I waited all weekend for the sun to come out to get pictures of the rest of my reorganization project, but never saw a hint of it, so finally today I just took pictures anyway! I've made it all the way around the room, cleaning out most areas. It feels soo good and invigorating! Now I need to get back to work but all I want to do is play!
I've talked about my room before but for those who are just stopping by, this room was the little kitchen in an in-law apartment which is now our master bedroom. A few years ago I used the $2000 advance I got for writing a book (Kids Scrapbooking...Easy as 1, 2, 3) to redo this kitchen and make it my scrapbook room/office. We took out the old metal cupboards and put in stock white melamine cupboards from Home Depot, had the counter top made to fit along two walls, using the file drawers that Making Memories used to make as the base, recarpeted, and pretty much used every space-saving idea I could come up with to maximize this little room. There's a picture of it in the Memory Makers book, How to Organize your Scrapbook Workspace.
Here's some more before and after pictures of this weekend's whirlwind makeover:
I took all the 8 1/2"x 11" cardstock that I had lined up on the shelf and moved it to a shelf in the hallway since I hardly ever use it anymore. The white basket on the shelf now holds all my Heidi Swapp product all in one place.
I purchased the wire grid that the product above is hanging on from an online site that I found when I googled "store fixtures." I have the exact info somewhere if you want to email me. I wanted to have things out where I could see them and then potentially USE them!
I love the Anna Griffin boxes with the bows on them. I had old AG product in them but I emptied that out and now have tags and envelopes in one, ideas I've torn from magazines in another, and miscellaneous spiral albums in the third.
The other big white basket holds all my letter stickers...Thickers,
printed chipboard, rub ons, etc. as well as lots of other stickers I
need to go through. I still have every Nostalgique sticker ever made in
that basket! Way too much stuff!
I love my little bee collection (The Memory Bee...get it?) I love the bee with the Bible! Not sure why a bee would be holding a Bible but it was perfect for me!
Now there's even some empty spaces where I'll keep ongoing projects. The wire paper rack used to hold all my Anna Griffin products but now it holds paper collections from various manufacturers. I need to go through these, too. I'm not sure I need every piece of paper ever made by Basic Grey and SEI although I like it all!
You can see down the hall into our bedroom a little bit in the next picture. That shelf holds old magazines (need to clean those out) and my cardstock and stuff. The tall unit with the drawers is actually part of a closet organizational system. The 5" drawers are called sock drawers, but I use them for punches, decorative scissors, stamps, etc. Above that I've cleaned things out and have a place to keep my monthly kits (Kenner Road is the only one I subscribe to although I occasionally buy others when they have something I really like.)
I moved all my Anna Griffin paper to one shelf...yikes! and still have to figure out where to keep all the embellishments and stamps! (going to the basement for now.)
I love this little dish that my mom gave me for Christmas! It holds little trinkets that I want to have handy on my desk.
This is the wall that originally had the metal cupboards on it. We took out the old sink and put in a little bar sink. It's installed a little off center above the cupboard so that a mini fridge fits beside the plumbing below. So convenient!
I added two more cubes here for printing supplies and things and a drawer for all my chargers. I love having them in that drawer instead of all over the countertop! See my floaty pen collection?!
You can see from this picture just how narrow this room is! I sometimes wish I had a bigger room but I love the picture window that overlooks the backyard and if I had more room I would just fill it with more, so this is just right.
The TV hangs using a heavy duty swivel hanger like they might have in a hospital. I got it a Circuit City. On the shelf are my catalogs and below is another white cube with some buttons and tools in it (and some empty space!) and two sets of metal drawers from Office Depot that hold my photos.
Someday I'll share what's under the counter...not too exciting though. I always get questions about what's in the pink boxes on the shelf above the window! Those are photo boxes from Joann Fabrics. I keep things I don't need to have out and don't use too often up there out of the way like refills for adhesive, wire, embossing templates, paper dolls (yes, I have every Paperkin and want them to make a come-back!), blank cards, fabric, etc.
Thanks for all your comments! Let me know if you have any questions...I wish my room was big enough to hold a friend!
Nice job Debby, it looks great!!!
Posted by: kate | March 09, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Looks fantastic!!! My room needs major purging...I believe I have a lot of Frances Meyer stuff lurking around, lol ;-)
Posted by: Susan Shintaku | March 09, 2009 at 01:48 PM
So much fun touring your studio! Thanks so much for all the details!
Posted by: Madeline | March 09, 2009 at 05:23 PM
Wow Debby! Your room looks amazing! I'm so jealous ;) but excited for you at the same time. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Samantha | March 09, 2009 at 09:30 PM
Debby your room is great. I have been working on mine, I scrap but I do think that I am a collector! I now have a lot of 7gypsies and tim holtz - now to use it. Thanks for the tour.
Posted by: Kathy Laubenthal | March 10, 2009 at 04:51 AM
WOW!!!If mine were only HALF that organized I'd be thrilled!
Posted by: Suzanne Duda | March 10, 2009 at 07:49 PM
Wow, Wow, WOW!!! Debby, what a totally amazing transformation! Boy, that makes me want to get in gear and do the same! You did a terrific job. Now you don't have to feel to overwhelmed anymore... whew!
Hugs to ya!
Shannon
Posted by: Faith and Chocolate | March 11, 2009 at 04:59 AM
Debbie - I love your room. You are going to have so much fun whether it is for work or play. I've been working on organizing my scrapbook supplies myself. I have so much paper that I could probably scrapbook for decades without buying any more. That won't prevent me from buying any more though.
Thanks for sharing your before and after photos with us.
Linette
Posted by: Linette | March 11, 2009 at 05:26 AM
WOW! I LOVEit! Especially the background wall color...right up my alley!
Linda
Posted by: Linda Cain | March 11, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Fab space Debby. I love that you've added some of your favorite things around and about. I've done that in mine too. Just a few bunnies here and there...they make me happy. :)
Amy K
Posted by: Amy K | March 11, 2009 at 06:46 PM
Wow is right! I think you DO have room for a friend in there! Awesome job.
Posted by: Linda Richter | March 12, 2009 at 09:49 AM
Thanks for more views, Debby. I've been afraid to revamp some of my storage but am energized and inspired by your work. Now I have to get busy!
Terri
Posted by: Terri Harmon | March 14, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Great room. I love it. I'm using an old kitchen in an upstairs apartment too, but have stuff that seems to have migrated into the other rooms too. You are very organized.
Posted by: stephanie | March 25, 2009 at 08:28 AM