Friday, October 23, 2009

Catching Time

I once heard it said, "If you want something done, give it to a busy person."

True statement, really.

Am I a busy person? Not always, but I have learned that 15 minutes can create lots of time slots in your day if you'll just use them. So..here are some ideas to help you out with that 'busy-ness' and getting things done, without even realizing your getting it done.

Are you a crafter?
How bout just needing to catch up on the housework?
Do you watch tv? Chat on the phone, stand in line? Here ya go.

While at home:
If you're a crafter and a tv watcher or movie lover here are some hints and tips:

If you have a specific area where you do your crafting, get all the 'big' stuff done in the time slot you've set aside ..such as 'cutting out a pattern, or sewing all of it up except for the 'hand work'. Then have yourself a big basket that sits by your 'tv watching' chair. Once a project has gotten to the point of the sit down and hand do the rest, toss it in the basket, with all the materials you'll need to finish it. (ziplock bags work great for this) This goes for ANY project you're doing. Hemming, stuffing, sewing up a stuffing seam, applique, cross-stitch, crocheting...(even cutting out a paper pattern) whatever.

I keep a very large basket by my chair. The things I always keep in the basket are:
All my embroidery thread, good scissors (small and large pair) pin cushion and extra pins. Needles, pencil and paper, a repositionable glue stick and sometimes even small pieces of material.

Hubby and I are avid M.A.S.H watchers, as well as a few night time shows and movies. We don't always watch them, but on most days we do.
When the shows are running, I'm sitting in my chair with basket at hand. I grab up the first project in the basket and work on it. Whether it's hand sewing or cutting out scraps for an applique or even charting out a cross-stitch design I work on it, while the show is on. For 30 minutes, I can 'listen' and not always have my eyes on the screen. In 30 minutes you can accomplish a lot on a project. TRUST ME! Imagine, 30 minutes every day, 5 days a week..wow! That's really a lot of time!

While out and about:
Keep a small bag packed and ready with a small project you're working on. For instance, I have many squares cut out for a scrap quilt. All the squares are cut already (from the tv time) and I have placed them in a ziplock bag and put them in the 'to go craft bag'. In that bag I also have, white thread, scissors, pencil and small 5" ruler and paper. (always keep paper and pencil handy just to jot down ideas you may see while your out on your adventures)
If I'm sitting at the doctors office, I'm sewing squares together. If I'm in the passenger seat, I'm sewing squares together (not everyone can do this due to motion sickness, but give it a try). How about sitting at DMV?
Sometimes we don't realize how much of our time is used while waiting on SOMEONE ELSE. Don't let ANYONE steal your time.
If your a crocheter, keep crochet stuff in your bag, even a small cross-stitch project, it doesn't matter..any small hand work can be kept in your 'on the go bag'. If you only work on for 15 minutes, that's ok..it was 15 minutes worth of work you put into it that wasn't in it earlier right?
Don't let others steal your time.

Use this basic idea to create many little slots of time for your crafts. You'll get lots of things done before you know it.

This method can work for helping clean up your house too.
We'll use the TV scenario again. You need to clean up from dinner, the kitchen is a mess but a special is coming on about Ancient Egypt that you wanted to see. It's ok. go turn on the tv..set yourself up (Dont' forget your hand basket) ..watch and work. WOW...commercial!! Get up and get started. Start cleaning up that kitchen (or whatever), set a 5 minute timer if you have to, but for 5 minutes work as fast as you can doing what you can. When the timer goes off, STOP..go back to your show and your hand work.
I bet you dollars to donuts when that show is over, your kitchen will be cleaned. If it isn't you probably only have a few more minutes worth of work left.
Didn't know you could do things like that did ya?

TV time is a GREAT time for folding laundry, or even prespotting your laundry. Get your prespotter ready, your basket of dirty clothes and go through each piece..spray where needed then during a commercial..toss them in to wash! How easy is that?

ON THE PHONE?? Do hand work or clean your house while your chatting away on the phone..you'll find that you can create LOTS of little time slots while on the phone..ESPECIALLY when you're on HOLD!

Don't let others steal your time!
USE IT!


Happy Crafting....I hope you can find 15 minutes of stolen time today to get something accomplished.
Have fun with it, make it a challenge, FIND the 15 minute slots. Create them..use them..just don't let anyone steal your time, not even yourself!

Sage

2 comments:

Rebecca of Sunny Morning Farm said...

Well girlfriend I am inspired by this post to go to my sewing room and gather up that mountain of the unfinished and put it in bushel baskets by the couch!!!! I may be finished in 10 years if I start no more projects! LOL!!!!!

I have made 2 crochet dishcloths this past week while watching TV. I am sitting here now thinking about a pair of new pants that just needs a hem, yoyo quilt ....on and on and on. Good idea to get them beside me though. I have done some of this in the past but I need to keep them there!!!!!

Now I sometimes try to do the cleaning during commercials. One Sat Hallmark had a Loves Come Softly marathon all day. I was by myself and the house was a wreck. I cleaned and did laundry stripped beds vacuumed etc and had a spotless house by 11 pm by just using the commercial breaks!!

My biggest problem is the darned telephone even though it's cordless. I'll have to just hit that bushel basket by the couch now!!!!

Miss ya!

Becky

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Visiting via Rebecca of Sunny Morning Farm and thanks for the great advice. I have projects upstairs and downstairs and can always manage to sneak in a few knitted rows or a few stitches of embroidery or even hand quilt a baby quilt. I've got projects that are ready to go in the car. Even if I'm just going to town for errands, there's usually a few minutes I can capture while waiting on someone.
As to someone stealing your time, I've found it's generally because I've given them permission. I've become comfortable, at this stage of life, in using the word NO and feeling no guilt. It's time to focus on home, hearth and heart.