The sewing room overhaul.
It seems like I do this once a year. Why?
When we moved in the summer, it was in the midst of stage managing a fringe show. We ended up renting 2 apartments for the month of July in order to have time between working hours to make the new space up to our standards (washing walls, fixing window frames, cleaning where no one had cleaned in years etc). Then we went on a 3 week trip that had been planned previous to the moving was on the plate. When we got back there was still a lot of organizing and fixing and painting and general post move stuff to do – even though we had attempted to get lots done beforehand. The new place was in theory the same as the old place in the opposite orientation. Except that it wasn’t. For some reason the closets were different, and there was less storage in the kitchen. The upside was that we weren’t in the basement (although it was pretty nice for a basement suite), and there is a sunroom where we had a wall.
In the consistent (but often interrupted by working for a living) making the place livable project, the sewing room was once again neglected in an effort to get the more public/daily spaces in shape. By the time we had finally got things to the point of being company worthy, I had started a series of full time contracts outside the home. The sewing room was left – piled high with my fabric bins and the closet hastily filled with the various items from the apartment needing storage that didn’t have a home yet. For small projects as needed, I would venture into the room to forage for supplies and use the dining room table as a workspace.
Why does the ‘spare room’ always seem to get the shaft? Obviously it is far more efficent to get projects done, find an envelope etc when the space is well organized, with room to lay things out. Perhaps the sewing room doesn’t get the respect it deserves. In my case it is not only a place to be creative and make things for myself, but usually where I make things for other people/clients. It should be a priority.
To that end, my exciting (or not) list of TO DOs:
- Sort out remaining fabric from recent projects, thrift store finds, gifts etc into their proper bin/area.
- As above with notions and tools.
- Sort UFO (unfinished objects) bins – prioritize!
- Organize the stationary supplies into containers that fit the items – give away things I know I’ll never use.
- Clear sewing table
- Put up pegboards and newly re-vamped cork boards in various areas
- Make a trip to the retail supply store for pegboard hooks/racks as needed.
- Find some decent speakers for listening to music/podcasts while working.
- Use lovely new space to make curtains for the lovely new space, AND some new clothes for me!
Hopefully with the addition of proper shelving, and a place for all the bits and pieces (leave it…) the sewing room will have a chance at a better life – well used and well loved!
Do you have any hot tips for storage solutions?
Love Heather