How to Organize Your Sewing Room (Like a Pro)

Are you looking for tips on how to organize your sewing room? If you are then we are excited that you've landed on this blog post.

Maybe you are a sewing beginner who has just set up their first sewing space. You are now seeking some practical advice on how to organize your sewing room and creatively transform it into a private sanctuary. 

Well, friends, we understand how uninspiring a plain, cluttered sewing space is, and we are here to help you.

Let’s face it...

Every sewist has dealt with mess-related stress along their sewing journey. Thing is, we all love working in a clutter-free space that sparks our creativity and helps us organize our thoughts better.

Besides having everything in place, an organized sewing room will also help you keep your tasks organized, helping you achieve your sewing goals swiftly.

Aside from being a game-changer to your sewing life, here are more rewards that an organized sewing room bestows to sewists:

• It offers safe storage for different sewing supplies, and saves you time locating them.

• It provides enough room for you to sew, stitch, quilt or design without bumping into things.

• It presents an opportunity for expressing your creativity and style through your organizational antiques. You can do this through some simple DIY projects such as sewing your own fabric storage baskets and décor.

• It offers you a chance to take on your sewing projects with some peace and quiet. Whether you choose to hand stitch on your cozy couch, or use your sturdy, spacious sewing table, you are bound to sew better in an organized space.

• It reduces stress and frustrations that stem from misplaced sewing items. This is essential for maintaining a clear state of mind as you sew, especially if you have a squeezed sewing space.

• A well-organized sewing room will always look bigger than it is.

1. A trash can for stuffing any obvious junk. These can be fabric scrap, pieces of paper, or old sewing patterns.

2. Customizable, built-in storage solutions such as drawers and cabinets.

3. Storage baskets, jars, and clear boxes

4. Sewing tools and accessories such as fabric, sewing patterns, bobbins, and other smaller supplies.

5. A dustpan or vacuum cleaner.

6. A charity bag for piling any disposable supplies that are still in good condition.

7. Decorating items such as plants, pictures or even attractive throw pillows (or you can make your own throw pillows).  

 If you are finding it hard, then you can use these three questions to determine whether you still need the items or not:

• Is it in good condition?

• When was the last time you used it?

• Do you still love its shape, size, and color?

With the help of these questions, you will only be having enough supplies to fit in your available storage space.

Once you are certain that a tool or item is disposable, put them inside a labeled storage box and get rid of them in whatever way you choose.  For those that are still in perfect shape, you can always donate to charity organizations.

#2:  Evaluate How Much Space You Have

Once you eliminate all the junk, you’ll be able to evaluate the free space in your sewing room. Knowing how much room is available dictates how you organize your sewing room.

As a sewist, you probably own a sturdy sewing table, cutting table, and an ironing board. If you have a small sewing space, then we advise that you get a multi-functional L-shaped table that can potentially serve all these purposes.

You may also find that you have excess furniture in your sewing room. Take some out and only retain what you use every day.

Since we are also trying to save up on space, go for tables that double-up as storage. If you have built-in storage solutions like cabinets, you will have to allocate some space for them too.

#4:  Bring in your movable storage options

If you’re hoping to reap all the benefits of a sewing room organization, then get enough storage.

Make sure that you have tailored storage options to take care of every detail of your sewing room. Some essential storage ideas that you should invest in include:

• Clear storage jars for small sewing accessories such as buttons and pins.
• Binders or folders for keeping your favorite patterns and sewing magazines.
• Storage racks for thread, and frequently used accessories like scissors.
• Open shelves
• Foldable storage baskets or bins (You can always put these away when not in use.)
• In-built storage cabinets.

With these at hand, you will be able to organize your sewing room with much ease.

#5:  Start with neatly arranging fabric

For fabric, clear storage boxes and wire baskets will do the trick. They will not only work as a fantastic, cheaper storage solution to that stash of fabric scrap, but they are also easier to access amid sewing projects.

If space allows, secure an open shelf to stack larger pieces of untapped fabric. If done right, open shelves of colorful fabric will add brightness to your sewing room. 

 Once organized, you now need to invest in suitable pattern storage. These could be polyester envelopes, plastic containers, or you can use pattern hooks to hang them on your wall. You can also use clear storage bins to store your sewing patterns.

Some sewists prefer to store their patterns in file binders and magazine holders since they are easier to pull out this way.

For easily downloadable PDF patterns, simply discard them after use and print again the next time you need them.

#7: Store The Remaining Sewing Supplies

Since we tend to use multiple sewing supplies at a go, keeping them neat and tidy can be challenging. In addition, sewing accessories can start to add up and become to overwhelming to keep organized. 

So, putting everything in its designated place is just hard. But we have a few tips that will help you keep all these small items neatly arranged:

• Choose a systematic, functional storage unit so that similar tools and supplies are stored in one place. If you are a seasoned quilter, for example, consider hanging all your quilting tools on an accessible pegboard. Alternatively, you could stick up your thread on a thread rack to prevent them from entangling.

• Make sure that your most frequently used sewing supplies the most accessible. Usually, these supplies include fabric, patterns, scissors, thread, bobbins, pins, and buttons. You can do this by putting them in storage boxes or jars, then hoisting them in an accessible drawer or shelf.

• Always label your storage boxes and jars. This is essential for easily misplaced items like ribbons, needles, pins, and buttons. If you have enough jars, sort your buttons by color and label each jar. Labeling will also ensure everything sits in its rightful place. These labels from Saavy and Sorted are really cute and would be very helpful with labeling storage boxes and jars.

• Have a separate basket for keeping leftover fabric or interface.

Here's the thing guys:

We advise that you go for a minimalist vibe when decorating. Simply put, don’t over-decorate. When your sewing room resembles artillery or museum, you are likely to be distracted instead of being pumped up.

Personalizing your sewing room also works magic in terms of décor. Bring in your favorite couch, framed photographs, and potted plants.

Finally, you can also show off your prized sewing projects in your sewing room. Have a section within the room that displays beautiful pieces of work completed by you. These can be decorative throw pillows, dresses, or quilting projects. Have fun organizing your sewing room! 

For more tips and tricks for decorating your sewing room, you can head over to check out this blog post that uncovers more tips and tricks for decorating your sewing room on a budget.