I don't want to hijack Elizabeth's thread, but I am going through the same, only have a much worse problem. My projects get really big, and I realize that in the past the boxes or baskets I have used haven't been deep enough. I was a The Old Time Pottery last weekend, - they've got a number of stores in Atlanta and I don't know if they are elsewhere. They were selling "lingerie chests" with drawers that are about the size needed for 8.5 x 11 papers, or folded legal size paper. So I bought the only 2 they had (one was their floor sample, already assembled!) and have started sticking projects in that. I have already realized I'll probably need paperweights to keep the larger piles from getting out of control and sticking so the drawers can't open. The chest is about 45" high, and the drawers look square - I would say about 14" x 14". I am planning on using these drawers and maybe if I need them some boxes. I've tried baskets before, and realize that one reason they don't work for me is that they are so heavily textured that the papers get caught by the woven strips, or it's uncomfortable for me to stick my hands in. So far, I've scoooped up the project piles on my morning room table, which serves as a desk. As long as the drawers remain easy to open (i.e., good, lasting construction of cheap furniture, as well as controlling the piles by dividing into sub-projects, if needed), this might work for me.

Yes to so much of this. My husband loves spreadsheets (I prefer paper and pencil), and tracks every penny spent with our projects. He'll also estimate costs when we get to that point, to help us set a budget and decide where we want to spend our money. As I stated previously, we are generally savers. Even though I know that is the right path, it can sometimes be frustrating. It can seem that other people spend foolishly, and then continue to get bailed out. When we did FAFSA this year for our oldest going off to college, they expected us to be able to spend all of our college savings on her, nevermind that she has 5 younger siblings that we're saving for as well. (Thankfully, she'll only use a small portion of her college fund.) If we had saved nothing, we probably would have only had to spend a few thousand out of pocket. I try not to think about it too much though. :( On the topic of cheese...I gave our daughter some Sartori Montamore cheese when we moved her into her dorm. She's a generation removed from WI, but it's in her blood! ;)

Thanks all! lindavana - we got the light from Metro Lighting, its a Capital Lighting Chandelier, 4912BI, you can get in 8 or 12 lights. drbevdc - thanks!, my boyfriend is a big beer geek and this was his special request, we love how it turned out. Everyone raves about our open shelves, found them on Etsy and we love the navy cabinets. ILoveRed - curtains are our only window treatments on the main floor and since we are city living we were not sure how much everyone can see into our house, so they had to go up right away. I had purchased the curtains in advance so they were ready to go. We had the brackets hung by the construction team before we closed, so it was "easy" for me to jump up and hang them...i dont do heights very well and was a little scared since the ceilings are 11' tall, but I got them up! Rugs were all from our old house and the right size so easy to just lay down, whew.

Alright, I had CA closets come out. I was impressed with the overall appointment-- she came spoke with me about the rooms, showed samples, and then went in and measured everything. She asked if she could do the work here and came up with a design (though, she basically did what I told her I thought may work/ look good which is almost exactly what RL Relocation LLC said to do, but I have had a window seat with a pull out drawer for my printer (I use maybe 2x a month), and a pull out file cabient (I have about 12 inches of files and don't need much more room than that). She also added upp shelving on the window wall and then an L shape on the short wall. I'd post what she sent.. but I don't think technically I am allowed to. Cost was $5,500. She did not include a wall bed, which see said was 3-4K alone. I was bummed, but then, I have to be realistic and know I can't afford everything I want. She also did my small closest. Nothing wrong with her design.. but their "fully custom" options are limited to "standard" sizes, so my 23" wide closet, would only support 18"... Cost for 2x 18" x about 6ft with adujustable shelves and 1 pull out wire rack with canvas liner was just over $1,000. Nothing special about it. I am handy enough I can just put in the metal closet shelf things or even use 1x2s and boards to DIY (assuming I have the time, but I have the skill and tools). So that was a heck no! At the end of the day, I decided against it because the backs of the cabinets were all open, and to add doors OR a backing would have costs about 1K more. At $6500 I rather just spend $1000k on two executive style desks and move on with just a boring office. So, I took her design (which again was my + my mom's idea based on RL Relocation LLC initial suggestion... and did my own, and I am having a local hobby cabinet maker give me an estimate. Great reviews on next door, and facebook. So here is the new "design" I am having priced. I found a cool 3 screen mount that should work. Final cabinet measurements will have to be figured out. But just as an idea.