January New & Revised 2PeasRefugees Organization Challenge

We are into 2021, and hoping for a better year for our nation and the world. Many of us have been cooped up for months, or are essential workers that are beyond exhausted in how work has changed, or we are somewhere in-between! Some have moved and all your supplies are stacked hither and yond in boxes. Some of us have an entire scrapbook/card stamping store in our craft space (guilty!), others a tiny corner in a NYC apartment. Whatever your organization challenge is, you are welcome to share here!

Welcome to the new Organized 2PeasRefugees scrap challenge. It does not matter where you are in your journey of organizing you are welcome to join us and do a little or do a lot! A rule of thumb I like to keep in mind is: It should only take three moves to find what you want. One of the reasons all my punches moved from tackle boxes stacked on each other into plastic storage drawers. More on this particular item later in the year. Find a system that works for you and your space. How do you scrap and shop your supplies? Is your space tiny or a whole room? Do you live where there special considerations such as flooding or dust? There is not one way that is better than another, just what is best for your style and needs!

This challenge is to encourage you to work towards a more organized crafting life, so that you can find what you purchased when you want to use it!

If you are on a team for the team challenges you can claim 10 points for each hour spent. The time does not need to be consecutive. Bonus of 1 point for each before and after photo. The following tasks will count towards the crafting organization:
• Cleaning up after your latest crafting session (ie desk before, desk after)
• Scrubbing or vacuuming the floor in your space. Dusting your space (I live in the desert next to a dirt road so this is a regular event )
• Organizing a supply or completely re-doing your entire space.
• Sorting, editing, backing up, or ordering photos.
• Setting up page kits for photos or organizing the ones that you get as a monthly subscription with photos.
• Essentially anything that is related to crafting that needs to be done to “spark joy”! (I’m not necessary a huge Marie Kondo fan . . . but she does have some good ideas!)

For the month of January, there are many organizational items on sale: furniture, cases, containers you name it. Get your organizational mojo going and pick one thing in your stash that is really calling to you to organize. If there is a storage solution for your stash now is a good time to purchase it. (Like the Michael’s version of a washi storage case . . . love mine!)

The BONUS CHALLENGE for the month is solid color cardstock . . . 20 points per hour spent on this particular supply. FYI throughout the year I will challenge you to another specific supply or tool.


I would also challenge you to organize your scraps of solid color cardstock. If you are like me, if it can be used for a punch or die later on, it is worth saving. But you may not keep anything smaller than 4” x 4” (or for our international peas 10 cm by 10 cm!). Here are examples of how I store scraps. This is particularly useful when I am making cards.
ROYGBIV small scraps by Neva Cole, on Flickr  Top view small cardstock scraps by Neva Cole, on Flickr

I also have this for the 8.5” x 11” paper that is at least 27 years old! Does its job well, so no need to replace this system. Also organized in ROYGIV on one side and themed 8.5” x 11” printed paper. You can see my smaller scraps in the basket below.
F16566BC-1612-40CD-A54F-74A368C8C403 by Neva Cole, on Flickr

AND FINALLY, I am also going to add in a few more side challenges that I know I need to do . . . the first one up? REALLY deep clean my refrigerator! Wouldn’t you know it, just New Year’s Eve and article popped up in my email from Family Handyman Hints and tips with a bunch of organization ideas, and one was cleaning the frig. SO for bonus points, 20 per hour go ahead, get that dreaded chore done! Now’s the time after all that holiday cooking and left over storage! Here is a great link to How to Clean Your Refrigerator (and keep it clean).