Trying to get a little organized...

I am so not one of those people who are so wonderfully organized... I wish I was... Hubby is one of them... If you look into his wardrobe, you'll find all his clothes NEAT and in perfect order... And he has changed from leaving them all over the house to keeping them neat in one day!!! I admire him for that... I'm still struggling... I wish I can do that some day...

The point here is, my sewing room, like everything else related to me, pretty disorganized... I did change things quite alot around, but am not satisfied with it at all. Recently, we dismantled my office (which was my dream, but since hubby needs that space, I gave it up) I am left with quite a lot of furniture which includes a wonderful table (that I have used since before my marriage), a single diwan (though in a modern look), lots of plywood left from the wall panelling, window blinds and a lot of wood too...

So I got hubby to agree to re-do my sewing room...

This is what it is right now, lets take a tour... Please look closely, I need your opinions about it...

Sorry about the blurry pics, but the camera of my cell phone is acting up... This is what it looks like right now... Its not tidy, its clean, but its so not 'me'... I have been using furniture pieces lying around the house and so have ended up with most of things that simply have nothing to do with each other...

This was my fabric storage area...

The corner has corrugated boxes that hold fabric and clothes to be recycled...

The almirah holds my finished projects... And clients projects... I've also dedicated one shelf in it to my spread the cheer project where I keep all the fabric and stuff received from all of you guys as well as the finished quilts....

This is my current sewing table... The small table is about 7.5" high and I use it as my ironing table... I cover it with an old sheet and use it... I got these three baskets to keep under the table and they work great... I use the left one to keep my sewing machine stuff - the extra presser feet, needles, cleaning instruments etc... The second holds my cutting tools - scissors, rotary cutters, extra blades etc... The third holds my fastening tools - zippers, buttons, velro etc... My table is pretty organized compared to other stuff in my room....

I use this assortment of boxes for my WIP... The first is a 6 compartment box that holds my hexies-on-the-go.... I usually take this box downstairs when Aadi is playing in the garden... The next 3 compartment one, I'm using to store my 2.5" squares for the Tokyo Sub Map Quilt Along by Oh Fransson!... The basket with the black polka dot fabric holds the fabric to be cut into 2.5" squares... Next are these two little cute shoe boxes I got when I shopped for Aadi's shoes... One of them holds my completed hexies and the other one hold my miscellaneous stuff helping me keep my table surface clean...

I keep a corrugated box under the table to catch all the stuff that I just push over when I'm cutting fabric... I later sort it and give it away (I give tiny scraps away to my household help to use as fuel)... Next to it are my bins to hold other WIPs... half completed projects etc...

My tow drawer boxes are full of neatly folded fabric at the moment... I'm planning to make a visible storage for them... I'm not even halfway through my fabric stash at the moment...

So now, whats the plan? How do I make this room work for me? First I have to look at the problems:

1. The light comes in from the window during daytime and the other source is on the opposite wall making it difficult for me to orient my table...

2. The fabric has to be visible... I realized that when I went to shop for fabric and ended up repeating a lot of pieces...

3. There has to be a dedicated ironing area...

4. The table has to be less deep. This one's about 3 ft deep, making it impossible for me to use things that I shift to the back...

5. The room needs an invertor connection. With increasing power cuts due to power shortage, I tend to move my machine more into my computer room and use it there...

Here's the plan I have made...

The room is about 8'4" x 11'10"... I am bringing in my old table here and putting it in the center of the room with a lamp above it... Also I'll have a light board near the table for the sewing machine and my iron... For the ironing table I'll be using Elizabeth's idea... I have loved it since the day I saw it...

I'll be putting caster wheel to it so that I can move it like I want to... It'll also be about 7.5" higher than my table so that I can accomodate those 3 baskets under it again...

For my fabric storage I'll just have 6 open shelves about 12" deep... They'll be open and I'll just have a curtain to protect them from dust...

The book case I have currently kept next to my almirah will go horizontal on the wall at the window sill level... I can store my recycle clothing in it... And use the top as an extra working surface... My family of stuffed toys will soon be given away to a young friend of mine (I'm sure they'll be loved...  She's getting married in Dec and desires a room filled with soft toys... I'm giving all of them to her...)So I can use that shelf to display some of my stuff...

The thread rack will go onto the opposite wall... It'll be places near the window (see that slim rectangle in the lower left corner?)

Now here's where I need your help...

1. I want to change the color of the room... Can you suggest me colors??? Links to room with those colors would be great.

2. I need to decide what fabric to use for the window curtains, ironing board and fabric shelves curtain. Please suggest that fabric along with the colors if you can...

3. What size cutting mat would you recommend? I was thinking of 24" x 30"... Brands???

Feel free to give additional suggestions... I'll love to hear what you guys have to say...