Tidy Mind - Tidy Stitches - 2KCBWDAY3

I know people are all different, but I'm one of those people who don't put sentimental value on personal possessions. I'm quite the antithesis of possessive. As a matter of fact, I strongly dislike possessiveness as a personality trait - I remember I just wouldn't stand for it in a boyfriend, way back when I had those.

I do wear a wedding and engagement ring, my husband doesn't (and I don't care). I still have my wedding dress, but if anyone wanted to borrow it I'd be nonplussed. I just don't hoard 'things'.

I'm not a clean freak by any stretch, but I do have high expectations when it comes to how my home looks when I entertain. If you can see it at my house, it's either because I use it a lot or I think it looks good. And even some ugly things that get used a lot have to be put away when people are coming round. I enjoy the reward of making the effort around the house (a bit like knitting really).

But anyway, that's the vagaries of my personality, and probably better left unsaid. I know not eveyone's the same, that some people aren't too bothered with the aesthetics of their home (and my husband is one of those!) and that's cool with me. But we probably shouldn't try living together.

So, of course having a very serious knitting habit does pose some challenges for me around the house. But here are two solutions that work for me:

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY PROJECT BAGS

My most firmly held beleif is that you can never have too many project bags.

I love handmade fabric ones, I get them from etsy, from markets, from friends.
Randomknits makes sturdy and beautifully made ones.

If there's a magazine with a free tote bag attached to it I buy it.

There are these little scrapbooking totes that are sold in the cheap shops, sometimes they're only $5 (so you know someone's being exploited somewhere don't you?). I buy them too, they're really handy for going to places where you might need a few bits and pieces and you're knitting is going to be on the floor. For $5 they make really great knitting gifts too - for swaps or secret santas or whatevers.

I keep them in a plastic handbag hanger that I bought at Howard's Storage World - it's strong and clear, and right next to the circular needle hanger.

So every project gets placed in it's own bag, with the pattern and the notions, and then hung up or stacked in the big double built-in wardrobe I have for that purpose. You never have to empty a wip out of a bag if you always have an empty bag waiting for the project you just cast on this minute.

The other thing that I really really love is my


CIRCULAR NEEDLE HOLDER and INTERCHANGEABLES CASE

If there were one storage solution that I just simply could not live without, it's the prototype of my friend Randomknit's extremely useful and sturdy circular needle holder.

I used a sharpie to write the sizes on the pockets, and I tied a needle sizer to the top. And it's changed my life!

And the interchangeables pocket that she made me for my birthday (and filled it too), I don't know how I survived so long without these.

DPN'S - NOT SO GOOD

I think the most challenging storage issue I've had to face (and have not yet conquered) is what to do with my dpn's. Or, more to the point, where my dpn's go. I've tried several solutions, a little zip linen pencil case for my favourite clover bamboo 2.5's and 2.25's, a ring bound cosmetic case with a clear plastic zippered sleeve, all sorts of things.

Over the years I have bought sets of 2.25mm and 2.5mm dpn's over and over and over again. For some reason, they just disappear into some black hole in my uncluttered house. Once, I went on ebay and bought an entire set of knitpicks metal dpn's from 2.00 through to 3.50 (back in the days when you couldn't get a set in a sleeve). I kept them in their sleeves in the office drawer. Do you think I can find any of them now? Nope - gone.

Just last week I was wanting to knit a sock, I went looking for my favourite sock needles and couldn't find ANY of them. Two new sets of lovely clover bamboo dpn's vanished. Not even any knitpicks metals ones as substitutes. Just vanished.

I was so annoyed that on the spot, I used some money I made destashing some yarn and bought myself a brand new knitpro wood sock needle set, it came today. I'm going to get Donna to make me a matching one of these dpn rolls - and I've got everything crossed that this will work for my runaway dpn problem.

And having now written all about my needle storage - I guess you could say I have a system! I never thought of it like that before.

I'm participating in the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, and this is Day 3. For all participants posts, see this list.