The above image is a detailed look at my sewing room - a year or so ago (from when I guest blogged here). This was before we moved, and although my new sewing room was set up similarly, it's not that way now. So what happened?
Well the three year old in my life made it a necessary to move those cute drawers to the top of my tall dresser (not in the sewing room). Things don't get put back away when you have to hide everything from the three year old!
Here's my challenge. I want to get my room back in order. I can't afford to buy different/more storage supplies, so I'm going to have to figure something out. I want it to be put together and pretty again!
But where do I start? lol. I really don't know. I need a system for WIP's, since I like to have half a dozen projects going at once. And I need to re-hang my minis - maybe I'll add quick turn corners to all my mug rugs - then I could hang them without them eventually falling.
Does anyone have tips about organizing and maintaining a sewing room? If it helps my room is in what would have been our dining room - so we walk through it a zillion times a day (hence it's hard to keep little fingers away!)
It depends on the storage things you have at hand already. Hanging baskets are a good idea to keep things off the floor and hopefully high enough to be out of reach of little children. If you have cupboards try fitting them with locks or something only you can open so keep them closed.
ReplyDeleteIt may be an idea to make up some curtains or drapes to cover things with and can be clipped or pinned to certain things well enough to not be pulled off, to keep children away.
Hope that helps a bit. If you take pictures of the actual room that may help more =D
One thing I can suggest is that you put all the bits and pieces for your WIP's into ziplock bags - you can hang them from skirt hangers (if you have the set-up for a curtain rod) or tuck them into a basket! I saw a picture on Pinterest recently (http://pinterest.com/pin/179299628884869230/) where someone used one of those television cabinets (the ones that look like an armoire, and hold a big old tube television - you can sometimes get them for free on Freecycle!) as craft storage - if you did that, you could put a lock on the door! Also, you can use a dresser with the drawers removed, and put wicker (or fabric, maybe?) baskets in the drawer slots -- I don't have that one bookmarked, but you can search for "organizing" on Pinterest and find a zillion ideas!
ReplyDeleteminis-whip stitch a pencil or small dowel and hang on nail or better yet hang up a line and clothes pin or metal clip them to it or just decorative large thumb tacks-teeny hole doesn't hurt. WIP I like those flat plastic memory boxes but Large zip locks work too. I have bought old kit fake wood bookcases painted them white and added old molding from Habitat restore-cost about 20 bucks total to store fabric, etc. Or stalk yard sales I recently bought 5 premade shelves with wooden brackets for $3. Some I painted green, some are white I put my old canning jars with buttons sorted by color, pincushions, old sewing boxes with notions. An old towel bar, some cheap s hooks and some dollar store plastic baskets can sort little stuff-take them down to use then hang to store out of the way.
ReplyDeleteAll these comments are great. Ditto on yard sales. And bins at the dollar store are great, too! I also hang lots of things on skirt hangers, usually in the order that I need to finish it (I even hang the envelopes for our bees).
ReplyDeleteWhen in doubt, go up! You can get some shelves for pretty cheap from lowes. Mine aren't real wood they're the particle board with laminate over. They're white and the store will cut them to length for you. Then make super cute baskets for the shelves out of fabric and spare cardboard so they are super cute and coordinate.
ReplyDeleteMaybe hop on free cycle and see if you can find an old dresser or buffet you. 3 year olds are a sneaky bunch. Mine found the meat tenderizer and was hammering with it, all in the time it took to go tinkle.
When my son was younger we found a dresser that had sticky drawers at a yard sale...we did not fix the drawers as with a little effort we could open the, but he couldn't;-). We also got it for a great price as the drawer's issue meant others did not want it! I also used the idea above and used a tension rod on a book case and put a curtain on it. You could not put anything dangerous there but out of sight often can mean out of mind. And the shelves on wall is great idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably not the best person to give any advice since my "craft" room currently looks like a tornado tore through.
ReplyDeleteWhat I've been doing is buying the little shoebox sized plastic boxes at Target to store fabrics and projects in. The are only a $1 and some change so I don't feel guilty buying just one here or there.
I like the idea of the baskets on the towel rod type idea. I just saw a tutorial for fabric baskets and was thinking I might do that to get some things organized.
I used this tute http://www.positivelysplendid.com/2011/02/lets-make-something-together-lined.html
ReplyDeleteto make fabric covered diaper boxes. It works for any heavy duty cardboard box... This way you can use up scraps or the yardage you'll never use in a quilt but isnt ugly enough to throw away :) Post what you come up with... I sew in the dining room and I am always looking for great ideas.