I’m so excited to share one of my favorite organization tricks with you today. Like many of you, my craft patterns started taking over and getting heavier and heavier! I realized I needed a system that made my patterns lighter, tidier, and most importantly, more accessible.

This simple shift in how I prep and store my patterns has made a huge difference in my willingness to jump into a new project. I hope it helps you too!

The Big Chop: Lightening the Load

Over the last four or five months, I’ve developed a new habit that is the real game-changer.

When I print out a pattern—any pattern—I don’t just fold it up and stick it in a drawer. Instead, I immediately cut the pattern pieces out and discard all the used paper.

It seems like such a small thing, but doing this has two major benefits:

1. It instantly lightens the weight of the pattern.
2. It makes the pattern itself more accessible because the pieces are ready to go.

In fact, I recently spent almost two full days cutting out patterns, and the mound of paper I got rid of was amazing! It truly lightened the weight of my binders because, goodness knows, they were getting extremely heavy!

My Crafter’s Best Friend: Plastic Sleeves

Once the pattern is cut out, the next step is protection and organization.

I use those inexpensive plastic sheet covers—I pick mine up from Staples, but any office supply store will have them. I simply insert the cutout pattern pieces and a picture of what the final object will look like right into the sleeve.

For example, I have one pattern in a sleeve right now for a cuddle bunny—it’s a lovely Lisa Pay pattern. Everything is secure, less paper is involved, and the cutout pattern is easily visible and protected.

The Organized Dream: My Binder System

Now, for the main event! I take these newly prepped, sleeved patterns and put them into binders.

To make sure I can find exactly what I’m looking for, I’ve designated sections within each binder. This is the key to keeping everything organized and making that next project decision a breeze!

Here are some of the categories I’ve designated in my binders:

• Dolls
• Pin Cushions
• Needle Caps
• Snuggle Series
• Cuddle Dolls
• Victorian Fair

I even have one entire binder dedicated just to bear patterns! This book holds all my mohair bears and any other bear pattern I’ve made over the years, including the little one I printed off the computer from Pinterest.

Final Thoughts

This whole process is a little trick of the trade that really helps with organization. When you’re looking for a specific project to do, having your patterns already cut out, protected, and clearly categorized makes them much more accessible.

It truly makes it a lot easier, and you’ll find you’re more willing to get involved and get going onto a project.

Thanks for watching, and happy crafting!