Previously my tiny sewing room (that I have to share with my husband who stores a bunch of stuff in my closet) had a huge computer desk and open shelving that was way too full. It worked to a degree but it was always cramped and hard to find things. It was impossible to keep it from becoming a disaster every time I started a project. Plus with no open space I was always dragging stuff out to the livingroom or bedroom to work on it.
So I decided to purge and clean and get rid of a lot of stuff and rethink how I stored what I decided to keep. I ditched the desk and shelves. I bought an old dresser and small shelf from a yard sale and painted them white. I purged fabric until it all fit in the dresser. New rule: no more fabric if it doesn't fit in the dresser. I used jars to store buttons, zippers and rick rack and put them on the shelves.
I painted an old microwave cart we had in the garage and put peel and stick linoleum tiles on the damaged surfaces. I have a TV and VCR on it, and baskets holding scraps on the lower shelves. I now have a folding table with adjustable height legs as a work table and its tall enough to have my trashcan, rolling drawers that holds thread and notions and another scrap bin under. I got a peg board for rules and scissors. I made a "button clock" and curtain tie backs.
