Yes, I did this very thing just this morning. A simple rearrangement of items is working out nicely.

I have a drawer in the kitchen (well, really it's two drawers) that hold all my Fire King. I recently started buying Lock and Lock containers (because of menopause/glass refrigerator dishes/dh's clumsiness, oh boy) and throwing them into the Fire King drawer. Some of the plates are stacked vertically, which I love, but they're taking up too much space now and with a little re-arrangement, I think I can get most of it into one drawer, thereby freeing up another for the plastic ware. Of course the baking dishes are going near the oven, the plastic nearer the fridge.

(Plastic ware! I've tried to live without this for most of my life, except for those small items we use on road trips. I'm embracing it at this stage of my life because of ''exposed'' nerve endings, and finding my moods less frayed.)

Without seeing said entertainment center I'm still going to brave it an disagree that it can't be a great way to store sewing supplies. It all depends on how one repurposes it.

I'm picturing a standard type large opening for TV with smaller shelves to the side for other electronics or knick knacks and maybe a couple doors or drawers along the bottom for hidden storage of DVDs and such. Since I didn't see Glenda's I have no clue what her's looked like or how she used it, but this is what I'd do....

Add one or two shelves to the large TV area for storing folded fabrics. Color coding them will make for a pretty display.
Find baskets that fit onto smaller shelves for remnants, trims wrapped on plastic spindles(fabric stores will gladly give away their empties)and notiions (sorted into zipper bags for easy access).
Use shoeboxes to store patterns in the hidden storage areas.

well, justgotabme, I hate to say it, but you're picturing wrong. Picture three or four boards going crossways, and one or two vertical braces, and that's about it.

And *I* am wrong, it may not have been a TV unit (though maybe? putting the TV on top?), now that I go back and look at it.

Here's her thread, "I Cannot Maintain This Space," so you don't have to imagine it.

It was what she had, so it made sense to press it into service. And I think she thought she'd use bins, etc., to hold stuff. And it WAS better than nothing. But not much.

She's probably still limping along w/ it, bcs replacing stuff like that is a bigger enterprise than you'd expect. but once she does, she's going to find that it has a much more powerful effect than she is expecting.

But, back to the topic (we can talk about Quiltglo's sewing shelf on her thread):

More infrastructure that's free or nearly so:

-using the bottom section of the china cabinet for shoes, because it's near the door.

-adding a shelf to an existing bookcase or shelving unit

I'm actually buying something to use for a purpose other than what it was intended for.
So although Talley Sue is talking about not buying things, these solutions are really inexpensive, so in the spirit of what she means, i hope...
At the risk of repeating myself endlessly...we sold a big house with zillions of closets and a full, dry basement; and rented an 1896 town house in the city, which is wonderful, and has given us the life change we wanted, and has two fewer bedrooms and no storage worth mentioning. If we had bought it, I would have coughed up a fistful of money to fix that first thing, but as it is, I have to find inexpensive moveable solutions (although I did invest in a wonderful pot rack for a blank wall in the kitchen for too much money...)
The front room on the second floor is my work room, and has a wonderful tall bay window into the trees on the street, and a view up the street, and lots of sunlight, and no place to put anything. On the long wall there is a chimney breast where a fireplace used to be, and so there is recessed space on both sides which I'd have built out if it were mine....
Instead, I've ordered two fairly inexpensive china hutches from IKEA to set in the two spaces...the cabinets below will hold my project boxes and paper supplies, the shelves above will hold books, and the surfaces will hold a collection of lidded baskets for my office supplies. (If you're interested, you can see them at the link below...)
I took a fairly horrible small dark wood china cabinet that belonged to a relative, took off the ugly, incorrect pediment at the top, replaced the cheap hardware, painted the inside of the top (behind glass doors) a lovely deep fawn gray, and the rest of it ivory, and put it in our bedroom for books above and underwear and jewelry in the drawers below.
I've also ordered a carefully chosen collection of things from The Container Store to make one of the more ridiculous closets work for me, and to make a couple of existing pieces of furniture hold more china and silver, which, along with books, are my weak spot.

Here is a link that might be useful: IKEA hutch

If I find I don't have enough room on a shelf then I declutter a drawer! This is a trick that has worked for me when I thought I would go mad with the helplessness of my messy situation. I've found it doesn't matter where you make more space - things can always be rearranged.
Sometimes though a container or file tote is the most satisfactory solution - that is if you have a place to put it!
Elizabeth

Sue, thanks for the link. Now that I see it I can tell it's not a TV center, but a multi purpose shelving unit. I have a few similar shelves myself. I purchased them to store my over flow of fabric. Mine were all in plastic containers sorted by type of fabric. At the time we'd just moved into our new, yet unfinished, home and most of our funds were going to finishing it. Most still are! So when you have to, you make do. What's more important is that you take the time to put things away and not what type of storage unit you are putting things away in. Besides this is a sewing room. All Gloria's and not for guests. Though she did say she does crafts with her children at times in there. I'm sure they don't care how she stores things as long as she takes time for them. All would be happier if it were neater though, I'm sure. I'd love to help her design a layout for optimal use when she's ready though. As I'm sure you would too.

Bronwynsmom, I love the Ikea hutch! What a perfect use for them. I too buy things meant for one thing and use it for another. Just over a week ago I bought a buffet to use to store sewing projects. Because of the divided drawers it works perfect to keep things sorted and easy to get to when I need it. You'll have to post pictures of your hutches when you get them all filled in.

Thanks, just...

I seem to be overflowing with advice today...but I think the first rule for all these things should be, make it be gone.

By that I mean, don't use so many things that are open...the more you can put behind closed doors, or even behind a curtain, the better it makes you feel.

Here's something I did to make a pantry in my daughter's apartment, and really inexpensively. It took one trip to the home center, one to the paint store, and the better part of one Saturday.

We put up one of those sturdy gray plastic shelf units that comes flat-packed at the home center (thick deep ventilated shelves, and a bunch of pipes that hammer into the corners between them...you know the type...less than $40 each, as I recall). Once we had it set up against the wall where they wanted it, they put four of those sturdy hooks, the ones that you hang plants from, into the ceiling about four inches off each corner. I cut three pieces of 1/2-inch copper plumbing pipe, one each for the two short sides, and one to go across the front. I put them together using copper corner fittings into a U-shape that fit the rectangle made by the hooks, and put copper caps on the raw ends. Then I took big fabric drop-cloths from the paint store, cut and hemmed two pieces for the sides and one for the front, about one and a half times the width of the space, and about six inches shorter than the height of the wall. I put big grommets across the top of the panels, ran them onto the pipe, and we hung the whole thing from the hooks with short lengths of brass chain, so that the curtains cleared the ceiling easily, and cleared the floor by about an inch.
Voila!
Cheap, stylish, and hidden.
They thought I was way cool. How often does that happen!!

Oh, whew!!!! I just wanted to make sure I could repurpose my old TV unit! LOL!!!! Mine is wood and I'd do as justgotabeme said.

Glad I don't have that metal one in the pic! I'd really be stuck!!! But now I know it's okay!

That's histerical!

Today while trying to put some organization into my office room, I decided to use the space under a bookcase for canvas bags. I had a box that just fit. So I have made some intrastructure for no cost at all. I am even going to decorate it with photos! Then it should really look nice!
O.K. all finished with it...and it does look very nice...like it belongs there!
Here it is...I may do some more decorating with photos I have taken...

Bronwynsmom I love that idea! It reminds me of a patter I bought to make fitted covers for those industrial chrome shelving units you see in restaurant kitchens. I wanted to make one for our dil, but she said she likes to to just grab stuff. I tried! Not that she doesn't stack things nicely and have wicker for smaller items, but it still makes their home look messy. In my opinion anyway. They're living room, dining room and kitchen are all one big long room with just a half high bookself divider at the entry. Which is full, yes full, of shoes. :(
annellis, wish I could find the picture I saw the other day of a repurposed entertainment center. I was on my hubby's computer, so I don't think I saved it. But they made it into a place to store laundry needs and added a wooden dowel in the area the TV would have been for hanging clothes. This is so up my line of work. I love to repurpose furniture and am working on starting my own business doing so.
brugloverz, What a neat way to store your bags! I hope you don't forget to take them to the store with you!

Here's infrastructure I need: a place or way to do handwashing easily. Like, a small tub that fits easily in the undersink area.

Or maybe I just need to define which bowl I'll use in the kitchen sink. (I'd use the sink itself, but that means I have to clear it out and wash it really well before I can wash out a scarf, and that's just too much. Yeah, yeah, I know I should be keeping up w/ my kitchen better, but that won't help me w/ the two scarves and one silk tank top I need to wash tonight)

Would the bathroom sink work okay, Tally Sue? That's where I do my handwashing at the moment (only a few pieces every couple of weeks). I couldn't use my kitchen sink either, even though I have been doing better with cleaning the kitchen lately.

Ironically, we have a sink in the laundry area, but it's paint splattered and...well...not really something I want to wash my delicates in. I am considering getting a plastic tub to do "double duty" - it will serve as a "laundry basket" kept in my closet for those items needing handwashing, then I'll carry it downstairs with the rest of the laundry, use it to wash those pieces in, and then to carry them back upstairs when they're dry. A plastic tub will probably cost all of a couple bucks (dollar store?), so that's pretty cheap infrastructure...

I use the guest bath sink for hand wash...then I can do the steps between other things...soak a few minutes, drain and squeeze, soak in the rinse water, repeat that, roll it up in a towel to blot, and hang it in the tub, or lay it out on dry towels on the guest bed.
Stays out of everyone's way, I have room under that sink for the soap, and there are bath towels in there anyway that can do double duty.

no, bcs I can't stop up the bathroom sink--the stopper doesn't work.

Well, I guess a rubber stopper would be infrastructure then, too, wouldn't it?

But, see, I'd have to wash the bathroom sink, too.

Our bathroom stopper doesn't work either. :-) But I don't soak...I just rinse, wash and rinse and squeeze with my hands, and lay them out to dry.

Looks like a tub might be your best bet then...unless you want to just take them into the shower with you? (hmm...I just now thought of that, maybe I could do that with mine...)

Oh, okay...we could just wear it all into the shower??? Two or three birds, one stone???

I'm thinking a bowl in the kitchen, or maybe a plastic bowl in the bathroom sink

Or, a rubber stopper, and then I'd know my bathroom sink will get cleaned whenever I have to hand-wash, LOL!

I have a rectangular tub that you get in the hospital that I keep hair sprays, gel, etc. and when I want to wash something out (and that is rare) I use that. It is also a good size for soaking feet when needed.

I usually lurk here ... but popping in to say to brugloverz9:

I saw your photo and comments on a blog I was reading recently about decluttering. Don't remember what blog it was, but funny that I've come across your office idea and photo twice in a week!

minet...you are right...it fit in both places, so I posted it in both I think on the same day!
Feel free to join us!

Thanks ... I don't have any brilliant ideas about this subject of organization. I just keep plugging along slowly, decluttering and making better choices about what I decide to keep.

I like reading about everyone else's successes and concerns here.

I *did* see your photo on some blog, though, but I don't remember which one. I was looking through some declutter blogs a few days ago to build motivation.

Talley Sue,

I see this is maybe a week old and perhaps you have already decided how to proceed... Just wanted to chime in and say that keeping the bathroom sink clean at all times doesn't need to be any work AT ALL. (Ok, it may not be disinfected but it looks and is clean.) I just use a little more handwashing foam (diluted hand soap like you do I think, with a pump) and wash it with my hands once a day when I go in to wash my hands anyway. There's four of us and we have only one bathroom. Usually I do the faucet too. Only takes a minute and looks great all the time!

Maria

Yeah, I should do something like that, too. In fact, I may go back in now and wipe it down.

(I did just switch to a soap dispenser that produces the foamy version of soap--I am SO in love with it!)

Actually, talking of inventing a gadget--here's what I *really* want:

I have one of those collapsible silicone colanders (I have the rectangular one, which I like better than the round for a couple of reasons--for a colander, anyway). (these are from Bed Bath & Beyond)

I want a BOWL made this way (no holes)--the rectangular might be good bcs there'd be "swishing around" room. But the round one here is nice and deep.

If it were *perfect*, it would have a plug in the bottom for drainage.

And duh me, they make collapsible silicone bowls.

this is even the same brand as that round colander, I think

this is from the U.K.--doesnt say how big

(but I still think I'd rather have a rectangular one, bcs there's more elbow room to swish, but I bet the round one would fit in the sink better.)

But of course, that's not *free* infrastructure, and I should probably *create* this infrastructure by simply rearranging the bowls in my bowl cabinet so that a big one is down lower where it's easily reached. And then I can wash in the kitchen sink.

Well, Rubbermaid has collapsible bowls too, up to 8 cups I think and Tupperware has a rectangular one a bit over 9 cups.
The Tupperware ones will crack at the collapsing "seams" so to speak, after prolonged use (12 hours in the open-close machine). I bet the silicone ones pictured above will last longer and be easier to open and close (I have a Tupperware one and it is hard to open and collapse).

Maria

Well, call me lazy, but when I have to ''handwash'', I put stuff in the washer on the gentle cycle. There's even a Soak Cycle, so I've never needed to put things in the sink or a bowl to give them a swish. That can either be described as infrastructure that doesn't cost money, or pure laziness on my part.

I only mention this because I used to sell vintage clothes (as an antique dealer in a former life), and discovered that if they didn't survive the gentle cycle, they probably weren't sturdy enough to wear. More importantly, I found air drying the item is what really matters, since you always have another crack at a stain if it isn't set in by the dryer.

Of course if it isn't clothing that's being swished, this may not work for you!

I do that too, most of the time, claire_de_luna, -- in fact, I have a great system w/ DH (who does the bulk of the laundry) that anything in a net bags goes on cold and does go in the dryer.

But I don't have the luxury of a gentle cycle or a soak cycle, since I use the apt. bldg's basement machines, which are pretty basic. And I found that my silk knit dress has wrinkles pressed into it from the spin cycle, and now I have to steam it or iron it, and it's been hanging there for a really long time, undone.

So, stuff like bras, some shirts--OK. But some other stuff, I'd rather handwash.

(I have 2 scarves; maybe I'll run the poly one through the washing machine and the silk on handwash, and see which comes out needing more ironing.)

Maria, the Tupperware one is interesting.