I *heart* Ikea

Yes I know - I fell of the Blogtoberfest wagon in a big way this week...

But I have been working on a pretty big project in my sewing room, though my machines haven't been used at all.

The 'guy who lives here' and I had a frank discussion one night which went along the lines of:

"Honey I know my sewing room is a mess and I have too much stuff, but I really have nowhere to store it...."

We've reached an unspoken agreement, we went to Ikea and set up some new storage on the proviso I not go out and buy a whole lot more...

I can live with that!

So here's the before...

This dresser was packed tight with the stuff that wouldn't fit into the shelving...

The various books and patterns on top of it were a sliding avalanche waiting to fall...

And the stuff that wouldn't fit into the dresser was, well piling up on the floor...

Then there was the lovely 'Huggies' box storing the rolls of interfacing and tracing paper and some fabric rolls too...

So that was before and this is after!

This replaces the brown buffet, floor to almost ceiling storage!

(Now get ready for some photo overkill!)

Two x Billy bookshelves with doors does the trick

There is space for everything - books, fabric, patterns, toys - you name it and it is probably in there somewhere.

I spent ages putting everything in, pulling it out and adjusting shelves to fit so I have got maximum usage from the space available.

'Special' fabrics - Heather Bailey, Heather Ross, Aneela Hoey, Oliver + S and Anna Maria Horner 

There's even a special spot for the two lovelies Jodie made.
And boxes for patterns on top.

This is the left hand side, still some labelling to be done on the pattern boxes but I am nearly there.

I now know where everything is and as these are not deep I can get my hands on it all very quickly and easily.

To say I am happy with the end result would be an understatement!

I can now walk down the side of the sewing table...

And even the old 'Huggies' box is gone!

Small but simple change with a sturdy plastic bin for the rolls to go in

In the interests of full disclosure I will still show you the mess on top of the open fabric shelf  which needs to be addressed...

And the pile of mess on the back half of my sewing table which includes work in progress!

See Maryanne, there's plenty of mess still to be seen!!

But I am getting there!

Each 'Billy' was $179 including doors and door handles.  Then we added in the Kassett magazine holders and boxes for probably about another $100 I think, maybe a little more...

Bec and Sophie have both said they have Billy in their sewing room too - so they seem to be the sewing cabinet of choice!

Well worth the money spent and the hours required to sort and store it all.

One day the old timber table and chairs will go as we have our eyes on another Ikea desk that would be perfect, but as it has sentimental and 'family political' attachment it might be a while down the track...