Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Get Control Of Your Craft Room

A properly organized craft room will give you the most time to enjoy the actual crafting whether you are sewing, quilting, knitting, or beading. Nothing will slow you down more than getting frustrated trying to find the supplies you need when you need them the most. With so many different types of supplies to store this can be a constant struggle here are a few tips to keep things under control.

An optimal height for most standing workbenches will be between 36 and 40 inches. Scientific studies suggest tables should be 80% of your elbow height for the least amount of strain on back, neck and arm muscles. You can block a table up with extensions or cut legs down to achieve suitable height. A comfy swivel chair you can adjust to your body type is essential for seated work station. Store most used tools in open containers on your work desk so they will be immediately accessible. Mount an adjustable light to provide plenty of light wherever you will need it. For finite work such as beading you might consider one fitted with a magnifying glass.

Clear plastic containers are great for storing your assortment of buttons, beads, pom poms, and dried flowers. Install plenty of shelving or stackable storage bins to maximize use of wall space. Cloth materials can be neatly folded and placed in clear storage bins of similar color and pattern. Alternatively you can hang up cloth on clothes hangers in a closet. Multi slack hangers will allow you to hang similar types of fabric on the same hanger. The advantage over plastic storage bins is being able to pull out a whole set and hold it next to your project to see which one goes best. Quilters will want to put similar colored fat quarters in drawers. Storing fabrics in a closet on clothes hangers limits exposure to sunlight which causes discoloration. Cloth sealed up in bins cannot breath. When hanging fabrics it is less likely for moisture to form and colors to bleed.

Maintain a neat and tidy craft room and it will continue to be an enjoyable place to hone your crafting skills to expert levels for years to come. Stay ahead of the game and do a little tidying ever day this way you will never be faced with the overwhelming task of sorting out a monumental mess. Be gentle but firm with yourself, as you develop these habits and you will find your efficiency increasing along with the quality of your work.




About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of the Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and childrens hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

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Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Solutions for a Cluttered Closet

Do you have a cluttered closet? Is something amiss in your armoire? Do you suspect that there are living things amidst the wilderness of your wardrobe? Then take a few minutes to read this helpful article, and learn about the amazing difference hangers, shelves, and shoe racks can make in your disorganized depository.

If you’re taking the time to read this you are probably one of the many who suffer from a woefully dishevelled walk-in closet. One glance at the mangled wire hangers sticking out everywhere and you turn back and begin searching the floor for something to wear. Hangers are not the enemy. Clothes are easily accessible when hung at eye level and properly sorted. Hangers help to keep your clothes wrinkle free and maintain those perfect creases in your dress pants. Get rid of all the bent-out-of-shape metal hangers lurking in your closet. Look for collapsible, multi-tiered hangers, which save space by allowing you to hang multiple garments at once. Dress shirts, pants, and dresses should all be kept on hangers with adequate space between items. It may seem like added expense, but you’re clothes were expensive too, and this will help protect that investment.

Shelves provide compartments to separate different types of clothing. Many home stores, such as IKEA, or Home Depot, carry adjustable shelving units that are easy to install. Stack sweaters on one shelf and t-shirts on another. Baskets can be used on shelves to hold socks, belts, or scarves. Most closets come standard with a shelf above the clothes rod. Install a second shelf a little higher up to create more storage space for off season clothes and shoes.

Shoes have a way of getting jumbled together at the bottom of most closets. Shoe racks keep pairs together and easily accessible. Shoes you wear infrequently can be stored in shoe box size containers and placed on an upper shelf. Choose clear plastic containers for shoe storage so you can view them quickly and easily. Another option is a hanging shoe bag. This can be hung on the back of the closet door and adds additional storage space for those who own more shoes than clothes.

Organizing your cluttered closet should be a piece of cake. Remember, clothes hangers, shelves, and shoe racks provide the structure you need to get started. Leave your wardrobe worries behind and look forward to your coordinated closet. You will be amazed at how much time you save getting dressed in the morning.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the President of The Closet Hanger Factory, a leading online provider of clothes hangers and childrens hangers. For more information, please visit http://www.closethangerfactory.com.

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