Because I had seen so many reviews of it, I recently read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. It is very Japanese in character: there is a right way to do everything, and 
following the rules brings good fortune. I’m a little surprised at how much it has caught on in the West. The author, Marie Kondo, calls her method for “tidying” KonMari, a combination of her names.
I was unexpectedly convinced by reading her book that I can, indeed, get rid of a lot of my “stuff” and be happier for it! And I thought I’d start in my studio, since that won’t involve anybody but myself.
My studio is pretty neat, with almost everything stored away. And when I see pictures of other people’s studios, I realize that my stash is minimal by many standards!
KonMari recommends dealing with things by category, and in a strict order. There are no categories for a quilt studio, so I made my own categories and ordered them like this:
1. Fabric
2. Tools, such as rulers and scissors
3. Notions, such as thread and ric-rac
4. Published materials, such as books and patterns
5. Sewing and serging machines
6. Everything else
The method requires gathering all items of a particular category in one place. ALL must come out of their drawers, boxes, etc. Ms. Kondo says to pile it all on the floor, but you know THAT’s not happening!
Some of the stash laid out on tables–and some bins on the floor, too
The next step is to handle each piece and decide whether it gives me joy. If it does, it stays. If not, it GOES!
The stash from another angle
This may, at first, seem like a waste. After all, I paid for that fabric, washed, ironed, and stored it. But after reading the book, I believe the true waste is being weighed down by things I’m hoarding because I “might need them” or “intend to use them” in the mythical “some day”. And really, do I want to work for hours on a quilt made with fabric I don’t love?
I’ll let you know how this first step turns out 🙂 How are you managing your stash?
Zippy Quilts 