Thursday 3 March 2011

Aftermath...

Dear Readers,  when we last heard from our heroine, she had suffered a bit of a disaster:

What used to be the shelves in my Studio...

Having removed the remaining shelf fittings and picked up the stuff that was thrown onto the floor, we had been left with this:

A load of stuff all over the desk and a precarious work table and "supporting" metal strips...

... piles of stuff all over the floor...


... boxes piled up in the hallway and shelf-boards leaning on the bookcase.

That was Sunday

* * *

Thursday

Yesterday afternoon I started work to clear and re-arrange the studio, so we could replace the lost shelving and put all the stuff away properly.  I carried on today and  DH helped me to take down the work table, that was clipped to the metal rails on the wall.  We took the bent and useless metal bits down too.

This is what it now looks like:

Sigh...

Sigh again.... I'm trying to "Keep Calm", but I must admit that "Eat Cake" is the best advice I've had all week...
I have taken the stuff off the three remaining wall shelves, so I could re-arrange them, to hold the more important stuff.  However, they are not supported by a bracket at the wall end.  So, the far end of each shelf is not properly supported - we need to put another support up in the corner.  I can only put very light things on the corner end of the shelves and not-very-heavy stuff everywhere else.  

Sigh...


Some progress has been made - but not very obvious.  I have measured and thought, consulted with DH and decided to buy an 80cm wide bookcase from Ikea, which I will put in the gap at the end of my desk, where my worktable was.  See the white drawer unit in the photo? The bookcase will go behind that, against the wall.  It is 28cm deep and the drawers (and worktable top) are 60cm deep.  

Still with me?  Hmm... So.... I can buy another white drawer unit too, plus a tall 20cm wide cd/dvd unit, to match the bookcase, which will make the whole bookcase-wall-thing 100cm - same width as the worktable.  I can use the drawer units to support the table top, making a pedestal desk (yay!). 

If it is placed right in front of the bookcase, the whole thing will be 88cm deep, meaning it will stand out 8cm (about 3.5")  from the edge of the big desk; but as it's by the window, we think that will work ok.  I won't be able to alter the height of my table any more - but then, I never did do that anyway... and the part of the bookcase behind the drawers will be difficult to access (the dvd shelves will be totally buried), but I'll still have 125 x 100 cm of shelves to use for storage, plus a work table again (and another set of drawers - yay!).

Hmm.... So that's all very nice... But we still have the problem of the Studio Needing to be Tidied Up First.

These are two of my current Bookbinding projects...


and this is my desk, where I'm supposed to be making the books...  Sigh...



...and the rest of the room, that I'm trying to tidy up...

bigger sigh...

So, overall, I am feeling rather overwhelmed by all the mess, clutter and confusion.  I have filled half a rubbish bag and most of a recycling bag, yet hardly seem to have made any difference.  There is just stuff Everywhere.  I was trying to "put away" the things on my desk, only there is no "Away" just now.  I want to clear the messy side of the room, so I have a large and clear patch of floor - where we can build a new bookcase, then put the boxes of stuff while I re-organise the room...

It got to the point where I couldn't do any more.  I just don't seem to be able to work out where to start or what to do.  

The stuff that fell down from the wall didn't bury me - yet I somehow feel that, really, it did...

11 comments:

  1. really like your solution - shelves behind/above the desk will be useful.

    Know what you mean about not knowing where to start - 2 weeks ago my living room was full of boxes needign to be unpacked and I felt I had not room to put anything. Feeling overwhelmed I followed the - one baby step at a time message - and eventually the impact was visible.

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  2. Oh, my goodness, you have been through it! Glad to hear that neither you nor Sherlock were hurt.

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  3. I think things often get worse before they get better, but at the end if it you will have a fantastically organised studio. Eat that cake, you deserve it!

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  4. Wow, Lizzie, that is quite a lot of happenings around your studio! How scary - and I'm so glad that you and Sherlock are ok. Will look forward to your photos when the place is put back together ~ I'm sure it will be lovely!

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  5. Lizzie, I have been living with no 'away' for seven months now - this is the eighth ... I completely understand your frustration, confusion and annoyance. It is overwhelming, but Helena is spot on the mark, take one VERY small step at a time, be methodical and things will take shape.

    Eat cake if necessary and try to keep a happy frame of mind - it really helps :-) Good Luck!

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  6. Gosh, I think if that happened to me I'd walk away, and not want to tackle anything for a week! I agree that in the end, you will probably have a system you are happier with, just take it slowly, and take time to create in between.

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  7. Thank you for all the encouragement, Ladies. I feel more positive after a night's sleep and a chat with DH - not to mention the kind comments left here by my friends.
    Still having "thinks" about the way to reorganise, but DH has promised to help me tidy up this weekend, so that will help!

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  8. Holy cow, Lizzie. Thank goodness you weren't hurt! What a brave little desk, saving you all like she did. :) I have my tables against bookshelves, too, and the storage that is hard to get to, I just use to store things I should probably just get rid of! lol! You know, if you haven't looked for something in 5 years, you probably don't need it. I am overwhelm with stuff, too, and I don't seem to be making any progress on the 'tidy' thing. :) Maybe this weekend, eh? xox Pam

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  9. Yes! Eat cake! That's about the only advice I can offer. That and please don't wear yourself out reorganising ( because I know what you are like..)

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  10. Oh Lizzie, I feel your pain I really do. Now I know I didn't have a shelf collapse, but stuff everywhere and nowhere to put it, its a horrid feeling. Baby steps is the only way, but isn't it hard to live with the clutter in the meantime. Set a timer for 15 mins then walk away, eat cake, do something fun, then do another 15 mins. (having said that I tend tofind 30 mins followed by 30 mins break to be more productive). Best of luck x

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  11. Oh no! I am just catching up on your blog posts. How terrible! I have nightmares about that sort of thing happening, but mine include water because my workspace is in the basement.
    I hope you get it sorted out soon and that you end up with an even better studio in the aftermath.

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