Fully contained
Perhaps I shall blame Laura for my most recent excursion. :)
See, for Christmas she bought me these colorful adhesive tabs that she got at the Container Store. There aren't very many in the Chicago area but she happens to live near one, and when I went to visit her spotted the store in the near distance along the way.
I've gotten back into beading, and bought more supplies, and I really needed a better way to store everything. What I had wasn't working any longer, and really hadn't worked in a while, but because I hadn't been using it much if at all it wasn't a big deal. Now, though, I bead because it relaxes me, and so it's nice to have supplies for projects--if I can find them--and it's time to change how I've been keeping everything. I started noticing the various storage containers at the craft stores, and I sort of liked them, but I wasn't sure they'd work for my purposes. Also, I have small containers for beads and findings that are still perfectly useful, and buying the larger containers the stores have would be redundant. I didn't want to be stuck with a smaller version of the new thing I'd be buying, and yet I didn't want to have to buy something if what I currently had still worked but just didn't fit where I was storing it.
I finally thought about getting just a plain container, not a specific craft holder with pullout divided boxes. I went through a Sterilite phase a number of years ago and know that there are multiple sizes of plastic totes, so I pulled one I already had out that I thought would be big enough, and sure enough, I was able to fit pretty much everything into a particular size. However, I took off the identifying info years ago, so I wasn't sure how many gallons it was, since that seems to be the way to measure the larger plastic totes. I did measure the particular tote I used, so at least I had dimensions. I'd originally gotten it at Target, which didn't have the particular size I wanted, or at least not on its website. Perhaps the Container Store might?
This is how I got sucked into the abyss. There are so many things to search. And it's how I stumbled upon a storage tote system that includes a tray and different inserts to help keep things organized inside. Oh, my word, what a revelation. I actually took the dimensions off the site and drew them on graph paper so I could get a better visual on what they'd be like and if my stuff would fit. Oh, the XL tote should fit everything plus have room for more, so perhaps I'd still keep my various books and things in there, too.
I finally went to the store on Monday, since again it's the day where I have lots of time to kill. Honestly, the Container Store is a terrible place for me to go because I could almost buy one of everything. :P Oh, they have a lot. And, granted, a fair amount I could get at, say, Bed Bath & Beyond, which is only a few miles from my house, but there it was all in one place. So many styles. A number of colors. I wandered around for a while just looking at everything. And then I found what I'd come for, and it was actually bigger than I thought, but it was great to pick everything up right then and there. They also had reusable produce bags, which is something I've thought about getting for a few years now, plus this cute tote bag that tucks itself into a pocket and has a carabiner attached so you can clip it someplace so you don't lose it. Very cool. Oh, what a worthwhile trip.
I also stopped at a few other places, but the only other place I bought anything at was Hobby Lobby. Alas, I couldn't find the beads I wanted, though I was able to pick up a few things. I think I'm looking for something that doesn't exist, which is disappointing; either that, or the size and color of beads I want is a special order or only found online. I want dark(er) gray size 10 seed beads. I've tried Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Joann--like, all within the past week, in different places--and I can't find anything. I love the way gray and pink look together--bet you wouldn't have guessed by reading my journal at my journal!--and would love to make a necklace in those colors...but I have to get the gray beads first. I have one more local store to try and then I guess I'll start scouring the 'net.
But at least my storage woes are over. I was so excited that even though I was tired when I eventually got home Monday night, I still started opening things and arranging them. I'm such a dork. :)
See, for Christmas she bought me these colorful adhesive tabs that she got at the Container Store. There aren't very many in the Chicago area but she happens to live near one, and when I went to visit her spotted the store in the near distance along the way.
I've gotten back into beading, and bought more supplies, and I really needed a better way to store everything. What I had wasn't working any longer, and really hadn't worked in a while, but because I hadn't been using it much if at all it wasn't a big deal. Now, though, I bead because it relaxes me, and so it's nice to have supplies for projects--if I can find them--and it's time to change how I've been keeping everything. I started noticing the various storage containers at the craft stores, and I sort of liked them, but I wasn't sure they'd work for my purposes. Also, I have small containers for beads and findings that are still perfectly useful, and buying the larger containers the stores have would be redundant. I didn't want to be stuck with a smaller version of the new thing I'd be buying, and yet I didn't want to have to buy something if what I currently had still worked but just didn't fit where I was storing it.
I finally thought about getting just a plain container, not a specific craft holder with pullout divided boxes. I went through a Sterilite phase a number of years ago and know that there are multiple sizes of plastic totes, so I pulled one I already had out that I thought would be big enough, and sure enough, I was able to fit pretty much everything into a particular size. However, I took off the identifying info years ago, so I wasn't sure how many gallons it was, since that seems to be the way to measure the larger plastic totes. I did measure the particular tote I used, so at least I had dimensions. I'd originally gotten it at Target, which didn't have the particular size I wanted, or at least not on its website. Perhaps the Container Store might?
This is how I got sucked into the abyss. There are so many things to search. And it's how I stumbled upon a storage tote system that includes a tray and different inserts to help keep things organized inside. Oh, my word, what a revelation. I actually took the dimensions off the site and drew them on graph paper so I could get a better visual on what they'd be like and if my stuff would fit. Oh, the XL tote should fit everything plus have room for more, so perhaps I'd still keep my various books and things in there, too.
I finally went to the store on Monday, since again it's the day where I have lots of time to kill. Honestly, the Container Store is a terrible place for me to go because I could almost buy one of everything. :P Oh, they have a lot. And, granted, a fair amount I could get at, say, Bed Bath & Beyond, which is only a few miles from my house, but there it was all in one place. So many styles. A number of colors. I wandered around for a while just looking at everything. And then I found what I'd come for, and it was actually bigger than I thought, but it was great to pick everything up right then and there. They also had reusable produce bags, which is something I've thought about getting for a few years now, plus this cute tote bag that tucks itself into a pocket and has a carabiner attached so you can clip it someplace so you don't lose it. Very cool. Oh, what a worthwhile trip.
I also stopped at a few other places, but the only other place I bought anything at was Hobby Lobby. Alas, I couldn't find the beads I wanted, though I was able to pick up a few things. I think I'm looking for something that doesn't exist, which is disappointing; either that, or the size and color of beads I want is a special order or only found online. I want dark(er) gray size 10 seed beads. I've tried Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Joann--like, all within the past week, in different places--and I can't find anything. I love the way gray and pink look together--bet you wouldn't have guessed by reading my journal at my journal!--and would love to make a necklace in those colors...but I have to get the gray beads first. I have one more local store to try and then I guess I'll start scouring the 'net.
But at least my storage woes are over. I was so excited that even though I was tired when I eventually got home Monday night, I still started opening things and arranging them. I'm such a dork. :)