Friday afternoon my mom and I (okay, it was mostly me) got a wild hair to rearrange the basement, aka my office/tv room/sewing area. This also happens to be the scene of our monthly sewing gatherings, so any changes have to still accommodate 10+ people with their sewing machines. This will never be a pretty, magazine photo shoot worthy space – I’m going for functional and cheap. (At least until the last step below.)

We have a series of plans:
Step 1: Rearrange EVERYTHING
Step 2: Get rid of the futon, repurpose the entertainment center
Step 3: Get rid of the entertainment center, move bookshelves and move craft area desk & drawers to main room
Step 4: (Here’s where we start spending) Add shelving, build table unit with storage; replace 10 year old monster tv with flat panel
Step Fantasy: Win the lottery and add an egress window, better lighting, laminate floors and more electrical outlets

Step 1 is by far the most physically challenging. Remember, this is what we started with (some of the photos taken at different times, so if things seem to move you’re not crazy):

Take another look at that first picture, because all of the bookshelves on the right side have been moved. Yeah. I hurt. Also, that machine on the quilting frame weighs eleventy-thousand pounds (okay, it’s more like 60, but still) and I removed it from the frame, moved the frame, and put it back all by myself. Stupid, but I couldn’t wait until the next morning for Mom to help.

There’s still a long way to go, but here’s where I am now:

Frightening, isn’t it?

Everything looks much worse, but I *believe* it will get better. Remember Peter Pan, when Tinkerbell was dying because people didn’t believe in fairies? And everyone watching was supposed to clap if they believed? Clap, people. Clap for me if you believe it will get better. I think I need a miracle.