# Tough Decisions



## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

I found an apartment in the school district that I want to send DD too. It is 12-15 miles further of a drive to work and only 2 bedrooms. Which means I lose my sewing room :-( Also, the potential apartment has smaller rooms then what I currently have, and no storage areas. This means I would also probably need a small storage unit for sewing room furniture/fabric bins. I would also have to get rid of most my holiday decorations. We will have to see where this journy takes me.
Heidi


----------



## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Hope you don't have to give up your machines and fabric. Don't know what I would do if I had to make that choice.


----------



## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

Are you still checking for other apartments? (I am like Ruby, don't know what I would do without my sewing machines.) It has been so long since I have apartment hunted I really don't know anything about the rental market but years ago it was easier to find a house than an apartment, is it different now? Just wondering.


----------



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Good luck, and see if someone has a small house or part of a house, duplex to rent.


----------



## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

I'm finding there isn't a whole lot for rent in that area. My biggest issue is cost, I have to. Find something cheaper then what I'm paying now because I'll be driving farther; therefore my gas expense is going to go up quite a bit. There is no way at this time I could afford a house. I'm willing to put up my sewing things for a while for DD, its just a matter of where am I going to put it! The 2 closets were good sized, but I already have so much stored in 6 closets! Plus the 2 book shelves and the BIG sewing des, i'd probably need a small storage unit. I'm just so frusterated and overwhelmed right now.
Heidi


----------



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I am so sorry! Right now sewing is my only stress relief......if I lost it they'd probably have to just lock me up. Dh wants to get a new camper and have us go with him more. I will be taking a machine and a bin with something to work on or at least a quilt to hand quilt.


----------



## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Can you convert an area of your kitchen table for your sewing. When we lived in a fifth wheel camper I stored my sewing maching in it's case underneath the table next to the wall. It was a booth type table and when I wanted to sew I would just slide it out and use it on the table. You could maybe store your fabric in plastic bins and use them for end table by the sofa. You don't have to have a dedicated area to sew in, although that makes it easier. My mother use to cut her clothes out on the kitchen table when she sewed for the public.


----------



## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

ginnie- sewing is also a good stress relief for me. DD and I would both be turning over a new leaf, hears is the start of her education, and mine would be a hiatus from sewing.

Ruby- as I'm thinking back on the kitchen to the apartment I'm not even sure there would be a space for my kitchen table  I remember seeing a spot along the wall where I though my pantry would fit, but I'm not sure if I saw a spot for a table! I have a good size table when the leaf is in it.

Right now most my fabric is folded on two 5 shelf book cases. I also have a 5' x 2.5' desk I use to sew on. Don't forget the ironing board I don't know how to collasp, lol and the 6' cutting table. I'm thinking the bookcases "might" fit in my bedroom. A king size bed, a chest of drawers, 2 full size book cases and a 3/4 bookcase, and a night stand/file cabinet would be tight! I'm thinking with comic boards to wrap the fabric around, I "might" be able to get all the fabric on 1 shelf. then I could put my books on the other and give Cherokee the 3/4 one and get rid of her small bookcase. AHHHHHH my head is spinning :stars:

I'm going to go pick up an application for the place tomorrow and see if they allow cats. I'll put my sewing aside for a while, but I won't give up my fur kids!
Heidi


----------



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

ok get rid of the king size bed! dd has her own bed I assume so if its just you go with a full size and you have more space for sewing. 
I was at IKEA the other day and I was amazed at the stuff they can fit in small living spaces. Gave me all kinds of ideas! So maybe browse their site?


----------



## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

ginnie5 said:


> ok get rid of the king size bed! dd has her own bed I assume so if its just you go with a full size and you have more space for sewing.
> 
> ```
> 
> ...


I've considered selling the head/foot board from my bed, but the mattress is soooooooooooo comfortable! I don't think I've ever slept in a more comfortable bed. Last summer when I got DD big kid bed I think I paid $300 for the full size mattress. She picked it out she liked it, but I think it's uncomfortable! I don't think I could scrape up money for a new mattress. I don't think I could get enough out of the head/foot boaard to cover a new mattress.

If it is ment to be it will all work out. I hope!
Heidi


----------



## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

Well, if you have to put your sewing stuff in storage, that would be an extra expense too. That is something to consider.


----------



## Becka (Mar 15, 2008)

One thing we did for storage was to buy "risers" to put under all the feet of a bed. It adds enough room that you can slide some storage bins under there.

Think vertically. Hang items on the walls or from the ceiling. Use bunk beds. 

If it were me, I'd part with the holiday stuff before I would my sewing machine or fabrics.

Good luck.


----------



## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Becka said:


> One thing we did for storage was to buy "risers" to put under all the feet of a bed. It adds enough room that you can slide some storage bins under there.
> 
> Think vertically. Hang items on the walls or from the ceiling. Use bunk beds.
> 
> ...


Tinker- I haven't priced the storage units yet, but it's on my mind. My dad used to rent a really narrow one to store his Harley in and I don't think it was that much. That was of course another town and many years ago!

I do have some risers, when I was prego my mom had the idea to lift my cutting table! It was so much easier on the back.

I don't really have storage bins of fabric, it is all folded and stacked on two 5 shelf bookcases. Hoping to consolidate with comic boards! I think I have 1 maybe 2 totes and that is pre quilted stuff I decided I don't want 

I've decided I'm going to try and sell my artifical Christmas tree. I paid $5 for it, I hope I can sell it for $5! That is in a HUGE tote that came with the tree. I think DD and I are both too fond of the fiber optic angel to get rid of her, I could find a smaller box to put her in. I've got more Halloween decor then Christmas. I've had most of it since High School. I LOVE Halloween. I decided on a few pieces I'm willing to part with, that should help.

I do not plan on parting with my sewing stuff. It might just be unusable or under a different roof for a while 

The land lord is willing to let me bring my kitties since they are declawed :dance: but he is not willing to let me replace his 15yr old ( it looked really old) washing machine with my, 2 year old, energy star, high efficiency, washergre: I'm upset about this I paid to much to risk putting it in storage and it not working again. he said if I'm there 6 months maybe then we could switch out the washers.

All the deposits are also adding up and I don't know if I can afford. The rent deposit is 1.5x the rent. He said the water is $100 deposit to get turned on, and the electric could be anywhere bewteen $50-$200! Oy I'm sorry to ramble, but I'm beyond stress with all this decision making, unknown factors and what not. Is anything ever easy?
Heidi


----------



## DW (May 10, 2002)

An idea for apt. use an extra chest of drawers for craft/sewing things. My sewing room is my bedroom and we have an extra chest...it holds LOTS! In another house the chest was in the livingroom and it looked nice.


----------



## backtocolo (May 1, 2012)

start stalking craigslist. look for shallow boxes you could slide under your sofa. Depending on the type of sofa you have you might be able to change out the legs and make it a little bit higher. 

do you have a floorplan layout of your apt. if you had that and could post it that might help folks give you an idea. 

Can you put shelves up above the bedroom doors? that would allow you to store light weight stuff in baskets or decorative boxes. I am thinking things like quilt batting, fabric scraps etc. 

Do a search on Pinterest for fabric storage. I have seen some hung in closets on those pant hangers. You can store 5 or 6 lenghts of fabric in the space of one hanger. 

I would get rid of books before I got rid of fabric. Actually I have done that recently. I pulled several boxes worth of books off my bookshelves. I was only able to part with one laundry basket worth of fabric. Those were mostly the "what the heck was I thinking when I bought that" fabrics.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Sell the king bed and get a twin. This puts a lot more floor space in your bedroom. Going to a twin you can more easily afford a good mattress. When DD and I got our own apartment I slept on a twin, it was fine and gave me room to put other things in my bedroom, like an exercise rower and a sewing machine.


----------



## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Thanks for the tips, but my tought decision got even worse :-( I couldn't find a baby sitter in the school district and I work 2nd shift; therefore, I'm moving back in with my mom. Pretty much nothing from my apartment will fit in her house. We are going to attempt to cleam all the junk out of my and my sisters old room and make room for Cherokee's bed. My boyfriend is getting a new to him king sized mattress and box springs, his is shot, and mine is so comfortable! other then that storage unit or for sale :-( I honestly havent figured out where I'm going to put our clothes, mom have every nook and cranny of her house filled with something. I'm not looking forward to this at all............
Heidi


----------



## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

What about paying for a storage unit for your over-flow and putting some of her things that she doesn't use into your storage unit to free up some space for some of your things? Or, will she not part with some of that stuff so you can at least put a dresser in or hang up some clothes? Can your sister take some of Mom's stuff?


----------



## HorseMom (Jul 31, 2005)

Karen said:


> What about paying for a storage unit for your over-flow and putting some of her things that she doesn't use into your storage unit to free up some space for some of your things? Or, will she not part with some of that stuff so you can at least put a dresser in or hang up some clothes? Can your sister take some of Mom's stuff?


My mom is all about her. That is all I'm going to say on that. My sis has a very tiny apartment so she couldn't take anything.

I will ask for prayers to get through this. I'm dreading this move with every breath I take
Heidi


----------



## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

Totally understand. Prayers being sent.


----------

