• Out With the Old
• In With the New, but in Better Order

In With the New, but in Better Order

If we are all being honest, half the reason it's good to get rid of old stuff is to make way for new, exciting purchases and finds. Start the year off right by putting an organizational system in place early, before you add to your sewing stash. Then it's easy to follow the organizational system when you get home from the store, instead of bags piling up with new projects. Put things in sight so your new projects don't get forgotten or buried under the detritus of everyday life.

A few ideas I love for getting organized:

• A closet fabric organizer -- These organizers are easy to find and are often sold at discount stores as sweater or shoe organizers. You can hang them in a closet and keep all your fabrics neatly folded or rolled so you can see them at a glance. Consider sorting them by color to make it even easier to find just what you need.
• Small organizing case -- These needle and hook cases could have so many uses, you could also use basic pencil cases if you found the right size for crochet hooks, knitting needles, lace-tatting shuttles, fabric-marking pens, measuring tapes, embroidery scissors and other small items that get lost in drawers. Buy a couple and clearly label them for each type of sewing, knitting or crocheting you do. This would also make it easy to throw your supplies into your purse and take them with you to a gathering or friend's house for shared-interest social groups.
• The best use for an old coffee can -- This project is a great way to recycle an old coffee can and use up some fabric scraps from your stash while keeping you organized all at the same time. This organizer is perfect for sewing supplies or kids' homework supplies.