September is probably my favorite month. The weather becomes slightly cooler and I always seem to have more energy. I'm anxiously awaiting Fall.
I've always been most organized in September. Old habits from school days. When I used to shop with my kids for school supplies, I always came home with a few new notebooks, folders and supplies for myself too. This year was no exception. I'm a grown-up schoolgirl, I guess. Always a schoolgirl at heart come September.
There's something exhilarating about writing in a fresh notebook with a new pen. Forget January 1, September is my clean slate. New beginnings. A fresh start on goals. A pretty place for making lists. Time to de-clutter - Get a Little More Organized.
I'm hoping to find time to plan some new projects. I think it takes a certain amount of courage to create, start something new.
In one of the notebooks, I made a small list of things or areas I wanted to clean out. Only three things for now. Lord knows I have hundreds of things that need to be cleaned out, but three is doable for me right now, this week. I'll add more as I go on. Yesterday, I cleaned out this cupboard that had been in a messy state for awhile and then neatly stacked some of the small quilts that are finished. I have another suitcase full of small quilts I take with me when I travel for my trunk shows. Quite a few small quilts. But even smaller steps.
I placed the unfinished quilt tops in a drawer and hopefully will stack them in the "finished" cupboard soon. It feels good to have accomplished even a small thing like this. I hate stuffing things away in bags or bins. Bringing them out into the light of day makes it seem possible that they may actually get finished sooner. I'm reminded of how much I liked working on them. Wouldn't it be great to get them done, I told myself? Then I could look at them all the time.
I bought a new pocket planner. Sometimes it's easier for me to keep to my goals if I write them down on a calendar, with a schedule for meeting them.
Could be much worse - only about 7 or 8 unfinished little tops. Should be a snap, right?
What are you up to in September? Organizing anything?
14 comments:
I agree that September, when school starts, is a better beginning than January 1. And I LOVE new notebooks and pens..... I'm in the middle of organizing my gedroom (closet and drawers) and my sewing room.
I can relate to your love of notebooks, Kathy! I think I'm addicted to cute office supplies, especially notebooks (and if they have pink in them, even better!). I think that's driven by the magazine journalist in me who is constantly taking notes! I love your notebook finds. What am I trying to organize lately? In between writing/editing assignments, I'm currently working out a storage solution for my many piles of vintage buttons.
I'm with you. I look so forward to the Fall when I can turn the air conditioner off and open the windows and let the fresh air in. It's always a great time to get things organized before the long winter sets in. First it's yard work and then I will organize my sewing room. Next will be a change in the menu, can't wait to put a pot of soup on and a loaf of bread in the oven.
Oh my DD has to drag me away from the stationery aisle. I have a fetchish for binders and those pretty boxes to store projects in. They all looks so tempting.
Love your little quilts and the tops waiting to be finished. They look delicious.
I too am so addicted to office supplies and office supply stores. Cannot go in them any more!LOL! I am trying to use up the empty, new notebooks and list pads I already have...and there are a lot.
I like your idea of keeping your little tops that need finishing in a drawer. I am going to do that, along with the rest of the organizing that comes with fall. I always call Fall my "spring cleaning time".
I'm with you, good time to clean and organize...even cleaned in the garage today! I started putting out the fall decorations...will have to post on that soon as I get the mess cleaned up! It's feeling like fall here, the next few days, highs in the 60's. Yeah!!
Brenda...the Farmer's Dotter
September is the beginning of spring here in New Zealand and I feel like having a big sort out too....so many quilts to finish and start! Isn't life wonderful.I am blessed to be loved,I have a roof over my head and food and a fantastic job that is my hobby also.
Kathleen, You have captured my energy exactly. We will have our first frost tonight here in Canada. As my children get back to school, I can sort through closets uninterrupted. I have a large pile of quilting fabrics, accumulated over the summer, to put away in my fun cupboard, actually my kitchen pantry. I look forward to that organizing task with anticipation.
I have to agree, September is also my favourite month and has been since I can't remember when! It is also the begining of Spring here (Australia), when the days get a little longer and the warmer temps allow you to take off a layer or two from the bed and oneself too LOL!!!! I'm finishing off a small quilt from your American Schoolgirl Club series, I am getting reaquainted with it after it has lain so lonely on the spare bed in the sewing room!!! But it looks as though you are a lot more organised than I could ever hope to be!!!
I think September is the perfect time for organizing. I don't get much quilting done in the summer, too many other things to do such as gardening, relaxing on the deck (usually knitting, not sewing) and taking the odd trip to the beach. Come September, I start to think about quilting again and it's always interesting to pull out those little quilts I started in the spring. Only trouble is, I get thinking about the new ones I want to make (inspired by your new book and your blog) and the old tops get put back on the quilt rack. I shouldn't have, but I just ordered your four-quilts pattern so now I will have something else to add to my to-do list. Oh well, your little quilts are so much fun to make. Perhaps when you finish your 7 or 8, I'll be inspired to finally finish mine. Oh, and I must get a new notebook!
I wish I was organizing. My sewing room is a mess. I have two projects on the design board, both scrappy so there is fabric pulled out from everywhere that needs to be put away so I can pull out some more.
Notebooks are a weakness of mine as well. I keep design ideas in one, journal in another, plus keep a to do list on my weekly calendar in plain view.
I think we are cut from the same wood ;-). I do buy organizing stuff when going with the kids for school supplies and I always find myself organising and de cluttering after the summer holidays...
Whatever and whenever there is a new book from you - I'm excited! I've been dreaming of getting some time in my quilty things room, but it has been very slow in that department over the summer and the "finished" pile is severely lacking right now! I have company coming this week, so I had better get up there and tidy so things look presentable! Organizing is fun, but I'd rather spend the time playing! Good luck with your notebooks and purge-fest!
Oh, you don't know how much we are alike on this front! September is my favorite month too! Mine is because: 1)It's my bday month 2)The cooler weather is coming and the season is changing over to my favorite season 3) Harvest usually starts in September here 4)It's time to start 'anew'! I am with you in that I like to start reorganizing stuff cuz I am in the mood to do so. I started cleaning out the kitchen cupboards and also started 'fall' house cleaning this month, I just really felt motivated. AND... I love paper! Any kinds... notebooks, notepads, books, patterns, calendars, notecards, etc. I don't think I will ever switch over to a kindle or whatever they are called. Okay, enough! Thanks for letting me share. HUGS... and stitches
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