Looking for advice on organizing/packing up a sewing room before showing house
#31
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
To make a house more appealing is to make it look as roomy as possible. If it were me, I'd bite the bullet and pack everything neatly in marked boxes and put into storage. Remove any clutter and make it very bright and roomy for a better sale. Maybe keep some hand work aside like your knitting and keep in a tidy spot. Good luck on selling your home. Something I wish I could do. Downsizing has been on my mind but with Dh being a fly fisherman who makes his own flys etc., it is out of the question for now.
Your tips for showing the room are right on. Clean (no dust or threads all over); stash packed away and out of sight (not in closet); bright and cheery; even leaving the machine out, and/or hand projects, gives an idea as to purpose, besides another bedroom? guest room?
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,056
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
The only added advice I have is for packing if heavy things. If you are using boxes for some things, visit the liquor store and ask for their boxes. They are very heavy & sturdy. Much better for heavy things like books & magazines, etc. Just another suggestion. Slow & steady wins the race. Better to start now & go at a pace that won't wipe you out. Good luck with the new adventure in your life.
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Bloomington IN
Posts: 864
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
![Big Grin](https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/biggrin.png)
#34
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maine-ly Florida
Posts: 3,926
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I'm of the camp of packing up as much as possible but also make up a couple of 'kits' for yourself along the way. Both machine and hand work. Keep your machine out. In the packing process, if you can, figure out which items you're going to have in your respective north and south homes and label appropriately. Even if you're going to move your fabric within your current house, possibly sort those internal destinations to their ultimate north or south locations. Will make your end packing easier. And I agree with keeping a box in each room for the 'last used/first opened' things.
Good luck with selling your home and upcoming retirement.
Good luck with selling your home and upcoming retirement.
#35
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maine-ly Florida
Posts: 3,926
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I am glad that I seen this post. My husband and I are starting to purge for a move, after 37 years in our house. We hope to have it on the market by the end of April or first of May. I cannot think of what to start on in my quilting rooms. I have a long arm and also several sewing machines. I like the idea of keeping some hand work to work on when I need a stress break from packing the purging. Good luck to you too.
#36
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maine-ly Florida
Posts: 3,926
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Thank you all again for your wonderful comments and private messages. I feel much calmer now. I'm trying to take a careful look at what I have. Have found a home for a folding cutting table and a large wooden ruler rack. Neither would work in my smaller spaces. I'm actually looking forward to the weekend to see how much I can accomplish.
Good luck to all those in the same boat!
Good luck to all those in the same boat!
#37
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maine-ly Florida
Posts: 3,926
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Help - just got my PQ1500s. I can get it to sewing with walking foot using 2pieces of cotton and batting fine but when I just try to sew 2 scraps of fabric together (no batting) I get gathers in the sewing. Is there a place I can go to see videos of tension settings etc when using walking foot. Thanks!
#38
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
My advice is to think like a buyer . People are buying a lifestyle. They want space but also need "vision" to see how a room can be used. We are going to be buying our (last ever) house, Lord willing, in the next five years. I love to see a room ( a very large, bright room) already being used as a sewing room, but I hate to see the inevitable clutter that a sewing room has. I want to think I am going to have an always neat, tidy, spacious, bright sewing room because, hey, here it is! Right here in the house I'm touring for sale! The lure of a quilting lifestyle sans clutter! Doesn't the whole world live out of one box with one sewing machine, and wide open shelves ready to put brand new fabric?
That's how I would think going in as a buyer who likes to quilt. I don't want her crap, I want this SPACE for my own
.
If I were a buyer just looking at a bedroom that's stuffed to the gills with crafty crap, I would feel smothered and claustrophobic, whether I was creative or not. The way I see it, packing up a classroom (did that when our little school closed permanently) and helped my DD pack hers when she left the profession (after just two years) I was overwhelmed. So many decisions. So much physical, mental and emotional energy gets expended. Do yourself a favor and ask about everything you handle: does it bring me up or down? Have I used it in the past six months? Can I easily replace it if I let it go now? If you answered up, yes, yes" keep it. Otherwise, let it go, let it go.....
i like the idea of keeping one kit ready for when you just have the itch to sew at your machine. And a basket for handwork to relax with. What will you thank yourself for doing later? I like to start at the end and work backwards.
That's how I would think going in as a buyer who likes to quilt. I don't want her crap, I want this SPACE for my own
.
If I were a buyer just looking at a bedroom that's stuffed to the gills with crafty crap, I would feel smothered and claustrophobic, whether I was creative or not. The way I see it, packing up a classroom (did that when our little school closed permanently) and helped my DD pack hers when she left the profession (after just two years) I was overwhelmed. So many decisions. So much physical, mental and emotional energy gets expended. Do yourself a favor and ask about everything you handle: does it bring me up or down? Have I used it in the past six months? Can I easily replace it if I let it go now? If you answered up, yes, yes" keep it. Otherwise, let it go, let it go.....
i like the idea of keeping one kit ready for when you just have the itch to sew at your machine. And a basket for handwork to relax with. What will you thank yourself for doing later? I like to start at the end and work backwards.
#39
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Baileys Prairie, Texas
Posts: 294
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
we did this 6 years ago and I can still remember it like yesterday. First thing I did was make a "retreat Box". I packed the "had to have" things when you go on a retreat, cutter, ruler (1 6 1/2" ruler), 1 cutting mat...no not the big one, scissors, pins, ripper, pin cushion. etc. Get a big plastic container. Make 5 kits...material, pattern,batting needed, backing,and your preferred method of sandwiching (safety pins, spray glue etc), thread needed for each kit.
Put in large 2 gallon plastic bag (or similar). Put all 5 kits in the big bin in your sewing room (area) cover with one of your finished quilts. You can continue to sew while your house is on the market. Everything else in your sewing room, material and all, put into storage. Leave one sewing machine in the room to sew your "kits". Everything else needs to go to off site storage if possible. I moved from having 2 large bedrooms upstairs to 10 x 10 room on the first floor. My daughter looked at our current house while I was working and called me to tell me she had found our house. The former owner was also a quilter!! I still have more fabric that she did or does even now. Right now you can barely get into my sewing room. But I have plans to get it all cleaned out this month. I guess I might qualify as a fabric hoarder, but since I do mostly charity work, sale fabric draws me in every time. I just delivered 15 quilts and 20 pillowcases to the Ronald McDonald House in New Orleans. I make about 20 to 25 quilts each year for charity groups. My big deal this year was finishing a king size Civil War reproduction quilt I have been working on for 3 years. It is the first quilt I have made for my room. My youngest daughter has already put her name on it!!! Good Luck.
Put in large 2 gallon plastic bag (or similar). Put all 5 kits in the big bin in your sewing room (area) cover with one of your finished quilts. You can continue to sew while your house is on the market. Everything else in your sewing room, material and all, put into storage. Leave one sewing machine in the room to sew your "kits". Everything else needs to go to off site storage if possible. I moved from having 2 large bedrooms upstairs to 10 x 10 room on the first floor. My daughter looked at our current house while I was working and called me to tell me she had found our house. The former owner was also a quilter!! I still have more fabric that she did or does even now. Right now you can barely get into my sewing room. But I have plans to get it all cleaned out this month. I guess I might qualify as a fabric hoarder, but since I do mostly charity work, sale fabric draws me in every time. I just delivered 15 quilts and 20 pillowcases to the Ronald McDonald House in New Orleans. I make about 20 to 25 quilts each year for charity groups. My big deal this year was finishing a king size Civil War reproduction quilt I have been working on for 3 years. It is the first quilt I have made for my room. My youngest daughter has already put her name on it!!! Good Luck.
#40
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maine-ly Florida
Posts: 3,926
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I love this idea of a retreat box and a few kits to work on if time allows. I will definitely try to do this. I think I also might be able to set up a machine on a small table in the loft area and really clear out the room. The way the boxes are starting to stack up around here, we may end up renting a storage unit sooner. As my favorite cousin says: "it's all good."
![Smile](https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
QuiltingKrazy
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
7
01-17-2012 01:22 PM
barking-rabbit
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
7
08-07-2011 10:43 PM