It's a relief to be free of "Stuff"

If you will recall from a previous post, or my tweets over the past few days, I have just spent 5 days sorting through all the "stuff" that accumulated in my sewing room. I had felt like I was trapped by it, it was all closing in on me. It was oppressive. I threw some out, sent some away, gave some to charity, organised and categorised, found a place for it all, but it was hard. I felt so often over the past 5 days an emotional connection to the "stuff"- so much of the fabric and patterns came from my Mum. But, I was able to force myself to get rid of much of the "stuff" that I really will never use, not in a million years. It is with some huge relief, (like a weight lifted off) that I can now take photos of my sewing room to share, the way that it is today without embarrassment.

Clear benchtop! Organised shelves with everything in a place of it's own...who's room is this..surely not mine.

My scissors and things I use often, still in reach but out of sight tucked neatly , on top of the filing cabinet underneath the table and contained within one sewing box on the table.

It's a bad photo, but my iPad is on the closed horn cabinet, in a heavy wrought iron plate holder from spotlight so I can watch/listen to the podcasts when I need to, without it getting lost under fabric on my bench. Older sewing machine is neatly away inside it's horn sewing cabinet, which is actually closed for a change! Mailing boxes stacked in the corner.

Futon, cleared and can actually be sat upon! Enormous recycled white picture frame is for a project I've been working on for ages. Now it's to be hung even while it's empty, to get it off the floor, as soon as husband gets time, or I do it myself, whichever comes first;) And hopefully the item to go in it will be finished soon too.

Terribly dark photo, but in centre of window I have hung my mums doily press. Her brother made it for her in the 3rd grade. I think it is too pretty to put away in the cupboard. It's made using a hot wire to burn a pattern into the timber, then stained in different colours on the flower petals. It was made in 1931.

Here is a closer photo of it, so you can better see the detail. It's a little bowed from being pressed around so many doilies over the years, and it's ties are odd. I vaguely remember when I was a small child, some dark leather strapping being in it instead of the ribbon and apron tie thats in it now!

See look at all that space on the bench to cut things out!

All my fabric is organised into categories and folded neatly to fit properly into each draw. I cut a piece of stiff plastic from and old folder divider into the exact size to fit the fabric into the draw height and width. Then I folded each piece of fabric to fit the plastic. It made it heaps easier than guessing the size for each fold. On top I have small and large scraps of fabric separated into 2 clear buckets ($2 each from sams warehouse) And baskets that might one day be useful again.

My unfinished objects and works in progress are all in individual bags in one box.

The mending and some pants that need shortening are in this flexible bucket from Bunnings. There's a lot to do in there.

I never thought I would get one of these, but I did. I bought a Dymo labeller from Officeworks. I went crazy with the labelling, but it helps SO much when organising, especially the drawers and containers.

On the weekend mid-cleanup, I left this Lil dude in a covering his eyes, sad, don't look pose...

My husband snuck in there and changed him to a...doing a jig pose! 

hehehe thanks for the giggle!

The sewing room I will always be a work in progress. I will always have to fight the urge to leave things out, or sort it later. I will always have to fight the tendency to start a new project before finishing the many that came before it. But at least, for today anyway, I can feel what it feels like to have a win.