Geri B

Many good, useful, inexpensive ideas have been offered...may look into some myself! That damp basement sounds like your main problem......could that cause that nasty black mold to form......hope you can resolve it....sounds like a waste of space that would drive me crazy!

tessagin

So many ideas. Measure your kitchen for space that will be convenient for you. Keep those measurements with you when you're out. Do a lay out graph of your kitchen. Keep that and make notes on the back side and maybe few photos of ideas. Then keep in mind anything that you can attach "casters" to. Mobility can be key. You may be able to find something at the thrift stores. Check the different photos ideas in the Mission Organization section. Also fishing tackle boxes or tool boxes are great for storing scissors and other notions. Thread and bobbins. Walmart has tackle and tool boxes that stack on top of each other. Dollar discount stores may have some also. Fabric in baskets you are currently working with can be decorative. Some would not realize you have "fabric scatter" different from fabric clutter. You can put pretty little labels on baskets or if you use the canvass baskets. You can make your own canvass baskets. So easy. Just measure your basket and go from there.

quiltmouse

How much water, just a bit, running into the drain? Get some large cart wheels (here's a picture, but get bigger than this, to keep your platform out of the water.

http://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

A sheet of good plywood, 5/8" or 3/4". Cut it in half. Reinforce it with 2x4. Attach the cartwheels to the 2x4.

Put plastic bins which seal (like rubbermaid) on the frame.

Wrap plain charcoal briquets (no starter fluid) in newspapers, then wrap that in scrapbook paper (for the protection of your fabric - acid & lignen free, etc.) and put a bundle in each bin with your fabrics. Absorb odor & moisture.

... can you tell I lived with your problem once upon a time...

selm

It seems you have 2 problems storage and organization. Having current projects in their totes sounds good. Are they hard totes where one project may not fill the tote? Would a flexible, clear plastic bag work better?

Could you store things not sewing related in the basement on shelving suspended from the ceiling so the water won't bother them? (Like seldom used pans, etc). If you put everything in its own plastic bag the humidity shouldn't bother it. But I wouldn't put fabric or paper down there. Anyway this might free up space upstairs.

In my closets I put some plastic shelves on the main shelf which gave me more storage in the space above the main shelf. If you have standard closets, you could even attach a shelf close to the ceiling which could take stuff like batting or out of season clothes, etc. and you wouldn't have to get at it very often.

As to organization, if you could categorize your stuff(by use or fabric by type/color) maybe you wouldn't have to "dig through everything" as often. I have all my sharp things(scissors, needles, rotary cutters, etc) in a small 3-drawer plastic container that sits on a bookcase. When my grandchildren were little and slept in my sewing room, I just took the whole thing into my bedroom for safety. Maybe you could keep something like this elsewhere and take to the kitchen when you want to sew.

Tartan

For leaks around stones in basement, This Old a House did a program on hydraulic cement. It can go right in even if the leak is still wet and seals in minutes. You do have to work quickly though.

RuthiesRetreat3

Don't want to sound mean, but how old are your children? Young enough to double up in a bedroom? Old enough to be thinking about moving? Any room in one of kids bedrooms to set up small table?

meganc731

How attached to your kitchen table are you? I bet you could find or build a table with storage in the middle and chairs or benches with lift up seats for storage. Check out Ana White for furniture plans.

jmoore

Kari, much like you, I sew at my dining room table. I have a cutting table set up in a spare bedroom and keep my fabric in a plastic storage bin with drawers on wheels. I have to move my machine to the laundry room when we have guests for dinner.

zozee

Perhaps a bookcase if it fits? I buy large sheets of foam board at the dollar store and cut four 9x12 boards from it (there will be some excess) . Wrap fabric around each board and organize it by color on the bookcase. I also use plastic shoeboxes from dollar store on bookcase and cut pretty coordinating scrapbook paper to label the inside fronts and keep them uniform (but less utilitarian). I roll fat quarters and tie with a scrap strip, then put them in a pretty container on top of the bookcase ( not a lg bookcase).

Sew Krazy Girl

Ditto - MOLD? Could be dangerous.