I am looking for some creative answers to this. I have been tossing packages I get in the mail into my walkin closet (which is no longer walkin - able) or into my still to be finished sewing room.
I am in the process of trying to set up my Sewing Room - Since organization is not my middle name - I seem to be cleaning up one spot/room, only to have stuff - for some strange reason - ending up in another room, that has been yet to cleaned.

What about those plastic bins they make for under the bed storage?

I have a lot ofmine inrubber made bins.

plastic storage bins under the extra bed, also I set up a table in the extra bedroom and have the stackable plastic bins under it along with 2 filing cabinets for magazines, books etc.

bookcase to store fabrics

Unfortunately, there is no room under my beds for totes.

I find that if I don't see it, I forget I have it. I have started taking my fabric out of bins - amazed at the amount of duplicates I found - refolding it and putting it on shelves.

I prefer shelves, it is easier to see what I have... but I do have a lot in totes too :D:D:D

JuneC I'm just like you- when it's out of sight it's unfortunately out of mind. I have my fabric in see through totes and those board things that look like in a fabric shop.

Never too much shelving or bookcases!

I use those three drawer plastic stackables. The drawers are clear so I can see what's in it. I have 1 book shelf that is packed full too.

closet shelves for folded fabric and for FQs I use the plastic totes (single layer size) and a set of roller drawers (6 drawers). I also have the clear shoe boxes and project boxes that hold pending projects. If it is out of sight, it is out of my mind.

Hint: Stop buying. Work on getting your room organized. No stores are going to run out of fabric any time soon.

i do not hide my fabrics- i put it away on shelves- in totes, on more shelves- in hanging drawers in the closet- and on more shelves....the totes usually have the stuff i don't get into all the time- like halloween or christmas fabrics are in totes- everything else has to be accessable daily- so its on shelves or in the closet

I have a little dresser with pull out fabric drawers for my fabric. They sell them at places like the dollar store for not much. Also I use the dreaded plastic bag if I have a project I'm dragging around the house to work on. LOL

And I thought I was the only one that happened to! I feel your pain.

Well, I don't think this would be considered hiding, but, if I'm not careful, I am afraid the filming team from the "Hoarders Show" may turn up! So, I use the plastic stackables, got a great deal on a case of 12, I put my scraps in them, by color...I also have my mom's big china hutch, I have my fat quarters and 1 yard or smaller in it, by color. Lastly, at my local shop, where our quilting group meets, the owner just tosses the empty bolt holders...so, I bring them home and put my bigger yardages on them...dh made me some shelves, and I stack like at the quilt store on them...Now, if I could only keep all of it as organized as it sounds...I get a "wild hair"...clean and organize...and then another hair pokes out...and it all seems to be a mess again...lol...a vicious circle it can be... :shock:

I have one of those shoe things that hang on the back of a door.
There are several pockets in it.

I also have one of those "pigeon hole" units for shoes.
I use it for several materials too.

I use bins too. For projects I will start or have finished I have the materials in large zip lock bags. If its a new one to start I also have to pattern in with it along with size and other information, threads and whatever else it needs.

Finished, it has who it was for, date and pattern and left over material. Both "To start, and finished" are in the green bin in the corner. Fats are on the shelf. I have ribbon and stuff like that in a basket on the floor.
Still have arranging to do as the room just got finished.

From another June. I just re-organized my sewing room closet. I found clear plastic storage containers that fit my closet perfectly. I also have 2 of those 3 drawer plastic "dressers" stacked on top of each other to the left and the containers 3 across and 5 high to the right..My old containers were all odd sizes and wasted my closet space.And I like the clear so I can see.

I keep my stash in the RubberMaid type bins that I label with what specific colors are in it..such as blue, brown, yellow, red, black, etc. Also in these bins, I have others labeled as Hawaiian, solids (for clothes linings), upholstery, Japanese, Christmas, Easter, Halloween. So when looking for fabrics for my quilts, I know what colors I need to be searching for and look in these specific bins. I also keep a bin that has completed tops (labeled), unfinished other crafting projects, finished projects to be given as gifts and also my most recent fabric purchases so I know I might have a "need" to look there first for my current projects. But careful, using these bins filled with fabric can get very heavy and so lifting the bins can be difficult if you use too large a bin. I feel that using these colored bins keeps my fabric from fading if I've stored it too long as well as keeps them from damage from the elements or bugs.

I have a walk in closet in my bedroom and I have cleared off two shelf for my fabric stash, that way when I get dressed in the morning I can look at my beautiful stash of fabrics.

Maybe I am lucky, but I don't hide them. When packages arrive my DH just says where do you want these. I just say my sewing room. I NEVER open them in front of him though, he might see the slip and how much this stuff costs!!! LOL

He never asks either.

Yes, they won,t run out of fabric--but what about sales--CLEARENCE sales?

My friend puts her fabric between the mattresses of the bed in her guest room, partly because she's hiding it from her husband, and partly because she lives in an apartment and storage space is scarce.

I have floor to ceiling cabinets that my husband built and I use plastic bins to store my fabric by color or theme.

Buy one of those divided pocket things for the closet that holds shoes. Walmart has them, works great for fabric, notions, whatever, I have one in my closed that I keep my underwear in and use the chest of drawers for all kinds of junque!

delma

I use a cabinet with many drawers and try to accommodate color fabrics.
I'll come with a photo of me so that I use because I can easily remove the cloth.
But my stash is small!

I don't hide it 'cause then I'll forget what I have. All of my fabric is on boards and on shelves like books. My batting, interfacing, etc. is in plastic bins. I have, thanks to my late wonderful FIL, many cigar boxes and they are great for purse components, trim, elastic, etc. Rulers are on a belt organizer and I just, I'm so easy, bought four of those swivel storage dealy bobs for my large spools of thread. There is not enough room so navigating my sewing room is only for the brave or fully informed. It is one room where I am absolutely calm and happy so I'm keepin' it.

I would use the plastic bins for under the bed as well as clear plastic bins/totes so that I can see what I have, and I try to attach a 4 x 6" file card to the inside or outside listing the fabrics inside. You can go detailed, or just general - like Christmas, Children's fabric, fall, etcc.

Wow, Kberry, you have a floor in your sewing room-that's not covered with all sorts of things.

Love how you designed it. Looks great and very user friendly.

I have to keep my fabric in site. I have a storage shelf system you can pick up from the hardware store. Sort my fabric by color and size and keep it all on the shelf. I do have 3 large totes but I forget I have things in them. And i have several shoe box size clear plastic boxes I use for fat quarters, and use gallon ziplock bags for precuts.

I have an over the door shoe hanger with pockets I use for misc. small supplies. And the other square I think it's a sweater storage hanger with shelves in the closet for some fat quarters and yarn.

I don't hide my fabric. It like seeing it. My husband is building me some new shelves on which to display it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKiiO...eature=related

you can try some of these

I sorted all my fabric by color and then put on shelves. Since doing this I'm amazed at how much I have on hand. I'm going to hard not to buy and use what I have. Our guild is planning a trip to Penn country so......

The table I have in there I bought at an auction for 50.00.
It's a drop leaf and has 4 extra leafs to it. I use it for cutting, pinning, putting things together, and what ever I need it for.

The empty side of the room will be where I will put my quilter frame and machine when I get one.

That big white machine is my embroidery machine.

That room used to be only half the size it is now. We added a 20 addition to our house and decided to do upstairs too.
I claimed the room as mine!

:mrgreen:

Empty the room and measure your wall space. Go to yard sales and thrift shops for book cases and dressers. put some material in place and continue. Remember you can take the front of the dresser draws off and end up with shelves (5 draws or 5 shelves). You can cover your shelves with clear plastic just use velcro dots. Everything stays clean and you can see all. Pine boards aren't expensive you can build a chest to put material in(I did) then maybe make a padded top and put it by a window so you can sit and hand sew. Sometimes a mommy will have a set of nook boxes a child has out grown they are quite colorful but if you don't like the colors take them out side and spray paint them with a color or colors you like. You will have a mess when you first start but it will not take long before you have it right

Great idea on under the bed. I have two of those shoe boxes I can use. ANd color code them. Yeah......

A long time ago I was shopping with a guy (I suppose you could say we were on a date at the mall) and he mentioned that his dad said, "There will always be another sale." That has kind of stuck with me. As long as the stores exist there will be another sale.

I'm with Big Dog here. I love sales, including clearance, but there will be more sales. Just check ebay or Craig's List. For some the fun is in the hunt, but you just tend to collect and collect and not use. Then it becomes a hassle and you are in danger of becoming a hoarder.

How do I know this? From experience...:)
However, I recently cleaned out a storage area where I had a bunch of clothing for the guys in my life. Problem was that there was so much there I couldn't find anything and two of my young men have left home now anyway. So, I cleaned it all out, down to 2 boxes--one for shirts and one for pants and suddenly I had a whole bunch of empty storage space! I moved my cut up squares (several totes of 4", 5" and 6" squares) into this area and I'm delighted!!!!

Living in a tiny motorhome with no storage to speak of, I have a large plastic bin in our bike barn outside and many, many plastic bags inside. Some I keep handy under my chair and others are in the bedroom. Plus I have a craft shed where I put yet more.

I have found out when you want to clean up one room you end up messing up another so that you can go through the things that you want to orgainize Just smile and keep on going. I keep my fabric in filling cabinets and I roll it on the plastic board that I get from Polar Notions from Paducah Ky. they may be a little expensive but they fit nice in filing cabinet and I try and put my colors together and when you open drawer it is neat. Also if yu have shelves you can stand them up on shelve and see what you have. It just works better for me. started using these about 2 1/2 years ago and I have probably have about 125 or more. You can put more then one piece of fabric on each one. Enjoy. Also when you are going thru your things we sure do get surprised LOL

i use the clear bins.

I don't hide mine. I store it on a bookshelf I got at IKEA. It sits perpendicular to the window, so the fabrics won't fade. I have a couple of plastic bins under my quilt frame that hold fabric scraps, batting scraps, and fusible web. I do have a couple of plastic bins that slide under the couch, they hold my backings.

I found a great free way to organize my sewing room. My DD has a good friend who has severe OCD, and came with DD to visit. I showed her my sewing room, and next thing I knew, she offered to organize it for me. Of course, I said sure. My sewing room is very easy to keep organized now because I am organizationally challenged, and she was able to do such a great job, it makes it easy to keep it that way. * One woman's disability, is another woman's gift from above! :lol:

You should let us see it.....