podcast. I enjoyed both! I’m a long time sewer and now mostly quilter in need of decluttering my sewing space. Having read the Marie Kondo book and then watching the Netflix series I have been thinking about applying the method to my sewing and quilting room. Your thoughts have helped me gain some clarity in how to approach it this way.

I think it comes down to visualizing what you want and realizing what is a burden. It’s so hard for me with fabric…it holds so many possibilities yet. My tastes in colors and styles has changed over the years. It is time to let go of what is not my favorite today (even tho I can envision it in a lovely scrap quilt). I see my future sewing mostly gifts and donation quilts but if I don’t love the fabric I’m sewing it may just be
better to release it to others to sew. I want to be able to walk in my sewing room and not have to step
around bins of fabric and have so much that it overwhelms me and I walk out and don’t sew anything.

It is very hard to separate joy and usefulness when it comes to fabric and notions. I am preparing to reduce my stash by at least half over this journey. I think I can do it. I can’t throw it away tho. I’d love to hear ideas you may have about donating.

By: Jennifer Rosbrugh

Jennifer Rosbrugh — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 17:35:44 +0000

In reply to Robin McGann. Yay for cleaning and finding lost things AND for the mind feeling clearer! That is so important. And I agree that this process can take a few months. Keep at it! :-)

By: Robin McGann

Robin McGann — Mon, 21 Jan 2019 04:23:36 +0000

Timely article. I started reorganizing my sewing stuff because I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING when I needed it. My sewing “space” is not a space at all, as my S.O. has edged me out of the “office” where he now has all his HAMM radio stuff, and we got a new puppy, which requires everything be out of puppy reach.. The only space left with enough light is the dining room (not optimal), so every time we had company, I had to dismantle my sewing station. Everything ended up in grocery bags, stuff randomly into closets. Now I’m taking it all apart, slowly. I found one missing item, still need to find others, and I’m looking at the stash in a new way, taking fabric from projects I no longer care to create and looking to repurpose. It is a struggle and will probably take a few more months, but already my mind is feeling clearer and I can FIND THINGS now. my big thing is …scraps! I just want to hang on to every scrap “in case I need it”. Will work on that.