Organizational Tips For the Quilt Studio: Labeling

I am so excited about 2011! I have embraced the idea of organization, even in the studio. This has been a long journey for me, as I'm an intuitive designer/artist - and for a long time felt that organization would somehow impede on my creativity. In reality, it has just been my right brain not wanting to put all the effort into thinking rationally and organizing to make things easier.

It's likely this has been a huge disadvantage to me for years. If organizational traits had been in place in my home/studio, I might have been more prolific in my creative endeavors!

I mentioned in a previous post, that I finally sat down and planned out this years posts. I have decided on a list of categories for posts. It just so happens the first category to come up, is Organization Tips! I have received many requests for more tips on organizing, and so I will be bringing tips throughout the year to help others bring order to the chaos of their studios!

The first tip I have for you is LABELS.

I purchased a very affordable label maker at a nearby office store:

Then I started sorting and labeling. I broke everything down to it's own category. For example, rather drawn "Markers", I have "Sketch Markers" and I have "Sharpie Markers". This not only makes it easier to find things, but it also makes it much simpler during cleanup. If you are short on space and can't break your inventory into so many bins, then just be sure when you make your label to put "Sketch Markers/Sharpies" and possibly use a divider of some sort in the bin/box/tub you use.

 

I also label my drawers/cabinets now too. I even make sure to still label the containers that are inside the cabinets.

Not only does it make clean up much easier for me, but it also makes it easier for others to navigate my studio. As I teach classes and hold retreats and workshops in my studio I need things to be accessible to those not familiar with my studio.

I also have tubs stored quite high in the studio, with fabrics I don't often used like fleece and flannels. The labeling is extremely helpful here, as I need to use a step ladder to get the tubs down - and without the label I would either have to try and peek in them while way up in the air or take them all down, then put them all away again after I find what I'm looking for!

Resources:

Label maker I use: http://www.amazon.com/Brother-PT-70-Personal-Handheld-function/dp/B000L513ZU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297106897&sr=8-1

Sticker tape for P-Touch label maker: http://www.amazon.com/Cartridges-P-Touch-Labelers-Black-White/dp/B001GX8CNM/ref=pd_sbs_op_9