Spring Cleaning is a great way to sort out things and make our spaces fresh and new. Sometimes we get hunkered down in the winter and collect things because we are stuck inside and can't always get out. Going through our closets, pantries, and our craft room can be daunting but it is fun and it actually helps our mental health.
Whether you are a knitter or crocheter who has a bunch of WIPS or you are a one project at a time creator, cleaning out the stash and organizing often help us to see what is there or remind us of yarns that we have forgotten about. I think that the biggest question that you need to tackle depending on how you collect yarn, is how you organize. So save a little time and decide do you want to sort by color? By weight? By brand? That will help to get things going. Once you have that all figured out then you can figure out how to store things. I am not as organized at home as I am at the shop. I keep my yarn separated by color because of how I display it (Oh yes, I display my yarn 😁). I think I may reorganize this spring buy weight.
Another option to think about is sorting your stash by projects. If you are like me you see a shiny object at the yarn store or at the yarn fest and buy it just because you like it. But, if you buy with a project in mind, that is a great way to organize. The last time I really sat down to organize my yarn, I used the section in Ravelry for your stash and began to put yarns in there. In the comments section, I placed the project name that I intended to use that yarn for so when I go in I can quick reference why I bought that yarn. AND YES!! We all ask ourselves why did I buy this or what did I buy this for?
It can be fun to visit that stash but don't overwhelm yourself. You may have a cabinet to store your yarn or you may use containers. Whatever you choose here are a few tips:
Commit to the task- decide if you just want to clean up your area or if you really want to orgainze. If you don't have the time or don't want to devote as much time you may just want to do a quick clean up. If that is the case I suggest using Ravelry to organize like I do when you make your purchases going forward. That way you have the beginnings of organization. If you are taking the plunge I suggest you dump your entire stash out and begin by sorting in whatever way you choose.
Take time on each skein- as you are sorting decide if you want to keep the yarn or donate it. Sometimes we no longer have use for things. If you are donating I suggest going to your local Senior Center to donate or a local Senior Program. If you need help finding a place to donate you can always go to your local yarn shop and ask or donate there.
Have realistic expectations- you aren’t going to keep everything and you don’t have to get rid of everything!! This is just a way to ween out what you don’t want and organize what you are keeping.
Decide how you will display/store yarn- depending on your space and your limits you may want to store your yarn. If you have a smaller stash you may want to display. Or you could do both. You may have that amazing yarn that you love to visit but don’t know what to do with it yet. You could have a little spot where you display this yarn. You may have a spot where you house your projects on deck. I have a little basket in my knitting room that as yarn with my next up projects. That way I am less likely to get distracted with new patterns or yarns.
Take a Break- organizing can get overwhelming. Take a break, have some tea or wine or whatever and relax. Getting away from the task for a few minutes then going back makes a big difference. Don’t forget to do this.
Enjoy the Process- this is way more fun than cleaning out your closet. Think of all the yummie yarns you are going to revisit and see when you are doing this. Have fun, put your music on, and think of all the creating that you will be doing while cleaning!!
When you are all finished, congratulate yourself. This is a job well done. You will have a great organized space to create more beautiful things. You will also feel better because you have one less space to declutter and worry about.
Slàinte Mhath!
-Cassie