First Week in New Year - HELP!!! Digging out from under in the Work Area

After the mad dash of Halloween and Christmas creating, and other asundry "future" projects started since spring 2011, I find that I cannot safely pick my way into the work space I call my "studio" without stepping on some sort of remnant, stumbling into a hidden box or any other relics of my past 2011 projects.  Also to my despair, I can't seem to find even the simplest and most routinely used of my reliable sewing tools  in any place that makes sense.  Sooooo, it's time to buck up and straighten up the place.  Yuck!  but this must be done. 

Started by emptying the shambles of the crime scene with the care and determination of an experienced archaeologist focused on making sense of a ransacked Egyptian tomb ...  out with the elliptical equipment, out with the stacks of bags of "post-Christmas sale" fat quarters and "deals," out with the empty plastic lidded tubs for storage of this and that needing to be labeled and relocated.  After pushing everything cumbersome and unnecessary into the hallway, I took a deep breath and sized up the bare bones of the work area from the doorway (of course, by this time I had blocked myself into the room and had to stay put to conquer the mess).

My work table, a converted 1950-something student desk used for a sewing table was nowhere to be seen ... buried under piles of snipped and slashed remnants of tea towels, extra doll legs and feet, assorted arms and unstuffed bodies all awaiting future ETAs.      This is the most critical area where I must begin.  I did have a sewing machine in there somewhere .... So, I  start with some newly acquired banker's boxes.  Love those great old things; they keep "stuff"  in small portable nuggets of space that can be marked, lidded , removed and restaged quickly and neatly.  As I attack this crazy bedlam of remains of creative insanity, I crank up the music and wonder how my fellow artists are faring in recovering from the holiday jam sessions of incessant sewing, cutting, dashing and reeling ....

What are your reorganizing strategies and storage ideas?  I could sure use some help as I sit here  alone in a room that needs to be at least three times its size for all the supplies I need to keep on hand.  Love to hear any hints other than burning the house to the ground and starting from scratch  (believe me, as I look around me, the thought has entered my mind).

Help!!!

Sleeping Beauties - New Year's Eve 2011

Sleeping Beauties





Here lie my soft Blue Ridge sleeping beauties peacefully lounging in the warmth of the afternoon sunlight of the last day of 2011.  Elephant Mountain peeks up just behind them.  This unusual warmth and gentleness is such a special way to say good-bye to the remains of 2011 and prepare for the gifts of the incoming 2012.  I wish you all peace and love and abundance of all things good and happy with the newcoming year!!