Yarn Management for the Highly Organized

I keep a spreadsheet of my yarn stash. It has all the stats on each yarn - how much of it, the gauge it works to etc. I also have photos of each yarn so I can see the color. This is really handy so that if, in my wide travels across the internet, I come across a great pattern, I can instantly tell if I have the yarn which will suit.

I also have a "work in progress" spreadsheet. The name is a bit misleading (ambitious?!) because this list is for all of the projects I am currently working on as well as all of the projects I have waiting in my stash. There are pictures of the pattern and the yarn and all of the info that goes with it.

I also, (and this is where it starts to get a little, well, maybe weird? I call it well organized but there are a number of other names for it!) have a spreadsheet of projects I want to make in the future. It has a photo of the project, what yarn it calls for and all of the specs for that yarn (most importantly the yardage and gauge so I can easily substitute). Sometimes I also have the number of skeins for a preferred sub yarn already worked out. This database is really useful when you see that great batch of lovely yarn at a bargain price on eBay.

A few days ago I spent about 2 hours updating all of my spreadsheets. That sounds like a lot of time but I hadn't done it in months. I got distracted from organizing my virtual stash while I worked in my craft room organizing my actual stash. :)