The Rolling Sewing Space.... Rolling metal bookcases

In the new house, the sewing area lacks wall space, but has plenty of windows and natural light.  I'm still moving my things in, and as you can see from previous posts, setting up with a mind to make certain, every tool, fabric, and machine has a designated space.  This also allows me to go through and declutter and test every machine. The other thing I am trying to do, is design the space so that it is easy to clean.  The area is visible from the living areas, and I want it to be functional and organized.  This is a tall order.  One solution is to put as much as I can on rollers.

All of the quilt fabrics and project boxes are on this metal shelf.  This has worked out really well.  I wasn't sure where to set up the iron, which has a tank that needs to be suspended above for the water to flow freely.  I didn't want to drill a hole in the ceiling, I had considered a shelf, or placing it in a bookcase shelf. That would have been acceptable if the ironing board, had a permanent home.  Regretably the AC unit took up the space in the laundry room, so it will be here, or in the closet when company comes.

What to do....

Instead, it is attached to the metal shelf with an S hook (you can find at Home Depot / Lowes),.


The shelf unit (Lowes), on rollers, houses all of my quilt fabrics, project boxes, ebay selling shelf, and two Bisley drawer units for a multitude of storage for fiddly bits (buttons, specialty scissors, pins, needles, tools)..  The Bisley cabinets are a bit pricey but I've had them for ages and they are a perfect fit.

When I break down the ironing area, the iron gets moved to the shelf, and unplugged, and  it can move wherever it needs to go.The rollers, are very sturdy.

The project boxes were purchased during a Joann's doorbuster sale at the start of the year, manufacturered by Artbin, they claim to be acid free, and are a very convenient size for quilt kits.

The other storage boxes, were existing.  They may be switched out in the future but for now, I will use what I have and see where we go..

Initially I did not like the metal shelves because the shelf surface was not a solid surface.  You can't place anything on it, that can fall through the rods of the shelf, however, the smaller boxes and drawer units work well here.  The other option is to cut a plywood shelf for it, and if you go the Metro shelf route I believe they have metal sheet shelves.  The other limitation here, specifically with these shelves, which are the standard, Lowes, $75ish, (plus for rollers), is that they have a weight limitation.  some of the shelves on another unit, bent.  I estimate, I had about 300lbs on them, way over the limit.  If you are thinking of stacking your boxes on top be forewarned.  You may need to upgrade to the heavy duty bookcases. Here the heaviest items are on the bottom shelves and the lighter boxes on top to make the unit more stable.  I want to eliminate the chance of topple. 

I am enjoying the idea that the future will be organized, less hunting for supplies, more time to be creative. Insert happy face!