I emphasize with you too. I have a pretty good sewing area, because our bedroom is too big (Yes, it's possible). At first, we fell in love with the room but since we have to cool it with a single window a/c, or heat with space heaters, we have decided it's too big! Besides, we are the opposite of hoarders and the room is kind of empty-ish. Or at least it was until I started quilting!! One side of our room has the bed and the other side has a big sewing desk and cutting table and ironing boards and the dresser. And there's still emptiness!
Anyway, sounds great, doesn't it? Problem is, we have cats. And they love laying on *MY* stuff. And puking on *MY* stuff. yuck.. So I keep the sewing machine in there but everything else gets hauled from another room that the animals are not allowed in. I'm seriously considering getting rubbermaid involved. I think one big one would hold all my projects and it would be easy to fold up the one I'm working on at the end of the day and put it on top. Might help me concentrate on one project instead of three!
One way I do keep them away from my hand-quilting project is put it in a beach bag and hang it from a hook. I could, in theory, get several beach/tote bags/back packs, etc... cheap from thrift stores and hang each project in one and hang them. That would get them up out of the way but they'd probably get pretty crinkled.
I do enjoy having a lot of room to stretch out while quilting, so it's worth it!! When my son leaves the nest, we'll probably move back to our 2-bedroom house and I won't have room to quilt so I'll be back here, trying to see if you found a solution!!