I'm always changing furniture around or having to change beds into different rooms. Today was no different. While doing this, I also decided that I needed to change our bookshelf and make it more efficient, thus taking the cupboard I had my fat quarters (quilting material) in and using it instead for books in ds's room.

Now I had a problem - no cupboard for the fat quarters. Hmmmm what would I do? I looked around our bedroom and seen the 2 dressers we had and viola, and :idea: came to me. Why not use one of the dressers for my quilting material. I went through dh's dresser (note, it was dh's dresser) :wink: and realized he could put most of his stuff in the bottom drawer of the dresser I was using. (He doesn't know it yet, but everything is now moved.)

And I have a place for my quilting material and fat quarters. I didn't need to go out and purchase anything new and dh didn't have to go out and purchase any wood to make shelves. It was there all the time.

There is always a solution to storing things. I've used the dresser this time, but I've also used a camping cooler to store material in and as a stool for sitting at my sewing machine. Just the right height for me. Always look around before you think you have to go out and buy something. You just never know what you might find.

What a great idea, CJ.....has hubby found his socks yet???? :icon_lol:

I think (just my opinion) that in order to be able to do this, you have to have a decent amount of space to work with so that you can save that old dresser in the first place. We just put an addition on our home and before that, I was the queen of 'put it on the next garage sale' because I was drowning in clutter and having to turn sideways everywhere I went. Now things are more spacious and I know it will be hard to retrain this brain! I will have to think twice before putting things on a garage sale, because you are very right. So many times I find myself at the second hand store looking for a $25 dresser I can fix up, when I just HAD one a year ago! Now I'll have to start thinking more long term - especially as my kids get older and get places of their own. Like you said, a dresser doesn't have to be something we only use to store clothes. Especially if you're a crafter, there are a million things you can use an old chest or dresser for.

Let's call this new year the Year of the Creative Thinker!!!! :icon_lol: Anyone else have stories to share about the creative things you've used your old furniture for or something you've re-vamped for a new use?

I like that Year of the Creative Thinker idea. I have 2 big old antique wardrobes that I use for storage. In one I keep out of season clothes and in the other I keep craft supplies, material and a few seasonal knick knacks. When I moved all my stuff to the farm, Mel put together these giant metal storage shelves that are super sturdy. He has them on the unfinished side of the basement and I have them full of plastic totes with Christmas decorations, tools and supplies I brought with me, coolers and ice chest, etc. They are so handy. I have an antique wash stand in the hallway that I use for bath towel storage. We are forever reusing something, but we also have a huge amount of clutter because Mel never throws anything out.

Heh Farmgirl, I love that. The year of the creative thinker!! What a great manta, going to use that this year for sure.

I guess creative thinker sounds better than a cheapo tightwad, huh??? :icon_lol:

Paelthom~I love your washstand idea for towels!! How cool!! We have one of the double basin metal types out in the barn somewhere. I had wanted to use it as a flower planter but DH wouldn't let me, then he hid it on me and keeps telling me he 'doesn't know where it is'. Maybe his memory would come back and he'd find it for me if I use it in the bathroom and promise not to fill it with dirt and let it rust out in the rain!!!

Thanks for sharing your idea!!!

Creativity RULES!

Lol farmgirl! it sounds like a severe case of selective memory which dhs' are terribly prone to, gets worse the longer they are married I think. :lol2:

Canadian Gardener -
Selective memory AND selective hearing!!! He used to sleep like a big log (or as I used to call him a big POSSOM, as in 'playing possom') when our kids were babies and they'd be screaming their heads off during the night. But let the phone ring at 3:00 a.m. (his boss calling him in to plow snow which means "overtime" or "extra $$$$$"!!!), and he'd be up and out of that bed so fast in one ring - and the phone was down on the first floor whereas the kids rooms were about 15 feet away!!! Ya gotta love 'em....might get a worse one if we traded them in!!!! :wink:

Farmgirl, rofl!!

:lol2: ROFL that's how I feel about mine!