The most essential things to keep in mind when moving home are to find a city or region with a lot of craft mojo and to find a house that is perfectly suited to your crafting needs. We picked Austin, Texas (having lived there before) which is filled to overflowing with great indie-craft people. Next we found a house. We had the luxury of being able to afford an extra bedroom to be my studio, although in our case with my husband working from home part of the time and me mostly housebound it was less of a luxury than a sanity saver.
So I have a bedroom just for crafting and until we buy dining furniture (if ever?) there’s also a lovely formal dining room I can use for say, blocking out large projects or pin basting quilts. Then there is what I consider the best bit: the screened in porch.
How many times have you wanted to do something with stinky products and read the directions “Use only in a well-ventilated area” then been frustrated because just opening the window isn’t enough to deal with the fumes? Well I don’t think I will have that problem again. Between the screens allowing full air flow and the fans overhead, I think it would be hard to get any more ventilated in a residential setting! Plus it is a great place for wet felting which can get a little messy as the soapy water sloshes about. This is a rental house so of course I will be careful and use drop cloths, etc., but my mind is already abuzz with the possibilities!
Another advantage of this house is that it is only a few blocks from the main library, so anytime I need a little eye candy but don’t want to be tempted to buy anything I can go there and peruse the stacks and I am still allowed to bring things home with me, if only for a little while.
So there you have it, Step One is find an ideal residence to facilitate your craftiness. Check!
We don’t actually move in until the 19th but before then I will be starting on Step Two: scout out (by internet and especially Ravelry) the craft stores and groups nearby so I can be ready to leap in with both feet as soon as we get to town. Come back next time for tips on how to do that.
What do you wish you had in a home that would make your crafting life easier? Do you have any tips for me as I go about setting up here? Advice always wanted!
PS — If you are moving to Austin and want to rent a property, I HIGHLY recommend @ShelleyRowton of RE/MAX River City!! (I guess she does sales too but we aren’t looking to buy yet.)