ADHD Knitting Problem #2: Yarn Storage
We'll get to the obsessive, impulsive crazy yarn buying for that sweater that you aren't going to ever make later.
Let's talk about storage.
This is my current yarn storage:
Horrifying, isn't it?
That's not even all of it and it's usually not that messy. Yarn storage can be difficult for ADHDers because organization is not necessarily our forte. And let's be honest, when you buy new yarn, do you want to put it neatly on your shelf or rip off the label and start working with it?
For me it's definitely the latter.
So using my horrible yarn storage as a guide of what not to do, here are some tips.
1. Keep your labels.
See that box in the first picture? I have no idea what those yarns are. Absolutely none. Why? Because I ripped all the labels off in a fervor to start knitting and threw out the tags. The tag isn't that important anyway, right?
Wrong! Your tag or yarn label will tell you the name, brand, weight of the yarn as well as washing instructions, yardage and dye lot number. Dye lot number can be important when you are working with multiple skeins.
The way I handle this? Ravelry. It has a great system where you can upload all of your yarn and include all of the pertinent information. It doesn't take very long and you can get that info into the system and not have to worry about it.
Another option is to tie a sample of the yarn to the label so you know what it is!
2. Throw out scrap yarn.
You know how after you knit and crochet, you might have some spare yarn left over? I'm not talking half a skein or anything. Like a little tiny ball? Throw it out. Don't keep it like I have done unless you have a greater purpose. (Like using leftovers for a crazy quilt). Half the stuff in those pictures are little scraps of yarn that I don't need or have no idea what to do with.
3. Keep your yarn close and your projects closer.
The main problem with my storage is that it's not where I knit. I usually knit while watching things on my computer which is in a separate room. So of course, I never put anything back and my desk is littered with yarn. (Seriously, I just counted six separate balls of yarn on my desk). Also keep all of your yarn stashed in the same place if you can. You can see in one of the pictures that I have some in a closet. And I always have to go rooting through there to find anything.
4. Separate storage
I have a tendency to shove my needles, patterns and yarn all is the same place. Separate it out! Then you don't have to dig through yarn to find the scrap of paper that has the right pattern on it. I use an old vase to stick all of my needles in and it works very well! Same goes for books, tools, etc. Oh! And give each project it's own storage space. That way you can find them easily.
5. Clean up.
Once I finish knitting or spinning, I usually put down the needles and walk away. And sometimes I've left disaster in my wake. (Especially with spinning because fleece gets everywhere!). Unfortunately, the best thing to do is to put your yarn and such away. Things will get tidier and you won't lose things. (Like the pattern. I've done that a lot!) This also helps if you are marking down rows and such. Once, I left a knitting project on my desk for several days. During that time, I had used scrap paper to indicate what row I was on. Those accumulated and when I picked up my knitting, I had no idea where I was. Had to pull out a lot.
So there you have it! A few knitting storage ideas. I'm going to work on this myself this weekend.
Followers, any good tips to share?