The Spark ✨
Every so often, my studio whispers “it’s time for a change.” For months, I’d been mulling over the idea of a proper quilt cabinet. I’m not an impulse buyer — I sit with ideas, weigh the purpose, and only commit when I know it will truly serve me. Living in a city apartment means space is precious, so every purchase has to earn its keep. The upside? I rarely regret my buys. The downside? I often wish I’d acted sooner.
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Why a Quilt Cabinet? 🧵
Stacks of quilts had taken over the studio and apartment. Preparing for trunk shows meant endless digging, shuffling, and restacking — far from joyful. I longed for a cabinet where quilts could be neatly displayed, safely stored, and easily accessible. I wanted to open the doors and feel inspired, to see my finishes lined up like a gallery of stories waiting to be shared.
Enter the Pax wardrobe. Same footprint as my temporary closet, but taller, smarter, and ready to transform chaos into calm.
The Ikea Adventure 🛒
After lots of online planning (thank you, Ikea planner tool!), my hubz and I set off early one Monday morning. We fueled up with a basic-but-perfect Ikea breakfast — because yes, we’re those people who love testing breakfast spots as much as poutine joints.
Of course, the wardrobe didn’t quite fit in the car. Delivery became the obvious choice, and honestly, I’d recommend it to anyone. Just inspect every box carefully — we discovered dents and damage only after unstacking. Thankfully, the big pieces were fine, and swapping out the smaller damaged items gave us an excuse for another breakfast run.
Building the Beast 🔨
Let’s just say Ikea instructions aren’t what they used to be. YouTube tutorials saved the day, and after a few afternoons (instead of just one), the cabinet finally stood tall in the studio.
First Load-In: Quilts Come Home 🪡
My priority was clear: quilts first. One by one, they found their new home. I left intentional gaps for display and easy access, and reserved drawers for pillows, teaching samples, smaller projects, and a couple of WIPs.
Battling the Batting 🧺
Next up: batting. Bolts, scraps, trimmings — it felt like batting was multiplying behind my back. I’ve used plenty for quilted coats and joined remnants with tape, but there was still a mountain to tame. My solution? Sorting by size and giving each type a designated spot. No more drowning in batting scraps!
Organization Inspiration 🌿
I love an orderly home. Knowing where things belong makes life smoother and more joyful. My inspiration often comes from YouTube creators:
- Benita Larsson — minimal living
- Kahvihuone8487 — slow living + tidy spaces
- Hamimommy — cleaning tricks that sparked this purchase for my quilty practice
Their calming videos pair perfectly with a hot coffee and remind me that organization is a form of self-care.
The Joy of Order 💫
Now, opening the quilt cabinet feels like a celebration. Everything has a place, and I can appreciate the quilts I’ve made over the past 10+ years without the clutter stealing the joy.
If you’ve been considering a re-org of your own, start planning. The feeling of having everything within reach is glorious.
Your Turn 🌟
Reorganizing my studio with this quilt cabinet has been such a reminder that storage isn’t just practical — it’s part of how we honour our creative work. Every quilt, every scrap, every project deserves a home that makes the process feel joyful. If you’ve been dreaming of a refresh in your own space, I’d love to hear what’s on your mind. What storage challenges are you facing? What solutions have you tried? Share your thoughts in the comments — your ideas might inspire another maker to finally tackle their own studio re‑org!
xo
Shannon
Coming Up Next… 👀
This was just the beginning! In Part 2, I’ll take you shelf by shelf inside the quilt cabinet — sharing how I organized quilts, batting, WIPs, teaching samples, and even those tricky little extras. You’ll see the logic behind each placement, how the cabinet has already evolved, and tips you can borrow for your own studio storage. Stay tuned — it’s going to be a quilty deep dive!
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I love that idea to store the batting. My partner gifted me a pax system for my quilting supplies as well a few months ago, in the summer. I have been using it for fabric storage mostly.
Yes, I loved seeing your new fabric cabinet come to life, Vivian! I have a Billy bookcase for all my fabric, but I was drowning in quilts and the Pax has deeper storage, so it worked perfectly. The little bin for the batting wasn’t on my radar until it was automatically added while I was using the design software and instantly I thought it would be useful for batting. It really is!