Need help with space. Desperate!
03-29-2021, 09:55 AM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 3,126
Originally Posted by SHELTIE'SMAMA
When I reorganize and have my hands on each thing, my go to question is: would I pay to move it. If the answer is no it goes in a re-home bag. In that process now myself. Some quilter is going to have a field day at Goodwill.
I'm in the same boat. It's so hard for me to keep organized in such a small space. I bought a lot of fabric recently, along with a new sewing machine, so now I'm extremely cramped for space. (Like I wasn't before.) I'm going to take your tip a step further and pretend that I have to move in one month. Hopefully, that will motivate me to get rid of some stuff. My plan of attack: get going, make 4 piles, (one to keep, one to donate, one to sell, one to throw away.) I'm going to set a date to go to the Goodwill and the dump and I won't renege on it. I plan to put charity things in the car every day, so it's not one, big chore.
03-29-2021, 10:01 AM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 3,126
Originally Posted by Julienm1
Once I started quilting seriously, I acquired fabric that no longer "works". I donated those "blunders" to local quilt groups. Just tossed them into plastic bags and never looked back. This process helped me to control my fabric and spending. When NM opens up again, I may do this again. Maybe this will help you to get a handle on what you have.
I've watched hoarder shows and they all started with three containers...keep, donate, toss. I also noticed that she/he had to make a quick decisions and can't change their mind. Start in a corner of the room, work your way around. Set a timer to work. Maybe only 30 min to start. Soon you will have a beautiful sewing room you can enjoy.
Keep your eye on the prize! You can do this and we are all here to help you to stay motivated.
I've watched hoarder shows and they all started with three containers...keep, donate, toss. I also noticed that she/he had to make a quick decisions and can't change their mind. Start in a corner of the room, work your way around. Set a timer to work. Maybe only 30 min to start. Soon you will have a beautiful sewing room you can enjoy.
Keep your eye on the prize! You can do this and we are all here to help you to stay motivated.
03-29-2021, 10:06 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 3,126
I know, I've mentioned the Container Store a couple of times in the past, but it is worth mentioning again. They have lots of storage solutions and they are online. My only problem with them is that sometimes they no longer have the item that I've ordered, so I'm set back on getting things organized.
04-12-2021, 07:07 PM
#25
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Suisun, CAlifornia
Posts: 1,001
My sewing room is only 9.5' x 9.5' with a window facing North. I like the window light coming over my left shoulder so I put my sewing table on the East wall.
I then measured all the furniture that I had to have in the room. I put the ironing board, a small dresser for UFOs and trims, and several bins of finished quilts under the window.
I took the sliding doors off of the closet on the West wall and built shelves for battings, other finished projects, bolts of fabric and a bin of large pieces of good linen, and some crochet stuff.
I then ironed and folded all my fabric and sorted it by color separating any holiday fabrics. I measured the stacks to determine how much shelf space I needed. Then I bought 5 shelves that are 29"W x78"H and put 2 of them next to my machine and 3 on the South wall right up to the door.. They are white laminate book shelves about 10" deep that I found at Scandinavian Design on sale. I did have to add more shelves, but those were cheap at Home Depot.
next to the machine the shelf holds button tins, rip-stop nylon for making flags/ kites, big clear plastic jars of thread separated by color, containers with extra pins, needles, bobbins, assorted presser feet, assorted tools, and a small first aid kit for poked fingers.
The second shelf on that East wall holds Backing fabrics, patterns both purchased and hand drawn, quilt books and magazines. the bottom shelf has 4 small bins w/fabric, pattern and tread for quilts to be.
The 3 shelves on the South wall are all fabrics except the top shelf that has my penny bank to buy more fabric and some do-dads that I love. it's tight but works. what I do miss is a felt design wall and a big cutting table so I don't make too many huge quilts.
measure your walls, your furniture, your fabrics and then decide what storage pieces you will need.
GOOD LUCK
You will be very happy with you new organized space.
I then measured all the furniture that I had to have in the room. I put the ironing board, a small dresser for UFOs and trims, and several bins of finished quilts under the window.
I took the sliding doors off of the closet on the West wall and built shelves for battings, other finished projects, bolts of fabric and a bin of large pieces of good linen, and some crochet stuff.
I then ironed and folded all my fabric and sorted it by color separating any holiday fabrics. I measured the stacks to determine how much shelf space I needed. Then I bought 5 shelves that are 29"W x78"H and put 2 of them next to my machine and 3 on the South wall right up to the door.. They are white laminate book shelves about 10" deep that I found at Scandinavian Design on sale. I did have to add more shelves, but those were cheap at Home Depot.
next to the machine the shelf holds button tins, rip-stop nylon for making flags/ kites, big clear plastic jars of thread separated by color, containers with extra pins, needles, bobbins, assorted presser feet, assorted tools, and a small first aid kit for poked fingers.
The second shelf on that East wall holds Backing fabrics, patterns both purchased and hand drawn, quilt books and magazines. the bottom shelf has 4 small bins w/fabric, pattern and tread for quilts to be.
The 3 shelves on the South wall are all fabrics except the top shelf that has my penny bank to buy more fabric and some do-dads that I love. it's tight but works. what I do miss is a felt design wall and a big cutting table so I don't make too many huge quilts.
measure your walls, your furniture, your fabrics and then decide what storage pieces you will need.
GOOD LUCK
You will be very happy with you new organized space.
