Need help downsizing/organizing
 

I am losing my home due to cancer and no longer being able to work. I have a huge stash and don't want to get rid of it, but am moving from a 3-bedroom (with one as a quilting room) 1,600 s.f. to 500 s.f. one-bedroom apartment. Any suggestions on how to get the most fabric into the smallest area? Thanks in advance for your help.

A friend of mine just made such a move. She put her stash in Rubbermaid containers by color and backs separate. Lots of shelving when she got to the smaller place. Good luck

try a bookshelf too. with several selves.

I have seen large plastic containers that can be stored under the bed.

Deb

I am in a one bedroom, and there are a couple of ways I am dealing with organization. I bought sweater boxes, and have them stacked in against the wall. I organized by the colors, and have them labeled. I bought a table from Ikea that you make by buying the flat top, and attach legs to it. I am able to put the sweater boxes under it, also. I have a dog house under, a trash can, and it works real well. I made an ironing board, and have a cutting board on it. I keep the lap top on it when I am not cutting. Since I use a Singer 66, it is in a cabinet. You can also put shelves on the wall to keep supplies. I keep thread in a plastic container. All of it is in the living room, and if kept in the area, it works.

My two cents......think up for fabric storage. I have heard of some unique places people have stored fabric! I am sure you will get some great ideas. Quilters love to look at their fabric.....maybe you could use it some how to decorate your new home? People use books to decorate.

Sharon, I am sorry this is happening to you, but hope that quilting will provide some therapy and happiness for you and an escape from daily concerns. Keep up the good fight. As for storage, I moved between rooms recently and found that I was able to store a lot more fabric in a small space by wrapping it on "mini bolts" that I stored in a bookcase. Make sure the bookcase isn't too deep - you want to store these bolts in a single layer so you can see your stash. Stand them up like in a quilt shop. As for the bolts, I used corrugated plastic - think cardboard, but plastic, which is stronger. I got scraps from a local sign shop. Takes a while to put the fabric on these - so hopefully you will have time before the move.

I just wrapped all my fabric onto comic book boards and it's amazing the amount of space it has saved, and those can be placed on a shelf or into a drawer. I put mine on shelves with my pre-cuts and made a display wall, didn't need wall art in my sewing room.

I would suggest a Murphy type bed in the living room and dedicating the bedroom to sewing and of course a place for your clothes. Closet organizers are a must and don't keep more clothes than you can wear in a week plus those for more special occasions. I assume you will have laundry in your unit. You can always have the living room picked up and close the door to the workroom if company comes. Downsizing is not easy but it does force us to evaluate just what we need and then there is less to take care of too and that is helpful. While it is a very tough time for you, there will be some benefits too.

Put shelves up on the upper wall 10-14 inches from the ceiling and you can stack some there- you could put all the way around the room- as that is usually dead space