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Categories: Garden Junk

Craft and Garden Workspaces: We clean up!

Organizing:  We straighten up our garden craft supplies!

True confession time!  Where do you keep your junk, ….I mean ‘art supplies?

This is a term coined by our own George Weaver, who once showed us his shed, and ‘art supplies’ is now our own term for the junkola that we cobble together to make ART for our gardens.

Whether it’s Spring or Fall, when you get in the mood to clean up and clean out, it’s best to GO with it.  One tried and true method our gardeners like  is to completely empty the area, then sort out from there.  That is the key.

Marie Niemann has volunteered to give you all a peek into her stash, shown, and we’re all wondering if you take the Double Dog Dare and show us yours?

How about it…(whining,) “Are we alone in this?”  Leave your confession in the comments and show us your stash on Facebook…  Dare ya!

Before…

Marie’s mess…oh, dear, Marie!

Marie Niemann says, “I’d like to be more organized. LOL We’re all kindred spirits!! You are not alone!  Let’s organize a support group! Oh we already did! Ha!

After!

Marie Niemann’s craft shelves, after!

 

Sue Player has pretty organized shelves!

Confessions:

Rita Smith says, “I have one big corner of ‘Arts and Crafts’ all in boxes and every room has something ‘stored.’ What makes it worse I have three categories, junk, upcycle, ‘for kids,’ no restrictions, (that’s four, Rita)  just fun fun fun, (Five, but who’s counting) then my ‘Precious collection, secret, don’t touch finds’ (Six!) bought or collected for a purpose and kept because I’ll never find the same again!  Nutty or what?  You’ll get no pictures, because my Mother might see!”

Bobbie Lynn “I am not this brave to put it out there. My “art supplies” are hidden in closets, drawers, boxes, the attic, and garage. I’m a “secret hoarder”…shhhhh don’t tell.”

Kimberly Sepulveda  “Great idea!! And, no, you are not alone. My “art pieces” are in the garage, hall closet, shed in backyard, …….just about any place that is available!”

Sue Lock-davis  says, “Hi, I’m in Adelaide, Australia . mine gets called all sorts of nasty names by my children because yes it has got out of hand. They actually say ‘Mum don’t you die and leave this mess to us!’ But how does one throw something out when they see it so differently than others?

I find an object and see a raw beauty in it with so many uses I’m sure I will find uses for all. I just need to re-organize a bit.

I love coloured glass and want to create something in the garden that they will stand back and say Mum that’s beautiful and hope the creativity seed is planted.”

Nancy Carter shows off her space….luxury!

 

Louise Atkin “I have not shared with anyone”  (Oh, dear!)

p.s. my husband thinks I am the only one…

F.G. Green confesses, “in the upper outbuilding, no, the lower outbuilding, uh no, the unattached garage, oh wait, the attached garage and the attic, oh and the den! That about covers it!…..I think!”

Jan Jensen Clark “In every nook and cranny.”

Tiffany Matzke-gieser says,  “See I’m not only one. And my husband thinks I’m crazy.”

 

Where creative people work…

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Sue Gerdes garage space filled with art supplies

Sue Gerdes I am going to confess…this is one spot of about 5….not cleaned up but organized to a degree. I double dog dare everyone to show their mess…I mean treasure trove!”

 

Sue Gerdes’ little hangies, fabic pouches filled with supplies

Sue Gerdes says, “This helped me a little with the small things. I took hangers and a clear shower curtain and material and made little ‘hangies’ to store beads and things that would get lost.”

 

Sue Gerdes I feel so much better after confession…Whew

Sue, you’re NOT alone!

 

Sherry from ‘Recycled by Skattur’ My supplies How about everywhere??

 

Jeanne Sammons  My shed… is a bit more organized than in this pic from earlier in the year!   The snow is melting here in Iowa & yesterday I was able to ‘wade thru snow & slush to the garden shed. Oh boy, my eyes ‘sparkled’ when I opened the door & there was my ‘stash’…just waiting for Spring!  Here’s the view …”

Jeanne Sammons says, This is one fourth of the garden shed …


Terminology is the key

They’re Craft rooms, ‘art pieces’ and ‘Precious finds’

Jeannie Rhodes I’ve always heard clutter and messiness is the sign of a creative person! Organized people just don’t understand!

Joyce England “I call it the craft room, the kids call it the CRAP room.”

Abby Lovett My husband calls my stuff junk, but his are called “investments!”

Lauretta Haasch confesses, “My space is known as MOM’S (NANNAS, NINNAS ) STUFF! I am healed! I am not the only one! These things are FINDS/ PRECIOUS FINDS, and when I find something I look just like Gulum, the little guy on ‘Lord of the Ring.’ Yes, THANK YOU, girls I’m home!”

Shelley Novotny from JunkArta redid her shed just right

 

Rationalization is good

Sue Gerdes The thing is I need things at my fingertips when I get the urge to make something. We live a long way from a store…that’s my story and I am stickin to it!!!

Rusty Brown all over the place…told my husband to get rid of all the tools and junk in his shed so I can claim it and he told me that he didn’t see that happening any time soon…

Trish’s husband fixed up her workspace

 

Trish, from ‘I Felt That – Needle Feltings’ says, He does good work!

Winter Storage

Nancy K Meyer’s Winter storage “My art supplies in winter storage! See my hens and chicks hope they wake up.”

Your Good Tips:

Flower Child: Amen I have found my kind of people!! You all have great stuff..mine is all over. Recently got rid of clothes so I would have more closet space for my “stuff’!

Linda Cavataio I took over my girls playhouse it needs to be organized very badly!

Pat Blinn Use clear tubs for easy access, stored in my basement!

Me?  I keep much of my ‘mess’ outdoors next to my garden shed.  A while ago, I got help from Flea Market Gardeners who advised me on how to redo my potting bench to make it prettier and more useful!

My Potting bench area,…what a MESS!

See more:

In which, I clean up my potting bench

Julie’s secret garden junk stash

We use supplies for all these projects!   How to: Easy project ideas   50+ garden projects!

 

Sue Langley

Sue Langley, a passionate gardener and photographer lives and gardens with her husband and Corgi, Maggie on 7 acres just south of Yosemite, Zone 7 at 3000 feet. She manages the Flea Market Gardening Facebook page and website.

View Comments

  • I do not know anyone that has a spic and span home from entrance to backyard, and I don't want to know them if they exist. My tilet training was not so strict, if you know what I mean.

  • Amy Cisneros says:

    I loved what you did in your after photos of your bench , I have to clean up and remove the extras that someone else can use just remember if you're a junkie, there are other's. I havd a garden tent green house, that holds 3 sturdy shelving that I bought from Lowes, in the shelving area they are a lot cheaper, and sturdier, than some garden shelves made for the garden. I have one bakers rack, that is wooden and I put left over tile, under it so the feet won't rot plus I only put clean pots, or my ferries stuff on it nothing with water, or dirt to keep the baker shelf , from rotting out quicker. I also keep the windows open to let the hot, air out also keeping the bakers rack from swelling, from the extra moisture in my greenhouse.

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