How do you find time?

Missed one day, darn it! Oh well. I guess I just jump right back on the wagon and move forward.

I often get asked something along the lines of "How do you find the time to...." (fill in the blank with whatever crafty item they're looking at), and I inwardly cringe every time. The answer is simple. I don't 'find' time. I have the same 24 hours a day that everyone else is given. I just choose to use it differently.

Here are just a few examples of how I use my time. Some may be similar to others, some may be vastly different:

1. I am very much a homebody. I don't like to spend my time running around to meetings, parties, functions, etc. This is not to say that I don't like parties, because that isn't true. I just don't want to have them happen all the time - even if you're just a guest, it can be a lot of work and thought, and takes more time than just the listed time of the event.

2. When I do need to leave the house for whatever reason (think appointments, shopping, visiting family, etc), I bring small projects with me. If my husband is driving, I can work on projects in the passenger seat, or I can pull out a project while in a waiting room, etc. This includes vacations - I always pack a project or two to keep me busy in the car or on the plane.

3. I have different projects going at all times, and for different locations. Quilting (except hand-work) must be done in the craft room. It is too cumbersome to move the machine, ironing board, cutting mats, etc. every time I want to sew something. Crochet and/or knit however, can be done almost anywhere. I keep those projects in bags that I can either throw in the car, or next to the couch, or wherever.

4. Unless I am very ill, I never just sit to watch television. By no means am I saying that I don't watch television - I do, probably more than I should. But I never ONLY watch TV. I am always working on a project at the same time. Every evening, after my daily chores are done, I sit down and either crochet or knit, or do some hand-quilting, while watching television. I subscribe to most of the streaming services, so there are lots of choices - come back tomorrow, and I'll put up a list of some of my current favorites.

5. I have almost fully converted to audiobooks. I still love books, always will. But I can get so much more done if I pop in my ear buds and listen while I work on other stuff. This will be another topic for the month. Audiobooks, and great narrators are a thing of beauty!

6. When I start a new project, whether it is quilting or crochet/knit, I pick out all the fabric or yarn I will need, along with any other items (thread, buttons, safety eyes, etc.) and put them together. This saves future time, by ensuring that I won't need to dig for that last color when I come to that part of the project.

That is a lot of words, but to put it in a nutshell, I make crafting a priority. I realize how therapeutic crafting is for me, so I do whatever I need to in order to keep it top of mind.

Do you have any tricks you use to fit crafting into your daily schedule? Do share!