The best idea I’ve ever had for organizing my laces…

I want to show you what I’ve been working on, but I have to show you what I found at a yard sale this morning… (This has NOTHING to do with my Spending Freeze because this is for my house!) I found this chandelier this morning without a tag on it, offered them $3.00 and they took it!!! I’ve always wanted one and don’t know where I’ll put it, but I’ll find a place… it’s brass and very heavy. I’ll change the bulbs to clear I think… It’s not a real huge one with crystals and my hubby even likes it! YAY!

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Then I looked around and found these 2 boxes of crafty things in them… the lady saw me looking at them and said she’d take $1.00 for both boxes. Sure, I’m game for digging through them and seeing if there were any treasures in them. I thought I was done shopping so I took the chandelier and the 2 boxes to my car… When I came back for one final look I saw another box of craft things, bigger than the other 2 boxes. The lady saw me again and said $3.00? I said, “yes” and took the one last box to my car. So I got 3 boxes of craft things and a chandelier for $7.00! Not bad!!!

Now to get home and see what I had bought…
Well, there were no big treasures but I did put together a nice craft box for Sara and I’m sure she’ll have fun with the foam hearts, the construction paper, the pipe cleaners, the crayons, the beads, buttons, watercolor paints, coloring books, craft books, and lots more.

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I kept some fabric paints, some of those oval glass “thingies” that you see in the bottom of flower arrangements… some acrylic paints, and a few other little things.

A few days ago…[before the “spending freeze”], I decided I wanted a few more of the 2.5 x 3.5 chipboard shapes that I had bought before and wrapped my trims on. I bought them from Ebay, seller: thunderbolt-paper. If you want to see the listing I bought…click HERE. I bought 100 cards…

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They are a nice thickness and really nice for wrapping things on. They don’t bend or buckle like the thinner ones do. These are equal to just over 11 sheets of paper thick.

I decided I would take my patterns out of the acrylic stand that I was using for them and put it next to the other trims I had already wrapped. It was a perfect fit. The right side was already done, but it was sort of crowded and looking a bit messy to me.

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It was time to get these trims rolled on cards instead of just thrown on the stand.

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I made some headway, but I made the mistake of opening up a drawer that had all my laces in it. It looked something like this:

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I am pretty organized in my sewing room. I could tell you where to find my spare needles, my solid cottons, my elastics, my rick rack, but my laces are like rabbits… the pieces just keep multiplying… I have quite a few zip lock bags filled with laces and trims and sometimes I go a long time without ever getting into one of those bags. [Please tell me someone else has bags that look like this…anyone?]

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I knew if I could see them, I would use them more, so I decided to use my new compartment containers and roll my laces up and put them in there.

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When the lids are closed you can still see the laces and they stay put!

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I was working on this one, when I realized I needed to call it quits for the night and get this post written.

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I did get some more done on Felicity’s dress…and I have to tell you her hat is so pretty! I think you’re going to love it!

Well, I guess that’s my day!

See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne

20 thoughts on “The best idea I’ve ever had for organizing my laces…”

  1. What a pretty chandelier, Jeanne! Have you decided where it goes, and most of all, does it work? It looks like it came from a beautiful Victorian house!

    Sara is going to be one spoiled little girl! She is going to miss you terribly when she goes back to Columbia!

    That is a great way to store laces! I don’t have nearly what you have, not even a fraction, but I do have little pieces of lace and trims left over from other projects that I can’t seem to throw away, and yes, they look like the ones you have in the bag!

    I keep wondering how in the world you have time for cleaning up your own house, since you do a lot in the sewing room. Do you have a cleaning lady or something? And a cook? By the time I get my housework done, it is late afternoon! You must be Wonder Woman!!

    1. HI Linda,
      No, I haven’t decided where it should go….yet… but it’s on the dining room table, just waiting for me to find it a home… it will work when my hubby wires it up…

      Sara loved her box of craft things.. She thanked me 3 times this morning at church… I’m going to be the one who misses HER!!!

      I had to get some more rubber bands today to be able to finish wrapping my trims on the cards.

      Well, Linda, let me just tell you, my house probably doesn’t look like yours. No, I don’t have a cleaning lady… it’s all me! And no cook either… I put on my chef’s hat for that role too! I’m not Wonder Woman… far from it. Let’s just say, I probably let some things slide that you don’t…. and my hubby does all the laundry. He gets up early and does it… and has for years and years. My job is to put it away, but he does all the washing.
      You have inspired me to try harder though… I want to be like YOU! The pictures of your new kitchen did me in… what a beauty it was.
      Blessings, Jeanne

  2. Jeanne, your chandelier is beautiful! But I am very impressed with your trim storage. Is the chipboard acid free? That would be my only concern. And your lace looks great in the plastic containers.

    Can’t wait to see what you are making.

    Beth

    1. HI Beth,
      Thanks for liking my new chandelier… I like it too!

      I never thought about the chipboard being acid free. What is the worst that can happen to my trims if it’s not? Will it discolor them?

      My project is a Colonial Dress for Felicity… It’s coming along… and will be revealed soon.
      Blessings, Jeanne

  3. Doesn’t neat organization just give you an all-over good feeling?! I know that every time you look at your laces in those containers and your trims wrapped neatly over those cool chipboard thingies, you’re gonna get that all-over good feeling! Your garage sale finds were fabulous, can’t wait to see where you end up using that chandelier and even more excited to know how Sara likes her box of goodies!! Love and blessings to you and yours!

    Bobi

    1. HI Bobi,
      Yes, I do like things neat in my sewing room…all the way down to my trims in containers!

      I want to find the perfect spot of the chandelier… but right now it’s sitting on the dining room table.

      Sara LOVED all her new craft things. I’m sure she’ll show me what she makes from it all.

      Blessings to you Bobi,
      ~ Jeanne

  4. Love the chandelier! I think it’s versatile enough to use in almost any room, in fact I’ve even seen some used in bathrooms in the decorator magazines! I like the way you have everything organized– my sewing things are in a state of chaos right now and I haven’t been able to find enough time to get things back in shape. It really gets frustrating when I can’t locate something because it’s not in its “spot”. By the way, thanks for yesterday’s pattern review. I considered buying that pattern some time ago, but couldn’t make up my mind. Now that I see how sweet it looks on Nellie, I think I will go ahead and get it.

    1. HI Carolyn,
      I don’t know where I’ll put the chandelier… We bought as special light fixture for our bedroom one year for our anniversary present. My master bathroom has an antique glass light fixture…actually 2 of them in there. Our main bathroom might work… our sitting room has too tall of ceilings and this chandelier is too small for the size of the room.
      My dining room has low ceilings, so it might not work in there… I might put it in the corner of my living room, sort of like a reading corner, but not sure. My sewing room has sloped ceilings and I have track lighting in there.. hmmmm… what to do…

      I’m glad you liked the pattern review enough to buy it. I think you’ll like it very much. It makes a sweet dress.
      Thanks Carolyn,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  5. A happy Sunday to you, Jeanne.
    Beautiful chandelier you found for $3! Like Carolyn said, they are showing them everywhere and even spray painting them in a glossy paint. They look so pretty popping up in rooms where you wouldn’t think to put them.

    I like your idea of storing your beautiful lace in the plastic containers. I, too, was wondering if the chipboard was acid free.

    And, yes, I have drawers filled with baggies of lace and ribbon, but curiously I know where everything is, or I think that I do; in reality, maybe not. LOL

    1. HI Cindy,
      Thanks for your nice comments about my new chandelier… I have seen them in all different rooms and even painted white too. I’m not picky… I just like their looks.

      I just asked someone up above… if the chipboard isn’t acid free… it didn’t say it was…what will it do to my trims? Do you know?

      I do like the lace stored this way… It is like night and day compared to the way I had it before… Oh good…someone else with baggies full of laces and ribbons. I know what “drawer” all mine is in, but not which bag…

      Thanks Cindy,
      Blessings, Jeanne

      1. I think it discolors it, but it does take a while. If you use it rather quickly, you probably don’t need to worry about it. I’d keep the expensive stuff off of it, and in the boxes like you have.

  6. I have bags and bins of lace that people have given me, but since we have moved into our new house, it is just so hard to organize right now, as we are still kinda getting the feel of where everything should go first.

    1. HI Christine,
      I know how hard it is when you first move to find the right spot for things. It’s like if you put your silverware in “this” drawer… it HAS to stay there… you’ll find time one of these days to get them out of the bags and bins… and it will be wonderful when you do.
      Thanks Christine,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  7. My gosh girl …you are super organized…I’m lucky to have the boxes of lace labeled! The chandelier is a nice one..and like you said not too many crystals either!
    Enjoy your week.

    1. HI Kathie,
      Well, I’m working on the organization part… one day I’ll get there. I do like having the lace in the storage containers…It’s so nice to be able to see it all at a glance.

      I’m liking my chandelier just sitting on my dining room table!
      Blessings, Jeanne

  8. Good afternoon Jeanne,
    What neat items you found at the garage sale. The chandelier is neat and will make a great project. Can’t wait to see what you do with it. So many different things you could do to it.
    Love how you organized your laces. Excellent ideas.
    Along those lines of organization, I like my drawers and closets ORGANIZED. Even my junk drawer is neat and orderly. I like my towels to be folded all the same way. If things get un-organized, it’s easier to do a quick straightening up that way.
    You did a great job with all those lovely laces!!
    Enjoy your day!!
    Blessings

    1. HI Paula,
      You, like so many others who’ve left comments, seem to be more organized than me. I should take tips and hints from all of you. I could use a little more organization in my life.
      Part of my problem is living in a house that is unfinished…it kind of stifles where you put things.
      It sounds like you get the award…along with Linda, for being Wonder Women! …along with several others who left comments! Will you be my teacher…
      Blessings, Jeanne

  9. I vote for the bathroom for the new light fixture! Love it.
    Now I have to wait for another sale at Harbor Freight. My laces are all in a big clear container. Love the look of each in its own cubbie. Very pleasing.

    1. Hi Joy, the bathroom might work…I will have to get my hubby to hold it up in each room and see what room looks best with it.
      I hope you can find some containers and find a place for your trims.
      Thanks, Jeanne

  10. Hi Jeanne, I’m another one who is going to have to go over to Harbor Freight and check out those boxes!! I may well have at least as much lace as you do, and it So needs to be organized! It’s all stuffed in a plastic box right now. And then there are my ribbons and other trims….

    I like your idea of using those chipboard Kraft sheets, but am also wondering about the acidity level, and how they would be. I know that a lot of our rickrack and trims do come on cardboard and, even though most have a white coating on one side, there’s nothing to indicate acidity of the packaging. I haven’t had any of Them discolor my trims, so maybe these would be okay, too. Hm….

    Charlotte

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