We are starting a concerted effort at preparing the room. Yes! It’s time.

Today - the first day - the day before we have a helper coming to begin working in the room, we went to a home repair type store and bought tile, electrical outlets and lights. My husband will order lights and probably see about getting drywall tomorrow.

I spent some time looking at photos of long arm quilting studios - trying to see their lighting solutions and layouts. This room isn’t all that large, so I wanted some ideas. I found a few and only one video that dealt with lighting in a quilting studio.

Here are some photos of what all that prep looked like.

At Castorama - we picked up tile - and that is going to look like this! When my husband saw it, he said, “This looks perfect!'“ and I agreed. Were going a little bit fun with this room.

The one store we went to didn’t have quite enough for the room, so we had to go another one a half hour away to get the rest of what we needed.

We also got lighting and other small things.

Day 2 will be a big “cleaning out day” and moving all the stuff out of the room and then getting started.

I decided to quit trying to do a little at a time and just do a big clearing out - with help. The man who is coming will help Mike move all the stuff into the middle of the basement area and then I will work on clearing it out and making decisions about where each of the items can go. I think that will be the best. I’ve been watching some Hoarders shows to help bolster me and my determination! I brought home some boxes and have tape to put things into until those decisions are made.

I am planning on offering some things up on our Freecycle group. Others, I’m not sure yet.

So now you know! Lots of stuff here has to be dealt with. Decisions aren’t that easy when the items have been in our household for literally dozens of years (like the Clavinova or the ping pong table or the foosball table.) I don’t actually consider myself a hoarder, but some of this will be hard to let go. And sometimes if they aren’t hard for ME to let go, they are for my husband. (!!!) (foosball table, ping pong table, paintball stuff).

I’m only a sort of hoarder when it comes to fabric related stuff! I’ll admit to a problem with that - but I do use it - constantly! :) I just love it all. I also can call a halt to most of the acquisition until I can use some of it up. I just need to move out some finished quilts! That’s my actual worst problem in the house at the moment—finished quilts that I’m not ready to just make into charity quilts.

Anyway…the reno begins. I’m trying to get lots of pictures and then I’ll see if I can get my son to put together a short video at the end of the process.

Check back tomorrow to see how Day 2 - the cleanout and start of the other work went!

Have a great day - and thanks for coming along on my quilting journey with me.

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!

Here’s one of the beauties we have!