Tuesday, August 05, 2008

I Love You Ikea...

One of my biggest mistakes in my last studio was not having visible storage.  For me, if I can't see it, I probably won't use it.  This is why my work space, to the ordinary passerby, would look like a disaster area.  I would have everything scattered about and in piles.  To me it made sense.  The clutter was actually mentally organized.  (Or at least that's what I would tell myself.)

So, in my new space, I wanted to do it right.  I thought about getting a cubby system with pull-out clear plastic drawers.  I already have smaller versions for part of my bead stash. But organizational systems (especially ones from The Container Store) can get expensive.  I thought about building something custom that would meet all my needs and look killer.  However, I barely have time to sleep as it is – let alone adding another big project under my belt.  Not to mention that until I get the storage solution up and running, everything is dispersed and hidden amongst twenty or so boxes and it would definitely slow down the progress of any project.

Luckily, a new Ikea opened up in my neck of the woods.  It's only five subway stops and a short (free) shuttle bus service away – maybe 20 minutes in total.  Ikea is one of those places that a good many New Yorkers seem to love to hate.  They condemn it with criticisms of it being too big, commercial, noisy, crowded, and flimsy.  But seeing as how I'm not a descendent of the Rockefellers and didn't inherit the heirloom cabinetry from the Old Country, affordability, accessibility, and a plethora of options are all good things.  Whereas, the ominous they love to hate Ikea – I simply love Ikea.  With the help of fabian (the most inexpensive, easy-to-put-together shelves), a couple of meatballs for strength, and some lingonberry soda for hydration, I will have the perfect studio storage solution!

No comments: