Temporary Studio Area and Staying Organized

Studio on a String
OK, not actually a string, just very small space

My son graduated from college over a year ago and has been living in my studio since. It took 6 months for him to find a job that he wanted. One that was close to my home so he could live with us was a big consideration. The reason is that he wanted to save money and pay on student loans. This he has done.
However I no longer have that separate room to leave my projects out. I still have access to nearly all my supplies and tools. My son put most all his things in storage and just has a bed in the middle of the studio room. 

Initially I just had a small amount of things and worked in my bedroom because it had a tv. I had my studio chair and a tv tray. I also used a small area on a shelf that is for the vcr and other things connected to the tv.

During the OLHP (online house party) last year, I moved to our dining room table and had project boxes and my tools taking up close to half the table. But there is no tv there, so I soon moved back to the bedroom.

It is a scaled back and I get things from the studio as I need rather than have everything around. I also put things back in the studio when I am not using them. Staying organized is the main reason to do so. Otherwise, I would take over my bedroom with too many miniature things that I can't get to.

Earlier this year, I did make a major change. Rather than storing my small toolbox (and extra boxes of tools and glue) on a second tv tray, I emptied this taller drawer cart into a smaller one.  

I reduced the height of the tall drawer cart because I wanted to be able to easily reach my toolbox while seated on this love-seat. This meant removing one large drawer.

I don't have the drawers re-labelled in this pic. I changed the labels once I had figured out would be in each drawer. It is easy to do, by using isopropyl alcohol to wipe away the marker on the plastic tape over the little sheets. Note the wheels were added back. I didn't have them on before because I was concerned about weight nor needed to move it around. I have had the plastic piece, that the wheels go into, break before. 

I now have one drawer of paint and glues

another for cutting and clamp tools (that don't go in my toolbox)

a misc tools drawer

then another for the project I am working on

I normally keep projects in photo boxes and still other kits for and parts of the Petite Chateau are. By having a project drawer, I don't need to access a box every time I am ready for the next kit for this floor.

The basement insert for the Petite Chateau just so happen to fit the new project drawer, the rest of the drawer is then for kits and the furnishings. (Even though I finished the basement, it is still in the drawer but in the back due to not having the exterior and garage ready.)
The next level I am working on is the furnishings since the other levels are all built into the house already. 
One of the big drawers is for misc items as well like cup for holding glue, a cup of stain markers, extra plastic bags, roll of extra paper towels, etc.
The bottom big drawer I have my dremel in.

Because of my cat, I cannot leave any liquid alone with her for even a few minutes. Recently she spilled a whole can of soda on the love-seat and floor. I was quite frustrated with her and with myself because I wasn't able to work while the couch was drying. I know better, but it happened. 
My new system is to take liquids with me, empty them, or make her leave the room with me. Miniatures are not safe from her either, so I must put things away every time I am done for the day. This helps me be more organized as well.

The past few weeks I have been privileged to meet with fellow miniaturists online via zoom mtgs. 
This is my 'desk' setup from last night's mtg.

The drawer cart is pulled up to the side so I can quickly access. It has been nice to turn my arrangement around to accommodate the computer. The wheels on the drawer cart are most helpful.
The computer is closed, but yes, it is elevated on an additional stand on the black table. The additional stand helps with my neck issues. I only have the black table for the computer.

When not in a zoom mtg I just use the tv tray at the love-seat and it looks pretty much like this.

Tablet vs laptop

I recently blogged about my new laptop. It is a 2 in 1. It's a tablet and laptop.
I have wanted a Surface for a while, but I just couldn't justify the price. I also knew I would want to have a keyboard. My son bought him one over a year ago and I played with it, but again knew that it wasn't in my price range.
Now that I have had this 2 in 1 for a few months, I felt it was appropriate to share some thoughts about...
          Tablets vs Laptops

I know there are many articles out there for us to read about the comparison, but this is my thoughts as a miniaturist.
I use my computer to read email. I do more than read, I reply and so I want a real keyboard. The on screen ones are a pain.
I use it to deal with pictures. I use a mouse most of this time.
Browsing the internet - I use both the touch screen and also the mouse. It depends on the website.
Watching video - I want the easel, but I can do without the keyboard.
I do occasionally read books on it.
I do use chatrooms and it is possible to that with an onscreen keyboard, but I find it to be slow and so much prefer my keyboard.

Since this works like a tablet I believe that I can safely tell you that I would not be satisfied with just a tablet. Two years ago I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. I called it a phablet. I said it was my tablet substitute. But not really as tablets are larger. The Note 4 is a large phone but nowadays most are very close to the same size. Two years later I am still very pleased with that purchase.

I do use my 2 in 1 as a flat tablet on occasion, but more often I am using it on an easel fold. The keyboard doesn't separate and I am fine with that. If all I ever did on it was to read or watch video, it might be ok to just have a tablet. But I find that if I doing anything that is active - typing or scrolling, I prefer the mouse. I prefer a keyboard on the lap with the screen at a 90 degree or slightly larger angle.

In conclusion - I am very satisfied with my 2 in 1 touchscreen laptop that allows me to position the screen at many angles including flat. I would not buy a tablet unless I just wanted a dedicated reader.

Ribbon and Trim - update

I did it. I finally made the move to pull the ribbon and trim from the binder in with the baggies. As I mentioned in a prior post just recently I was thinking about doing this. I am really glad I did.
The ribbon and trim was in this binder

It was a great solution - just not cost effective for the volume of ribbon and trim I have collected. The biggest portion of what I have I got at a garage sale of another miniaturist who had passed on.

But I didn't toss out the binder - I will use that later for something else. I already have something in mind.

The photo boxes storage was holding all the baggies including the added in bits, but it was getting really tight.
I decided to go with two photo boxes.

This just gives me space to move the baggies to look at colors.
I already have decided to add more dividers, but since these were cut by me, I haven't gotten around to that part yet. Anything previously combined, I will just turn the card around and write the new label on it.

31 Days of Organizing - Day 3 Make it work for you

Make It Work for You
Today I am talking about accessibility.  No matter how much organizing I do, if I make it difficult to access, I have defeated one of my main goals of organizing.  This is goal is to make me more efficient.  It is the primary reason I started organizing the way I did many years ago.  

I thought I had a great system when I first got started.  I had boxes from my grandmother who sold Avon.  Her stock came in cardboard boxes and I had previously used them to move.  These are great moving boxes or even for storage of larger items, but for frequent access to miniature supplies, they were too big.  

It was time-consuming for me to pull out the boxes and get out the supplies.  I had built up enough items to store that this was no longer working.  That's when I believe it is time for a change and accessibility needs to be an important factor in selecting what to use.  For me this meant using smaller boxes so I could contain smaller categories.  So that is my tip today, use what you have but consider how easy it will be to access what you have when you organize.

I know about not having much space to make make solutions accessible.  So in this instance I encourage you do the best you can to make it accessible.  One way I do that even with as much space as I currently have ( a whole bedroom) is to have a small toolbox with all my frequently used tools and have extra and less used tools in another location.  

It doesn't matter what solutions you choose, boxes, bags, dividers, cabinets or shelves or a combination of all these and more.  Whatever you choose needs to be accessible, easy to find things and always keeping it simple as much as possible.  Making miniatures should be fun and time spent on the making not getting to things.

Before I go, I also want to share with you something about NAME.  I am on the Free Projects Committee and this month we are sharing a bunch of tips on organizing from NAME members.  This info is found on our Special Projects website.  You don't have to be a member of NAME to view them.  Since I was editor and on the committee you will see many tips from me and see them here on my blog as well.  I hope it isn't too much organizing for you.  I think it is worth a read as the other members gave some really great tips that I hadn't thought of.  That is what being a part of NAME is all about for me - sharing.  This also emphasizes the idea I am sharing today - make it work for you - which is exactly what these other members are doing. 

See you tomorrow with another idea for my 31 Days of Organizing.

Happy miniature organizing!
Preble