Week 2: Defining "Organized Enough"
How to avoid the organizational loop and find your sweet spot
Welcome to Week 2 of Making Space to Make! Last week we talked about understanding your actual sewing practice, the where, when, and what you sew. This week I want to spend a bit of time defining “organized enough.”
Whether you’re someone who tends to over-organize, or you’re starting from complete chaos and wondering how much organization you really need, this week is all about finding your sweet spot.
Finding Your “Organized Enough”
Some people get stuck in what I like to call an organizational loop — constantly tweaking systems, looking for the perfect solution, but not actually sewing. I personally catch myself falling into this trap all the time.
Just as many people are coming from the other direction. Maybe your space is complete chaos and you can’t find what you need so you can sew, or you feel guilty that your space doesn’t look like the organized studios you see online.
The truth is, both extremes keep you from sewing. Over-organizing becomes the hobby instead of sewing, while feeling overwhelmed by the mess can also keep you from starting. The answer is finding your “organized enough.”
What “Organized Enough” Means
What does “organized enough” mean? It means the system works for you, allows you relatively easy access to what you need, and doesn’t prevent you from creating either by being too organized or having too much chaos.
Whether you’re organizing up from chaos or organizing down from perfectionism, we’re looking for the same sweet spot: functional enough to support your sewing, without the maintenance or organization itself becoming a barrier. It doesn’t have to look perfect or be in matching bins, it just has to work well enough that you can find what you need and get to sewing.
There is absolutely a point where you reach diminishing returns, for example our bins most likely don’t need their own bins. If you’re spending more time maintaining organization than actually sewing, that’s too much, however if you’re spending all your sewing time searching for things and feeling frustrated, you need more. Our goal here is finding the middle ground.
Examples From My Space
Let me give you a couple examples of what this looks like in my own sewing space.
I have my fabric organized by type into clear bins. This works fine for me because I don’t have a large stash and I generally remember what I own. In the case I forget, the bins are clear enough that I can just look through the side and see what’s in there.
For someone with a much larger stash, this might not work. They’d possibly need more organization to remember what’s where, but for me, this is organized enough.
I keep my loose circular and double pointed needles in this little bin. It would be fun to own a beautiful needle binder someday, but this works just fine for me.
One of the most important things for my brain is creating a space where items live and putting them there every time. This bin is where my needles live and that’s organized enough.
The key question to ask yourself: Does this system help me sew, or does maintaining it take time away from sewing?
How to Know When to Stop
Signs you’ve reached “organized enough”:
You can find what you need when you need it
Maintenance doesn’t take more time than creating
You’re actually using the space to sew, not just organize it
The system works for your actual habits
If you’re hitting these, you can stop organizing that particular group of items and move on.
When you might want to keep going:
You’re avoiding sewing because you can’t find things
You’re constantly searching and feeling frustrated
You forget what you own and buy duplicates
The mess itself is preventing you from creating
These are barriers that are absolutely worth addressing.
The goal is finding a sweet spot where your space supports your sewing without the organization itself becoming a time sink.
Your Action Step This Week
Start thinking about what “organized enough” means to you. Ask yourself:
What’s actually preventing me from sewing?
What organizational tasks might be busywork?
What systems are working well enough to leave alone?
Make some notes to keep in mind as we move through the series. This framework will help you know when to stop and move on.
Remember, the goal is sewing more, not having a perfect space!
Join the Conversation
What does “organized enough” mean to you? Have you found yourself stuck in an organizational loop before? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Up Next: Week 3: Project Assessment - What’s Worth Finishing?
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