Martha Stewart - Organizing Tip of the Day

Martha Stewart - Organizing Tip of the Day

Managing March Maddness

Does your desk or table look like this one?

 Well, this isn't my desk but I'd be happy if my desk only looked half this good! What was the phrase I read the other day---oh yes, " Soooo many cards to make and sooooo little time!" Oh my! How very true that is.

 

We seem to have a card making crunch in March... who knew?
 In this month we have some holiday deadlines: St. Patrick's Day and Easter. We have our OWH  Operation Write Home www.operationwritehome.org)  deadline for Mother's Day cards due by the end of March. In addition to those I have some personal deadlines for birthdays and so forth...there are other community events, spring school events, gardening events, all to do as well.

 With this said, how can we keep the maddness of March  or for that matter any other month from taking over our lives and feeling overwhelmed?
 

One Giant step toward sanity is going on-line and view various card ideas and  tutorials:

Let me  tell you that the OWH website has many good ideas for us, so let me refer you to their website for some organizational tutorials and how you might keep your supplies organized so they simply don't overwhelming you when you get busy like this. Sandy Allock (OWH and CEO) has more than ten ideas for organizing your supplies but I can share at least ten that helped me. Go to her website for more.
 

These are my top ten organizational cues:

1. Make sure  you go over your equipment and supply list. Some times the best way to begin is just to start fresh. Look into those cabinets and drawers and see what you have. Throw away anything broken, remove what is dried up, or otherwise unusable.
2.  Have a paper place-- one place for 81/2" x 11", as well as 12"x12" card stock. Look on Martha Steward's website organizational tips by Darci Miller. She posted a neat paper idea you can get at the local office supply.

3. I  keep this idea of a color wheel in mind when I organize the plain card stock and my scraps too. Keep -------------------------------------------------->
one of these in front of you for paper storage and design planning at all times, they are very helpful.

4. Collect all your dies in one place, paper punches for edges and shaped punches all in seperate bins.  Think of your design, then you can go the right bin to find the right tool. 

5. Clear flat pencil boxes help me find the right pair of scissors; straight cuts, or decorative edge cutters. I also use clear  boxes for different brands of inking pens.
There is nothing more distrubing than to reach for the exact color you need, only to use it and see the ink ran through the paper onto the inside of the card. To prevent that, store the pens in different marked boxes.
 

 6. I use clear large flat boxes ( at least 12"x12") to store certain holiday stamps and holiday papers such as, Christmas, Easter, Valentines, Spring, Fall, and other.

 Stamps that are more topically, like steampunk, vintage, or subjects I don't use them all the time are stores like this too.
 

7. The one thing I 'm still neglectful in doing, not very good at doing this, is labeling. Usually, that's the first thing most of you do. What can I say---label, label, label.  It really helps save time.   I have a sign saying, " Label, it's for your own good!" I should take my own advice.

8.Use a file folder for general colors of card stock scraps.( I usually toss them all in a little shoe box and then shuffle trying to find the small scrap of pink I need for the center of a flower.) By using this file folder scrap system and a color wheel, you might locate what your looking for sooner.
 

9.Keep projects and supplies together in a  plastic 12"x12" project box. This keeps glue at hand, the right glue for the right project make a difference.Gather your supplies accord ing to your designer information and you'll know where everthing is when your ready to pack up for the next card making party. 
 

10. When you are finished with the box, the bins, the file folder, pens and scissors---clear off your desk. Looking at a clean desk is inspriational if not divine.
 

 

 

"March is maddness"  around here, but with so many beautiful cards to make begin with your favorite website for inspiration. Select a new card plan or design format and then, get some  colors ready for your own interpretations. Go for it.

and as they say " I'm wishin' you good luck for this month of maddness !"  Happy Card Making---Gloria

 

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