Monday Makeover: Making Over Your Workspace (Part Four)

Now that you have a new workspace that meets your needs, all that's left to do is to take the TIME to keep it maintained--which I think we can all agree may be the toughest task yet!  Cleaning up after ourselves is the least fun part of any project...but in order for our space to stay organized and inspiring...it must be done.  

I find that I like to break my maintenance tasks down by the amount of TIME it might take to complete them...so that even if I only have five minutes to devote towards maintaining my space, that way my TIME is still put to some use! Here are a few ideas to get you started on your own maintenance plan.

FIVE MINUTES: The Bare Essentials

• Clear off your work area and place supplies into a tray to be put away when you have more time.
• Make sure everything has a lid.
• Make sure all of your tools are unplugged or turned off.

FIFTEEN MINUTES: A Quick Clean-up

• Put away all of your products and tools that don't require sorting.  
• Clean the surfaces and tools you've used recently to remove scraps, glue, paint, glitter etc.

HALF HOUR: Deep Clean

• Sweep the floor of your craft area, while looking for lost embellishments, etc.
• Put away items that require sorting, such as scraps, brads/eyelets, etc. 

ONE HOUR: Special Project

• Take on a project like sorting photos, re-assessing your inventory, tagging files or compiling kits.

I hope after our journey over these past four posts that you are making progress in your space or at the very least have a better idea of where to start!  Thanks for joining me and remember to have fun with this process! If you wish to re-visit the older posts in this series just click here.

Good Luck with Your Workspace Makeover!

Monday Makeover: Making Over Your Workspace (Part Three)

Photo Source: Flickr

By now you should have--at the very least--a picture in your head of what your new space is going to look like. If you've been keeping up with your homework, then you've evaluated your current space, as well as, your supplies and you've developed a plan of attack...now it's time to Take Action!

Start by Making Sure You Have Everything You Need

Do you have everything you think you'll need for your new space, including adequate storage, lighting and workspace?  Remember you don't have to go out and buy all new things.  Think about things you already have that you can re-purpose.  For example...an old dining room table might make an excellent new work table or those leftover canning jars could be just what you need to house some of your supplies. Keep an open mind and you'd be surprised!

Then, Create Workstations Within Your Space

Set up separate spaces for different tasks so that you can work efficiently within your space.  Depending on the amount of space you have and the different types of crafting you're involved in--you may want to consider creating a computer station, a sewing station, or an art station in addition to your primary work surface. Or if a lack of space does not allow for this, then plan for a single work station that can be easily reset for different tasks.

Next, Stock Your Workstations With the Necessary Supplies

Using your available storage, begin stocking each station with the supplies you'll need.  Make sure your supplies are easily accessible.  If your supplies are not visible you may want to consider clearly labeling their containers so you know where things are and equally important--where to put them back!    

Finally, Give Your Space a Polished Look By Adding the Finishing Touches

Whether this means hanging photos of your children on the wall or adorning your new space with a fresh coat of paint or even arranging your fabulous vintage collectibles throughout, don't forget to surround yourself with a few things that will inspire you to create!

If your just joining us, check out Part One and Part Two of this series. And don't forget to tune in next Monday for the final part in this series: Taking Time!

Monday Makeover: Making Over Your Workspace (Part Two)

Last week we began this Workspace Makeover series by talking about "Taking Control" of our spaces.  Today we're going to build on that idea by...

In order to organize your space in a manner that leaves you knowing what you have and all of your supplies with a home--it may be necessary to "Take Inventory."  This will help to let you know how much space you'll need for storing your supplies and what if any, storage you'll need to purchase.  Let's start by getting an overall idea of how you plan to store your supplies and therefore what kind of an inventory will best suit your needs.

Visual vs. Physical Inventories

A visual inventory relies more on SEEING what you have, rather than knowing. I am a very visual person and as a result, I like to keep my supplies out in the open so I know what I have and am inspired to use them.  An open system works best for me and others like me who prefer to keep their supplies visible, as a means of properly rotating and using products.  A visual inventory can be executed  by keeping your supplies easily accessible and visible from your primary workspace so that you have an adequate visual picture of your stash.  Often an organizational plan, a labeling system, visual displays and constant maintenance are required to keep up the appearance of your visible supplies.  

Other people may prefer to keep a physical inventory of their supplies, by keeping an up-to-date record.  This can be a handy way for those who like to keep their supplies contained and out of sight, to know exactly what they have and need. This method requires less maintenance of your actual supplies, but a constant maintenance of your record of those supplies. Take a look at the following video by Christie Hund which shares a fabulous inventory system to model your own after!  She also offers some product specific charts to include in your own inventory book, on her website Creations by Christie.





Divide and Conquer

Once you've chosen a method that's right for you can begin taking inventory by following these steps:

1. Group like supplies together.
2. Test each supply within a respective group to see if it is in working order.
3. Purge products no longer of use to you.
4. Determine the amount of, as well as, the type of storage necessary to house the supplies within each group.
5. Make note of items that need to be replaced or added to your stash.
6. Repeat Steps 2-4 for each grouping of supplies.
7. Execute an inventory of your supplies by developing either a written record, ideas for visual displays, a labeling system and/or an organizational plan for your supplies.

(Note: This will need to be done from time to time to keep your inventory up-to-date and accurate!)

Join me next week for the third part in this four part series, "Taking Action," in which we look at piecing together a space that is organized, clean, practical and inspiring.

Monday Makeover: Making Over Your Workspace (Part One)

They say the first step to overcoming any obstacle in your life is to acknowledge the problem and confront it head on!  So it would make sense that before we can have that beautifully inspiring workspace we've always dreamed of, that we must first acknowledge the problems with our current space and address them one by one!  Even if the problems in your space seem small now...just remember what you may end up with if you let them pile up on you!  So why not take the first step towards taking control, by assessing your current workspace, TODAY?!

My Stash Two Months Ago--How Did I ever Find Anything in That Mess?

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Can I create easily and comfortably in my current workspace?
• Is my current space of sufficient size for my crafting needs? 
• Do all of my supplies have a home in my current workspace?
• Do I have a clear surface large enough to work on in my space?
• Have I purged my stash of products that I will never use?
• Do I know what I have and if its still usable?
• Do I feel inspired to create by my surroundings? 

If you answered all of these questions with a YES, then congratulations--you're in better shape than the rest of us ;) If you answered a few of these question with a NO then you may have a few things you want to consider--if you answered most or all of these questions NO--then like me--you may have your work cut out for you...but not to worry I'm here to tell you: you CAN have the space you always wanted and maintain it too!

Take a peek at my action plan!

So your homework for the week is to go back over the list of questions above and decide what needs to change in order for you to answer each question with a "yes." Using that information draft a realistic set of goals, as well as, a list of actionable steps to take in order to reach those goals. Once you have a clear plan of attack you will be prepared to TAKE CONTROL of your space!

Want more...well you're in luck!  Click on the links below for the rest of this four-part series!

Part Two Taking Inventory

Part Three Taking Action

Part Four Taking Time