Throughout the year there are two main times we tend to give the house a good scrub down – January and April. In April it is all about the spring clean to dust the cobwebs off from our hibernation time during winter, and in January it is a case of clearing space because of all the huge excess of Christmas.
So here we are in January and it’s time for that post-Christmas cleansing. Perhaps you have all your Christmas presents put away, your corners dusted and all your decks are well tucked in to the loft, but what is your crafting corner looking like? Crafts can easily get out of hand because they are our ‘creative nest’, and knitting in particular can easily bring a mound of chaos to any room if it is not kept under control.
Most of us are focusing on the knitting we do so much we forget about keeping our stash in order. Unfinished projects can become tangled, wool can become unkempt, needles can separate and get lost – it is very easy for knitting supplies to be disorganised. For this reason, January is a great time to get your knitting craft supplies organised so you can start the year as you mean to go on.
Here are some tips to help you:
Get Rid
There is no point in getting started in cleansing your craft area if you aren’t willing to let anything go. Naturally, in order to sort it out, unless you really don’t have much kit at all, you’re going to have some things you simply have to get rid of because the more stuff you have, the more storage space you need. If you open a box or bag and find yourself lovingly glancing on a project you had completely forgotten about, it is likely you are never going to finish that project in reality. Just be honest with yourself – you only have so much time, not every project is meant to be finished. When you have decided to get rid, simply pull it apart and keep the wool for something else. Also look at getting rid of unused or unwanted knitting books or magazines, yarn and even knitting storage – you might have several knitting bags you don’t use.
Swap Shop
If you find you are swamped in wool or yarn of any material, it is a really great idea to set up a swapping meet with your local knitting group. It doesn’t have to be an amazing event, just invite everyone to bring yarn they want to swap or give away.
Giveaway
If you still have wool leftover that you don’t want, donate it. Give it to a charity shop to sell, to a charity that knits items for charity – there are lots of charitable projects that would love your yarn.
Tidy-Up
Once you have gotten rid of all the stuff you don’t want, you need to tidy up the stuff you do want. First take all of your unfinished projects and place them in completely separate bags. Add or create better storage for your wool, looking on Pinterest or Instagram for inspiration. Add labels where you can so you know where everything is. As a general rule, if you put something away and get a niggling feeling it could be better organised – go with your gut and organise it better, so you get true organisation satisfaction.
Invest
It may seem counterproductive to buy new items when you have just gotten rid of tons of stuff, but there is method to this madness! If you need certain art and craft supplies to finish a knitting project – a certain type of wool, a certain knitting pattern etc, invest in that equipment so you can get the project finished. Part of the reason we get such an untidy knitting area is because of unfinished projects, so if a couple of items bought will help you finish a project, buy them and get that project done.
Have Fun!
Tidying is rarely fun, but it can be a little bit fun if you put on your favourite music, put your comfiest clothes on and think about how great you will feel when the job is done!
