WEEK 1 - Do audit of space

Original poster said to do a scrapbook page and list all the things you notice - all the good, bad and ugly.

This is what I've determined so far:

CONS:

1.  Room 

The size of the room and the many uses in the room. It is very tiny and houses a large office desk (filled with office supplies) and covered with office stuff - keyboard, monitor, phone and some of DH's files. My imagine is on a wee table that only leaves a space big enough for a mat (which I guess is good, because at least I have a space for 12x12 mat - because that IS the only space in here that is big enough for a 12x12 piece of paper)!  The floor is covered in stuff (crafting and DH's boxes of files) and there's just enough room to back the chair up so you can get in and out of the chair. Each and every flat surface has something on it. EEK!

2.  Photos

I need to get the photos under control so they are easier to access. Some are in photo boxes in the crafting space but there are a ton stacked in our bedroom too.

3.  Paper

I have most of my card stock sorted - BUT its in a location that is hard to reach because I'm vertically challenged. Its low enough...but I have to reach OVER a table to reach it and that's when the height problem gets me. I must confess that not ALL of my card stock is organized...there's MORE of it in the bags around in the room.  Patterned paper is another paper problem - some is nicely sorted/stored in pull-out jet-max cubes (or whatever the Michael's white storage boxes called that are with hanging files)....the problem is that I can't OPEN the cabinet because there's crap on the floor in front of it. I also have other patterned paper in various bags around in the room. 

4.  Laziness  

I have all my cricut carts/handbooks organized...but there are about 10+ that need to be put with the rest instead of taking up space on the desk and floor. I also shouldn't be bringing in any more paper UNLESS it can be put into my existing storage area - these stacks of paper in bags isn't helping.

5.  Embellishments

I don't have a ton, but the stuff that I do have is out of reach (so out of sight/out of mind) and I never EVER think to use them. I actually can't remember the last time I used a button, brad, etc! Should they stay or should they go...hmmm. IF I magically had a larger space, I could have them easier to access, but until GJA cleans out all the crap in the basement...there isn't a spare space in the house for me to expand into.

6.  GJA and his hoarding!  

If he wasn't a hoarder, we wouldn't have our basement FULL of crap (and I mean FULL...there's a pathway that only HE can go through because it involved stepping OVER piles that are taller than my leg-span) - and I can't do much about that since I've been trying to get him to cooperate for 11 years.  SIGH!

PROS:

1.  Copics

I love how my copics are stored. I don't uses them much, but they are all contained and easily transported and don't take up a lot of space.

2.  Cricut cartridge and handbook storage

I only use my gypsy so don't need any of them out and in the way...so the handbooks are in boxes in the hallway (out of the way) and the cartridges are in those snap-ribbon plastic boxes with plastic mesh separators. I keep these under the desk at the far end where your feet go, but can't reach them. I only bring these items out when my friends come over to play or need to put in a few more. All the original boxes are in the basement and the plastic ones have been put in recycle.

3.  Stamp Storage

I don't have a lot and I have most of them in 2 binders (they are non-wooden). I can't reach them very well, but that's OK because I only use them for Christmas cards. HOWEVER, I kind of would like to use some in my scrapbooking, so if (when) I get a proper scrapbooking place, they should be easier to reach and thus use.

4.  Photo Storage

Last year during this organizing thing I purchased a ton of white photo boxes from Michael's and organized my photos in them. I still like that method...I just have to update for 2012 photos.

5.  Ink pad storage

I also don't have a lot of these but the ones I do have fit in a similar transportable box like I use for my copics. Its small enough that it doesn't take a lot of space and is easy to move if I want to cart it somewhere.