Re-organizing help needed
 

I am getting ready to take a large computer desk out of my sewing room. It will be replaced with storage of some sort. What do you ladies find works the best for storage of UFO's and fabric? I do not want open bookcases with no backs...everything disappears! Thought about just stacking bins, but they are heavy to toss around when looking for something

HELP!!

I am in a similar situation as we are moving and I need to have better storage for my fabric, etc. I will have a large room just for my sewing and have decided on Ikea cabinets with glass doors to keep out the dust and some light. I have had my fabric in bins and find them way too heavy and cumbersome to move around so I loose track of what I have. Now it will be sorted by color and size, all readily accessible. Yea!! Ikea has several options on size and style- check out their online catalogue.

I believe I have seen storage units made of open weave wire covered in plastic. They would allow you to stack fabric etc. inside the units without it falling through unless it is very small and allow air to circulate also. The fabric would also still be visible which would save a lot of digging. You may have inspired me to try reorganizing my stash using such shelving. If actual shelving is not available perhaps you could just purchase a lot of the plastic milk carton like bins and stack them on their sides to create your own shelving unit.

If you or someone in your life is good with cabinetry, I would build or have built a floor to ceiling, closed cabinet, as wide as you can, but no deeper than 24". The disappearing act happens even with a back on a cabinet. My husband is building me one with four sheets of furniture grade plywood. 8' tall, by 4' wide, 18" deep. I will post a picture when it is done. I do have some storage boxes though that I got fairly recently at Home Depot, made by Rubbermaid and called All Access. They close fairly tightly, but in addition to the lids they have a clear door on the front that not only allows access, but allows you to see what is inside. I am using them for cameras storage, because we have five different cameras and accessories. Just some thoughts. Have fun!

If you can I would place shelves on the wall. Worried about light a curtain or a number of curtains to draw back, with the shelves looking like a quilt shop walls and clear plastic boxes with other notions etc, to open when you sew.love the idea.

I like the art bins for my fabric. Holds a lot

I'm not sure what art bins are, but I too use labeled bins and baskets for different colored scraps and supplies, and stack my folded yardage on a couple of 8' bookshelves. There is also room to store seldom used boxes or packaged batting on top as well.

I have *always* stored my fabric folded on shelves inside an armoire with the doors closed.
Each shelf holds one or more stacks of fabric by color (depends on the size of the shelves) and I just lift out the whole stack of 60-90 fabrics (about 12-16" high) when I need to audition a color.
They are protected from light, fading, dust, dirt, mold, and 'loss' (really misplacement!) by this method.

My collection probably has over 800-900 different prints/designs of fabrics even though some are less than 1/3 yard. As fabrics cost so much and I have an extensive and even older collection, I look at them as the largest investment that I have made in my art. Therefore it is worth the cost of proper storage to me. Check out second hand stores for good armoires.

Jan in VA

Thanks for the suggestions, I am sure I will be using an assortment of options!!