Need help with space. Desperate!
03-29-2021, 09:55 AM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 3,397
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: 3,397
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: 3,397
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: 1,005
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.
05-25-2021, 05:00 PM
#26
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 238
I have a tiny 8 ft x 9 ft sewing room with a bay window (it used to be my dining room but we never used it for eating - it used to be my reading nook).
I have my grandfather's office credenza on one wall - my 2 computerized machines live there. My Singer treadle machine is against the left side of the bay window - when the cabinet is closed Elna lives on it. My professional ironing board ($10 from a garage sale) is in here too along with 2 side tables, a 3-drawer plastic 'dresser' for my cabbage, a metal 2-shelf unit on wheels for my threads and patterns, and two 5-shelf metal shelving units (got on sale) on wheels.
I had to go up to get more room. The tallest shelving units have sewing items on the shelves as well as items hung on the backs and sides - batting on the back of one, extra cutting mat on the back of the other. Rulers and templates on one side, wool pressing mats on the other. The other unit has my irons in a portable ironing mat bag, project ideas, and my old ironing board covered in batting, then cloth, and hooks stuck in the holes for more hanging spots. Hanging baskets hold all sorts of things. I had to be creative to get it to work and couldn't waste an inch.
Found a chair on the curb last summer and this winter I reupholstered it for the treadle table - I have a bag hanging off of it holding sewing things there too.
I believe I've spent less than $250 for all my storage and it's working well.
I have my grandfather's office credenza on one wall - my 2 computerized machines live there. My Singer treadle machine is against the left side of the bay window - when the cabinet is closed Elna lives on it. My professional ironing board ($10 from a garage sale) is in here too along with 2 side tables, a 3-drawer plastic 'dresser' for my cabbage, a metal 2-shelf unit on wheels for my threads and patterns, and two 5-shelf metal shelving units (got on sale) on wheels.
I had to go up to get more room. The tallest shelving units have sewing items on the shelves as well as items hung on the backs and sides - batting on the back of one, extra cutting mat on the back of the other. Rulers and templates on one side, wool pressing mats on the other. The other unit has my irons in a portable ironing mat bag, project ideas, and my old ironing board covered in batting, then cloth, and hooks stuck in the holes for more hanging spots. Hanging baskets hold all sorts of things. I had to be creative to get it to work and couldn't waste an inch.
Found a chair on the curb last summer and this winter I reupholstered it for the treadle table - I have a bag hanging off of it holding sewing things there too.
I believe I've spent less than $250 for all my storage and it's working well.
05-26-2021, 07:41 PM
#27
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Idaho
Posts: 984
Wow mcadwell. It sure sounds like you have got it all together! It appears to be a lot of stuff you have organized in to a small space! Very impressive.
I am not a good visualizer. I cant just see the space and know where things go and how they will look good.
I am going through more things. Passing things on to fellow quilters and working on organization.
I did order a new table for my Bernina and embroidery module. Along with a 4 drawer cabinet. It It should be here tomorrow. It has been a long long road to get it here! But it will be nice. Place to store the module and divided drawers for thread and lots of space for miscellaneous notions.
Waiting on this furniture has felt like one step forward and 2 steps backwards! I have moved my things so many times. Out of the way because i thought my cabinet would be here and i wanted to be ready. Then back because i was not going to be with out sewing for 8 weeks. Then back out. Argggg. And unfortunately i am putting a lot of pressure on this new stuff to help me out!! One good thing that is coming out of this is that i have enjoyed the empty space. The ability to walk through the room with out the obstacle course feeling! And i know i dont want to go back to the stuff everywhere set-up i have had!
Fingers crossed that the delivery happens tomorrow. It really should but i have been disappointed before!
I am not a good visualizer. I cant just see the space and know where things go and how they will look good.
I am going through more things. Passing things on to fellow quilters and working on organization.
I did order a new table for my Bernina and embroidery module. Along with a 4 drawer cabinet. It It should be here tomorrow. It has been a long long road to get it here! But it will be nice. Place to store the module and divided drawers for thread and lots of space for miscellaneous notions.
Waiting on this furniture has felt like one step forward and 2 steps backwards! I have moved my things so many times. Out of the way because i thought my cabinet would be here and i wanted to be ready. Then back because i was not going to be with out sewing for 8 weeks. Then back out. Argggg. And unfortunately i am putting a lot of pressure on this new stuff to help me out!! One good thing that is coming out of this is that i have enjoyed the empty space. The ability to walk through the room with out the obstacle course feeling! And i know i dont want to go back to the stuff everywhere set-up i have had!
Fingers crossed that the delivery happens tomorrow. It really should but i have been disappointed before!
05-27-2021, 09:41 AM
#29
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 7,168
I realized just how much yardage I had when the rod came down in the closet in my sewing room. I had to box up all the stuff to keep until my husband could fix the rod. Now I'm on a mission to use up a lot of that fabric. My solution to having too much is to get sewing!
I don't use anything fancy to store stuff. i have shelves on the walls with the strips and shelving and have smaller cuts of fabric stored in plastic boxes. Ditto with trims and notions. I've only bought a few fabrics for the last few years and I'm working at using up what I have. Some of the "what was I thinking fabrics got used for pajama pants. Same with some of my rayons (they make the nicest pj pants). I do get rid of some pieces of fabric that I'm sure I won't use and don't keep that many small scraps. I don't get in a hurry where i "have" to have things gone now. I've learned my lesson with that. When I start tossing stuff just to pretend I'm organizing, I end up spending more money to buy it later because I need it. What a waste!
I don't use anything fancy to store stuff. i have shelves on the walls with the strips and shelving and have smaller cuts of fabric stored in plastic boxes. Ditto with trims and notions. I've only bought a few fabrics for the last few years and I'm working at using up what I have. Some of the "what was I thinking fabrics got used for pajama pants. Same with some of my rayons (they make the nicest pj pants). I do get rid of some pieces of fabric that I'm sure I won't use and don't keep that many small scraps. I don't get in a hurry where i "have" to have things gone now. I've learned my lesson with that. When I start tossing stuff just to pretend I'm organizing, I end up spending more money to buy it later because I need it. What a waste!
