Creative Fabric Storage for Small Spaces

When I moved into my new house last fall, I was thrilled that the little house had everything I had ever wanted… except storage space. The two small closets, each barely the width of a standard door, were filled with coats, boots and clothes in no time, leaving zero room for fabric storage. What is an avid quilter to do? I had to get creative. Let’s look at some unusual places you can store fabric:

• Under the Washer & Dryer – For some reason unknown to me, modern appliances come on “pedestals”, basically a big drawer under the machine. I don’t know what they are supposed to be used for, but for me: fabric!
• China Cabinet – The house came with a built-in china cabinet and since I didn’t inherit Grandma’s china, it became the perfect place to store as well as show off my favorite fabrics. Just make sure your cabinet is out of direct sunlight to avoid fading the fabrics. If it’s a built-in, simply put up some curtains.
• The Shower? Believe it or not, I have heard of crafty folk storing their fabric and yarn in big plastic bins stacked in an extra shower that isn’t being used. I tried this but noticed that after a while when the drain draps dry out, the room fills with septic gasses. The solution is easy – just pour some water in every few months. I found moving the bins to dump in some water to be inconvenient, but I’m still keeping this in mind as an option for the future.
• Under the Bed – This one is a no-brainer. You can easily find plastic storage bins (with wheels even!) to slide under the bed, as well as soft sided zip-up units that are supposed to keep out dust. I have two of these for yarn and there is still room under the bed for more.
• Luggage – You know you aren’t going to drag out your suitcase until your next trip to Belize. In the meantime, it can be full of fabric.
• Bookcases – My go-to solution for fabric storage is the cubical style bookcases. They fit up against a wall or can be used in the middle of a room as a divider. They sport colorful square bins in all kinds of fabrics, colors, and textures. They are a perfect square, sizes ranging from 11” to 13”, and they are an excellent solution for folding up tons of fabric into nice, neat squares for storage. They even have handles, making them easy to pull out for rifling through your stash.

Don’t let your lack of storage keep you from indulging in fabric hoarding, or should I say, “quilting”!

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