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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Shelves, Closets, and Wee Small Hours ---

The shelves are up.

But first that meant moving EVERYTHING out of that storage closet ---it really is just a large ugly cinder block lined corner of the “mud room” side of the basement ---So when people were asking to show pics, I was thinking…REALLY? SERIOUSLY!?

It’s not "House Beautiful" down here. I live in a 1970s bungalow style home…the top floor has 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. The main level has the master bedroom, bath, kitchen, living room, dining room and sun room – but the BASEMENT SPACE is what I really loved about this house.

It’s often been said around here that if there were a kitchen and bath in the basement, I’d never come upstairs at all!---- That’s MOSTLY true! :c)

So as the Hubster was doing his manly thing of assembling shelves…..I needed somewhere for them to go, and that meant --- hauling everything from that closet into the quilting room, which is the OTHER half of the basement.

The way I first thought the shelves were going to go, which would have been the easiest of all --- didn’t work, the corner unit made one wall too short for the adjacent shelves….so that meant that even the “DEEP STASH” ((This is the stuff to use for backings, the weird things like novelty prints, older stuff that needs to be cut REALLY SMALL and other….”what was I thinking?” type stuff)) needed to come OUT of its wire cubbies so we could move the wire cubbies to the OTHER wall, putting one shelf set where the cubbies were, the corner unit in the other corner, and one shelf unit along the next adjacent wall. EVERYTHING had to come out of the closet to do this…OY!

I did NOT get a picture of the mountain of STUFF before putting it all back in.

studio 007

Like I said..this is an ugly room/closet. It’s not glamorous, it would never make “coolest sewing spaces in America” ---but I love the shelves already! There are NO MORE STACKED TUBS OF STUFF on the floor! This is the view from the door as you enter the closet….do you see all those empty shelves? They likely won’t be empty for long ----That laundry basket holds deconstructed shirt parts, and I really need a tub with a lid for those, maybe two – just haven’t gotten there yet.

studio 010

The self set on the right of the corner unit --- Machines on the bottom two shelves. Including a serger that hasn’t been plugged in in maybe 7 years, and I probably couldn’t remember HOW to thread it if I needed to! And the rest…all the necessary stored junk – on top – BASKETS. How does one person collect so many baskets? I don’t know, but I love them and I keep thinking I’ll find purposes for each and every one. The electrical cord you see goes to the dehumidifier that is a basement necessity in keeping fabric from smelling musty in basements like this when you live in the South East humidity. It does a great job!

studio 008

This is the DEEP STASH. Some of it is backings, some if it is old FQs and parts that just don’t go in the regular FQ drawers ((Too old, too ugly, no real category, etc…)) My Batiks are here, Christmas too. There is now room to spare ---

To the left of the photo you see the edges of tubs…those are on the shelves on the next wall:

studio 009

THIS was all I could get photo wise of this last shelf unit,I am all the way IN the closet up against the other shelves, and can't get any farther away to get a whole shot. This is the tubs and bins you see in the cubbie photo above. I just started putting things on shelves to get them out of the way so Karen can come quilt her quilt today --- needed a PATH to the long-arm!

I finally gave up about 1:30am --- when I realized that the only critters up were me and this guy:

studio 006

He seemed as big as my hand! He was on the front hall floor --- I saw him move out of the corner of my eye when I went to get the broom and dustpan from the utility closet….EWwwwwwwwrrr! ((Okay, I was not so grossed out that I didn’t have time to quickly wield my phone out of my back pocket and SHOOT HIM! But when I tried to get him with a paper towel – he ran UNDER the front hall closet door, and I was NOT going to go in there to search for him. I turned out the lights…put thoughts of big giant fuzzy spiders out of my mind and went to bed!

Karen will be here shortly – there is still more stuff to move ((As in rolls of batting and other STUFF)) before we can pin in her quilt and start the quilting. I had plans this morning of more MQX photos but --- time is a-wasting! Later today? And then --- there is ALWAYS tomorrow!

OH – I found lots of STUFF for the next Yard Sale Saturday that will be happening on May 5th! I’ll be up in Somers, NY Teaching at their quilt show over that weekend, but I think I can get a post written ahead and have it ready to go before I leave town. If you are wanting to join in --- CLEAN THAT CLOSET! If I can do it – even an ugly closet can become a more user-friendly space ----and it looks even better with the door CLOSED! :c)

30 comments:

  1. I hate spiders! but yes I too would have had time to get the camera if it was near by. Now if you really want to be organized you should see how Teresa at Fabric Therapy does hers! wow!
    Karen

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  2. I have some of those shelves myself and love them. I'm worried about the fabric you have stored at floor level. What if your basement leaks or floods?

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    1. Anonymous11:30 AM EDT

      My thought also when that pic appeared. I have a DRY basement until the sump pump doesn't work (electricity went out for over 10 hours and it rained the entire time. Ten inches of water in my basement-had stuff in cardboard boxes stacked up-bottom boxes got wet and every stack dumped into the water!! :( Took four of us 12hours to empty the basement of fabric and I spent 3 days washing and drying as much as possible. Only lost less than 20 yards!) Not an experience I would wish on anyone!
      Bev (kwiltpharm@aol.com)

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    2. Anonymous5:09 PM EDT

      I had the exact same thought...

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  3. I always enjoy organizing my stash! I find wonderful new fabrics I had forgotten all about. It a great way to get inspiration. My problem is that I have no space. Everything is in plastic bins and I really need to make labels for them. Right now I'm too busy peicing scraps into wonderful new quilts inspired by you and your Quiltville site! Thanks Bonnie!

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  4. you are going to be sooo happy with this setup; i have only 1 shelving unit of this very kind and i love it, everything easily accessible. if i had room, i'd have another. this and my elfa drawers keep all my quilty stuff organized.

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  5. The early spring must be bringing out the organizing spirit. I decided that I needed to organize my fabric scraps so I started ironing, cutting and bought 10 small bins to store them in. That may not be enough! I really like the organizing cubicles that you are using. Do you mind sharing what brand they are or where to purchase them?
    Brenda

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  6. My wife has informed me that she wants to buy a new house. I have resisted the idea. Yesterday she came up with a new tactic...

    "Look Honey, this house already has a perfect area for your fabric and stuff. We could get a few tables for this part of the basement, there are already shelves for all those fabric tubs in the garage, and you could have a sewing room!"

    So I said, "You're playing dirty... If you really want to entice me, find a house with a sewing room AND a tub for two with jets in the Master Suite..." Without missing a beat, she said, "Funny you should mention that..."

    Guess what I am looking at this weekend!?

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    1. Anonymous2:20 PM EDT

      Sounds like you are in trouble now, Paul!! Think the wifey out smarted you on this one! haha
      Faye in Maine

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  7. DH and I use the wonderful phrase "lumber room" to refer to the basement store room. The term comes from "Lombard," which was a generic word for "pawnbroker" because in medieval London it was Lombards and other Italian merchants who set up as moneylenders and pawnbrokers. Thus, a "lumber room" is the place where miscellaneous stuff is stored.

    My lumber room is adjacent to my studio. It stores fabric and vintage linens and books and out-of-season clothes and more

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  8. ....and "amen" to the "Deep Stash" concept. If you issued a Deep Stash Challenge think of what we'd unearth!!

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  9. Paul, that's so funny. I've been looking at houses that very same way, only for myself. Every house is "where could I put my sewing stuff?". We've actually found it, even has a separate quilting building!(And a smaller yard and shop for hubby). But, alas, can't swing it right now. Have to sell this one first and things are not selling here.

    Bonnie, those spiders bite! I put on my sweatshirt jacket one day (it was hanging in the garage) and there was one of those spiders in the sleeve. I thought it was a wasp in there it stung so bad. Check your coats before you put them on!

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  10. Anonymous10:00 AM EDT

    I am so happy for you. Loved the looky looky and esp. that corner shelf that links it all together. TOO CUTE. AND you are lucky to have a husband who can assemble. I have a wonderful husband in many ways but he is not a handy guy.
    We moved and my new sewing room is not as big as I used to have. Nearly three years and I still have not unpacked a few tubs because there is no place to put the stuff!

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  11. Ewwww...I hate spiders! But...I love organization! Your closet looks great.

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  12. Those are THE BEST shelves! I have a rolly cart that's built from the same components, but on casters, and it makes my space into an actually livable space. The shelves never break, you can see everything, they don't collect dust... The best!
    ~~~the Art of Inclusion~~~

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  13. Anonymous10:17 AM EDT

    Just a thought....I lost a great vintage sewing machine on a bottom shelf in a basement flood. While it is good to have the weight of the machines on the bottom shelf for stability, perhaps putting one or two on higher shelves scattered through the unit, might keep you from having to deal with what happened to me. Love the shelves and the happy feeling of organization. Donna

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  14. Anonymous10:27 AM EDT

    Looks like you will be needing more shelves soon - unless you have a HUGE yard sale lol. WOWOW, it is great to have organization with fabrics, machines etc.

    I have the gorilla shelves and SMALL 4' x 4' closet with deep shelving in it. Have to say, it is wonderful having a quilt place to work. A dream come true.

    Thanks for showing us your storage spot. THAT is a real friend :)
    HUGS
    JulieinTN

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  15. Anonymous10:36 AM EDT

    Thank-you so much for shareing these pictures. Love to see what other do in their spaces....
    Kathy Kirby
    skkirby@frontiernet.net

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  16. That looks like a wolf spider. And it looks like the one I found in my cabin last year when I was at a retreat. I was innocently reading a book in bed and saw the movement! ARGGG! I killed it with my shoe. Then I could not sleep...if there was one there are more. I left the body where it fell and wrote a note to the Amish maid that I had killed the vermin and to dispose of it. She never touched it. I left no tip for that "sweet" Amish gal. WHEW!!!!!
    This weekend is the same retreat...I am armed with spider killing bug spray and I intend to spray the entire room, especially under the bed. We are usually the first over nighters in this complex. And bugs like warm and quiet during the winter months.
    Best way to clean as you are doing. I have two of those shelving units. Fabric bolts can sit two deep on them!!! Mine are both full!
    XOOXOX Subee

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  17. Bonnie, you crack me up. I love your basement photos and all that fabric! P.S. I receieved the 2 books I ordered yesterday and was so pleased that you signed them. Now I have to decide which quilt I want to make first.

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  18. I could NOT have slept (regardless of the time) until that spider had been found and dispatched to the next life ... no way, no how ... dead, dead, dead he/she would have to be!!

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  19. Oh great! Room for more machines now!~!! :-)
    Good job, Dave! He earned his power washer!

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  20. Anonymous2:24 PM EDT

    Space looks really good, Bonnie, what a difference good storage space makes.
    BTW, I would have killed the spider before going to bed as well, guess I am not alone on that one.
    Faye in Maine

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  21. janice d6:35 PM EDT

    OMG that spider is hairy and looks like a taranchula (sp) and big! Corner unit looks so great and so glad you got it, it really made a difference. My only concern is I wonder if you should have put the shelves up on blocks and not directly on the floor. I see fabric on the bottom shelves and with dampness and possible flooding - hopefully you are on a hill and don't have a water problem down there. Really coming together and looks great. I sure MISS MY BASEMENT!!!

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  22. Anonymous6:36 PM EDT

    Looks really nice! Look at all that extra space for more tax deduction purchases that will make your DH very happy! Now as to those baskets. Have you seen Peterboro Baskets? They are my absolute favorites! See them at www.Peterborobaskets.com.

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  23. First, looks like you have some space on those shelves, in other words, you need to get more fabric!
    Second, I can't squish spiders, I would have put a large bowl over him and waited for someone else to do the dirty work. I keep a bowl in my basement for just this purpose.
    Have fun with all the stuff you uncovered! OHSue

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  24. Bonnie: Note to self: arachnophobe followers will not be able to respond to anything after they see a picture of a huge spider! Really. Too. Scary. Squish first. Take pictures for the blog later.

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  25. Anonymous10:43 AM EDT

    Those of us that live in places without basements are in awe. Houtson is only 50 feet above sea level, and you can hot ground water at 8-12 feet in paces. Basement storage is not an option, and with the heat and humidity- I don't put things in the garage or stoarge units. It's a good thing I only have one kiddo and a three bedroom house!

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  26. I have a couple of those shelves and love them...also, mine has wheels in case I need to roll them around for some reason...great feature for cleaning or finding stuff that falls out the back (very seldom and only if encouraged by an extra push on my part).

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  27. You are right Bonnie but only because the “coolest sewing spaces in America” award already went to Teresa at Fabric Therapy (http://fabrictherapy.blogspot.com/p/stash-organization.html). According to her, hers is not glamorous either but all that lovely organization makes both of your spots welcoming to the average quilter!

    And I am so glad you will be up my way very soon! I hadn't heard about this year's Somers show but it's on my calendar now and I will be there both days to hear your lectures (the workshop is already full, unfortunately). Very much looking forward to it!

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