Craft room overhaul

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jfugina
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Craft room overhaul

Post by jfugina »

I've decide it's time for another craft room overhaul. The last one happened several years ago when I started investing in the recollections cubes, and those have been AMAZING for me. But, the stuff that exists along the other two walls is just not flowing very well, and doesn't entirely make sense. I have three main categories of supplies that I'm going to attempt to address, without investing in more storage units. I want to just re-arrange what I have.

1. Sewing - I have a 6' counter dedicated to sewing. I have thread racks installed on the walls behind the sewing machines, but all of my other sewing supplies are in random storage units and baskets, and it's hard to find things. Even changing a foot on the sewing machine is a hassle. So I want to get my notions figured out, and stored within reach of the sewing table.

2. Rubber stamps - there is a set of sterlite drawers under my sewing counter that contains most of my WMs. There are two floating shelves on the wall behind my sewing machines that show off my favorite WMs. And there are CD racks mounted under the cabinets above my sewing counter, and that's where the Club Scrap UMs are. Then all of my inks and paints and media are all in the recollections cubes. I'd love to have all of my stamps more consolidated, and somewhere other than by the sewing table. I have a cabinet for the sewing machine, but even if I put that away to stamp, my embroidery machine and other sewing supplies take up so much space that I can't really use that counter as my stamping surface. So something needs to be re-arranged.

3. Cricut stuff - my Cricut sits on my scrap table and takes up a lot of space. That used to be necessary because it had to be next to the computer. Well, the PC in there has died, and really just needs to be cleared out. And my new Cricut is bluetooth, so it can really be anywhere that's in bluetooth range of my macbook. And my mats, tools, cartridges, books, vinyl and all are just scattered throughout the room.

So I've got some ideas about how to get all of these things rotated around to use the storage I already have, but in different groupings. And my calendar appears amazingly open this weekend, except for Friday night football. So I think that will be my weekend project. I'll post pictures of my progress. I'm hoping that by making a statement of intention, I'll actually be more motivated to follow through, rather than walk into the room, say "ugh!" and walk back out again. Wish me luck!!!
Julie Fugina
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pamcook
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by pamcook »

I wish I could be there to give moral support if nothing else. I'm looking forward to hearing about your progress. Having things where they make sense will help you spend less time looking and more time creating.

One of the best things I ever did was clear off everything from my desk (sewing machine cabinet with a piece of formica cabinet top for a work surface!) and I only allow things there that I absolutely use every single time I sit down to create. I thought I had been ruthless in my purging but I noticed a whole tray of some inks (those in a bottle with a stopper) I bought when I thought I could be Wilna F if I had the right supplies (no, it didn't happen). At one time, I thought I absolutely had to have every color of Distress Ink (no words). Oh well, it's a process, right?

Back to giving moral support - be sure to set a timer and take breaks to pat yourself on the back for progress and to drink water. I learned that valuable advise from FlyLady. :)
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jfugina
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by jfugina »

Thanks for the encouragement! I need to measure a few things, and maybe purchase a few small containers, but if it works out the way I've got it outlined in my head, then the beautiful thing about the stamp and cricut storage setup will be that they will be their own self-contained crafting stations with their own work surfaces.

I don't know if you've ever seen one of those "letter organizer" things that has like 21 flat compartments for laying paper flat in? Well, I repurposed one of those years ago and made shallow storage drawers out of shirt gift boxes. We put casters on it, and it rolls under my scrapbooking table. But I want to turn that into the stamping station. I'm just not sure if those paper slots will hold enough of my bulky WM stamps, and still have any room left for the CD cases of UMs. That's my big unknown right now. But if that works, then whenever I want to stamp, I can just roll that thing out and use it as a stamping table.

The cricut station is another random thing that I stuck casters on and used it to slide under the countertop. I think it was supposed to be a TV stand in its prior life. If I can get all of my cricut stuff stored in the underside of that thing, then the machine can set on top and only come out when I need it, leaving loads of extra space on my scrapbooking work surface. This all remains to be seen, but I'm hopeful!
Julie Fugina
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nchoney
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by nchoney »

Jump in there....

Start with one project... like getting all the Cricut stuff in one place.... then the other projects will fall into place!!

Share photos!! :-)
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jfugina
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by jfugina »

That's what I'm hoping Debi. I do actually intend to take pics along the way, just to have a record of what it was before. Visually, I don't think a whole lot will change, but functionally, I'm hoping for a significant difference. I'm also hoping that purging does NOT have to be a part of this exercise. I am well aware that I have entirely too much stuff, and much of what I own has never even been used. But it's my collection, and I wish to keep all of it. :mrgreen:
Julie Fugina
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jfugina
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by jfugina »

So I went down and took some measurements last night, to see if I needed to place an order for some small storage stuff prior to the weekend. What I discovered is that my idea for the stamping station isn't going to work for the ridiculous size of my collection. So a couple of things need to happen.

1. UMs that are stored in CD cases are going to have to come out and be stuck on something flat. CD cases just don't fit with my new idea. I purchased a pack of acetate sheets, and I should be able to get 2-3 kits worth of UMs on a sheet. Then those will just lay flat in a drawer.
2. WMs just take up too much space. I guess it's time to go looking for some tutorials on how to unmount those stamps. That seems like such a massive job, but it's definitely something I have to contemplate. For the amount of time I spend stamping, those stamps take up far too large of a foot print in my craft room. And I'd really like to be able to fit them all in that letter organizer.

Hopefully I can get some "before" photos tonight, and maybe start unloading the room.
Julie Fugina
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mpizzazz
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by mpizzazz »

If you don't use the stuff, then why spend a lot of your precious craft time changing the way you store it like from CD cases to flat, unmounting wooden stamps, etc? A challenge to yourself might be to choose a selection of the stamps and put them near your work table and use them!
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pamcook
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by pamcook »

mpizzazz wrote:If you don't use the stuff, then why spend a lot of your precious craft time changing the way you store it like from CD cases to flat, unmounting wooden stamps, etc? A challenge to yourself might be to choose a selection of the stamps and put them near your work table and use them!
Always a good idea. I've tried to consciously choose a stamp set to use every time I make a scrapbook page - other than just a date stamp! Sometimes it's just a phrase stamp but if I really give it some thought, I can usually find one or two.
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jfugina
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by jfugina »

I get what you're saying. I really truly do. But I am on a mission to make my stamp collection fit into designated space without having to do a major purge. I believe it's possible, but it's going to take some work. It may be possible for the WMs to fit without unmounting them, but I won't know until I actually start to transfer them into the drawers.

Your suggestion is 100% completely logical. And I have a deep appreciation for all things logical. But I think that the time spent getting the storage optimized isn't wasted. Sure, I'm not actually creating anything this weekend if all I'm doing is re-organizing. But the last time I did a significant overhaul, I really did become more efficient, and there were things I started utilizing far more often because of their accessibility, like inks and paints. And I can't create in the space as it is now, because it feels claustrophobic. So this needs to be done in order to get me properly back into a creative spirit.

I'm excited about this weekend.
Julie Fugina
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by ScrappinJen »

We are having carpets cleaned today. As a preparation, in my craft room I removed everything that's not too heavy and and put it in the garage. All the various storage containers and rolling carts, etc. Now when I walk into that room, I feel so calm and peaceful. When the carpet guys are gone, I'm going to think long and hard about what is going back in there. I am a messy crafter, usually ending up in a clear area of 12x24 inches, but I think at the start, I'd like a clutter free space.

Regarding wood mount, I would never take the time to remove them all. But nowadays, with one of my three stamp presses (yikes!), I'd like to be able to use some of my favorite WM. So I will be researching the same tutorials.

I love that idea of taking a set of stamps to my desk every time I scrap and finding a way to use it. Particularly many of my sets from Ali and Technique Tuesday which are designed with scrapping in mind. Heck, I'm sure I can even find a way to use mermaids on a layout.
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paddlegal
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by paddlegal »

One thought Julie for your WM stamps is rather than unsticking them find some shallow shelving to put up on open wall area. Bob has built me two such shelves. (I could use another one or two:) One is over the doorway (I am tall and can reach the stamps) and the other is in a skinny wall between the closet and doorway. I can store two layers of WMs. I love looking at my WM display for inspiration...to me they are all art pieces. I rotate the stamps about twice a year or on a whim when I'm doing a theme. Birds, coffee...

And yes DO take photos...before, during and after. I can be your first LO project when you get it all done.

I need to face my closet in the room as a project. It's horrendous and probably 70% filled with things I never use because they aren't right under my nose. Some of it must go, I know.

Keep us posted this weekend so we can encourage you on and inspire many of us (ME) to do the same.
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jfugina
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by jfugina »

I've thought about that Farley - that's actually why some of the WMs are on a shelf over my sewing table - so that I could look at them. But those display shelves really would be better served with sewing notions that would be good to have at arm's reach. And the rest of my walls are literally already covered from floor to ceiling. About the only option I can think of would be the wall behind the door, which currently has a cork board with hand made cards tacked up there. But even if I replaced the cork board with a stamp rack, I'd still not be able to see my collection unless the door was closed.

I am going to see how far I can get without unmounting anything. We'll see. Wall storage is definitely an option I should reconsider. It just has that downside of not being able to see anything until the door is closed. Before my collection was so large, I actually had most of my stamps hanging in a behind-the-door shoe organizer. I didn't like having to close the door to see what I had though, so it eventually got emptied out.

And closets! Let's not even go there, shall we? My room doesn't have any actual closets, but I have two tall cabinets that are desperately in need of an overhaul - but out of sight is out of mind, and currently the mess in those closets doesn't cause me anxiety, so those can stay how they are for the moment. :D
Julie Fugina
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nchoney
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by nchoney »

I wound up having to unmount all my wood mounted stamps after Hurricane Irene rolled through... the wood instantly got moldy.... so... I spent hours (ok.. days) unmounting those stamps and applying the glue on the backs and then putting them on page protectors in binders. I'm seriously considering pulling them out of there and using those same sleeves I'm using for my dies... mounting them on the plastic more closely together and then storing those pockets/sleeves/envelopes in bins like the dies are stored. I fought it at first... but they'll take up the same space thickness-wise... but won't be in the actual binders so it might be easier for me to keep them stored and to pull them out and use them... and then put them away again... I keep finding that I pull them out of the binders and then they wind up stacked all over the room (ok... all over the house)...

I may start with the CS stamps first since I know those sets will fit easily in one of the sleeves.... I'll let you know how that goes, Julie, in case it helps you with any un-mounting decisions
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by troublesmom »

Best of luck to you! I would love to see the results as you go along. My room needs a lot of work. My big problem is that it is my craft room but it is also my genealogy room. Right now I have hundreds of genealogy papers all over the place. I am really trying to purge a lot of them.
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jfugina
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Re: Craft room overhaul

Post by jfugina »

Here are some before pics. You can barely walk in that room, so after taking the pics, I started moving stuff out - last night I just got most of the stuff that was on the floor out so that I could sweep and have room to work.
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This is the entry to the room. Those shelves will get re-vamped eventually, but probably not with this project. That cabinet is 100% full of mostly sizzix dies, but it's also where my book binding tool and supplies are.
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To the right of the die cabinet is my main papercrafting counter. Above is pegboard, with everything in reach. Below is the letter organizer thing that I want to repurpose for stamps.
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Here's a closer view of that letter organizer. It's on casters, so I can roll it out and use as another work surface if I wanted. Currently it has shirt boxes for drawers and the drawers just contain random stuff that doesn't go on the pegboard. I think most of these things will find new homes in the cube storage units.
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This is a view looking into the room. The scrap table is on the left wall, and the sewing table is on the right wall. It's super small, and it's super easy to get cluttered up, and that's when I start to feel claustrophobic and can hardly stand to be in the room.
Julie Fugina
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