From Here to There

From Here to There

 It all started with a desire to simplify and beautify. This very workable garage studio was cluttered, unsightly, and inefficient. I started by moving out the shelves that lined the walls. I found a LOT of spiders, and webs. The window sill was thick with webs, I don't even want to talk about. The window had shelves for gardening in front of it, and very little light came in through this window because the shelves were so packed with stuff. I also had a door on this wall, that I could not use because the bicycles were parked there. The tables here are made from some sliding glass doors I found- FREE!! The big support boxes held my leather chairs from Target. They are strong, just the right height, but I can't store anything under the table, and there is no leg room at all. The glass table is perfect for my wax pot though and for dyeing. So I began by moving out. I sorted everything into 4 categories: recycle, trash, donate, or keep. It took two days to get everything moved out. You are probably wondering how one person can accumulate so much stuff??? Maybe you are not wondering this. Maybe your garage looks as bad as mine, or worse?

 Then I started scrubbing the walls, sweeping the floors, cleaning the window, inside and out. The walls were absolutely gross! I couldn't imagine cleaning this workspace without a new coat of paint. And...while trying to open the door, I found out that if you have a deadbolt and you can't get it to twist open, by simply taking a pair of pliers you CAN actually twist the lock handle right off the lock!!! But the door still stays locked! Amazing but true! So that was my first $32. I had to buy another dead bolt, fortunately, I know how to install it.

Next step, priming the walls. This took another long and full day to paint, along with the shelves. But at least now it is starting to look good. Then, I did a long hard look at my keep pile of old paints. Would there be enough for this job? Certainly not of just one color, but that was okay. I did run out of paint, and had to buy another quart for the walls, the next $13, and a new paint tray, $5.
Okay, now it is starting to look good! I decide to give my big boxes to the kids and invest in an extra set of shelves for support for the glass doors. The shelves were $37. Along with another set of shelves (freed up from all the junk I got rid of) for the other door, I now have two working tables, with lots of storage space underneath, and I am ready to move the 'keep' pile back into it's new space.

One week and $87 later, I have a new, clean, beautiful, organized, efficient workspace. And I can park back inside the garage again. Only one thing now, I think the right side needs a clean up too! Still too much junk!!!