Day Eleven

TOTES

If you attend crops, workshops or classes, chances are pretty good that you have at least one tote bag, box or trolley. Tote bags tend to accumulate items because we slip in more and more bits and pieces just in case we need them while we're out. It's all these just in case moments that can lead to a pretty full bag, and in turn, an inefficient system where you spend more time searching, packing and unpacking than you do crafting. So let's get them cleaned out and repacked with the essentials.

A few days ago I shared some tips about setting up your workspace with all the essentials close by. Those same tips will work for your tote bag, plus a couple of extras:
1. Something that cuts - trimmers, knives, guillotines, scissors
2. Something that adheres - glue, tape runners, double-sided tape
3. Something that writes - pens, pencils, markers
4. Something that grabs/holds - tweezers, clips, clamps
5. Something that measures - rulers
6. Basic tools - bone folder, score tool, blending brush
7. Project requirements - paper, stamps, embellishments (whatever the current project requires)

TIP: If you find yourself bogged down with a lot of stuff and can't figure out what to remove from your tote, place a little sticker on the items you use over the next three or four crops. These are the basic items that you need to keep with you... the rest can probably be left at home.