Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

My New Best Friend, Bill

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I have a new best friend these days.  He never lets me down, comes over whenever I need him, and always is willing to give more than he gets.  His name is Bill, and he is a custom cabinet installer.

Our new house has plenty of storage cabinets, but one thing that I have noticed about them is that the shelves are all the wrong heights.  In the kitchen, the space between shelves was all too short.  In the garage and in the bathroom, the space was ridiculously high.  In the bathroom cabinet shown in the picture above, the shelves were about three feet high.  Why?  What a lot of completely wasted space where a girl could be storing her beauty products and grooming aids!

I am not sure what the previous owners kept in these bathroom cupboards that they needed such high shelves.  Maybe they stacked rolls of toilet tissue sky high, or had towels folded in tall stacks.  It just wasn't my idea of how to best use these great cupboards.  So, along came Bill, who inserted an extra shelf between all the too tall shelves.  Now, that is what I am talking about.  Now I have room for all my goodies, with space to spare!

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You all know from previous posts of mine, that I am a bit of a shoe junkie.  In my last house, we had California Closets customize things for us and they put in shoe cubbies, which were my favorite thing ever.  Well, who needs California Closets when Bill can customize my closet for half the cost?  Here is my shoe tower.  I couldn't get back far enough to get a picture of the entire thing, but you get the idea. Love it.  All his materials came from either Home Depot or Lowes, so you know he got a good price on materials.  The shoe cubbies are made by ClosetMaid, and came from Lowes.

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You can never have enough shelving for linens in my opinion, so I had Bill add in some extra shelving in the guest room closet.  I can store most of my table linens here on these shelves, and free up the linen closet in the hall for bedding and bath linens.  Yes, that is another shoe cubby underneath.  Shhh.  I told you I had a thing for shoes.

Bill doesn't paint (his ONLY fault), so I have to touch up the unfinished ends of the shelf brackets next time I have my paints out.

No progress yet on the quilting studio.  I am about to set up things on the bare concrete floor and just start sewing.  I am in complete fabric withdrawal.

 

 

 

48 responses to “My New Best Friend, Bill”

  1. Oh, SCORE!!! I’ll bet many of your neighbors near and far need a Bill (or your Bill) and here y’all found him even before you moved into you sweet new home!
    I have shoe and show cubby envy.
    Cheers that you’re going to set up your tables and machine and SEW! Shall we expect a new quilt top by Friday’s post?! 😀 Enjoy!!!
    Hugs!

  2. Oh, SCORE!!! I’ll bet many of your neighbors near and far need a Bill (or your Bill) and here y’all found him even before you moved into you sweet new home!
    I have shoe and show cubby envy.
    Cheers that you’re going to set up your tables and machine and SEW! Shall we expect a new quilt top by Friday’s post?! 😀 Enjoy!!!
    Hugs!

  3. Welcome to the new house Nicole. You have hit on something here, about shelves I mean. I thought my problem was too much stuff in my closets (all built with one shelf apiece and as long as a tunnel). All this time I could have had more shelves installed and stayed organized. As I age, clearing closets and shelves gets harder and harder. My boys’ college papers are still here for Heaven’s sake. Wait til I go to Home Depot. Closet Maid will be first on my list if I have to man the drill myself. Thanks for the insight. So glad you found Bill and he set those closets right from the get-go.

  4. Welcome to the new house Nicole. You have hit on something here, about shelves I mean. I thought my problem was too much stuff in my closets (all built with one shelf apiece and as long as a tunnel). All this time I could have had more shelves installed and stayed organized. As I age, clearing closets and shelves gets harder and harder. My boys’ college papers are still here for Heaven’s sake. Wait til I go to Home Depot. Closet Maid will be first on my list if I have to man the drill myself. Thanks for the insight. So glad you found Bill and he set those closets right from the get-go.

  5. Oh, I would love to have a “Bill”. You’re shoe cubbie is too die for! So glad you are enjoying your new home and can’t wait to see your quilting studio evolve! I bet it feels good to be on this side of the move!
    P.S. – We took a trip up to Twain Harte/Arnold last weekend ‘trying’ to escape the heat of the East Bay. Stopped at Marisolio and got some wonderful olive oil and vinegars. Sipped some of Ryan’s wines and made sure to bring some home. Wonderful little town – hope to go on some quilting retreats there soon!

  6. Oh, I would love to have a “Bill”. You’re shoe cubbie is too die for! So glad you are enjoying your new home and can’t wait to see your quilting studio evolve! I bet it feels good to be on this side of the move!
    P.S. – We took a trip up to Twain Harte/Arnold last weekend ‘trying’ to escape the heat of the East Bay. Stopped at Marisolio and got some wonderful olive oil and vinegars. Sipped some of Ryan’s wines and made sure to bring some home. Wonderful little town – hope to go on some quilting retreats there soon!

  9. Ha ha Nicole! Good for you that you have a new best friend who can help you out in such practical ways. Looks like you have a good start on organizing things. *sillysally* aka choc chip addict

  10. Ha ha Nicole! Good for you that you have a new best friend who can help you out in such practical ways. Looks like you have a good start on organizing things. *sillysally* aka choc chip addict

  13. Gotta love Bill! What do you mean he doesn’t paint??? Huh! It looks like you have the same exact color cabinets that I have. E-mail me back as I have a question.

  14. Gotta love Bill! What do you mean he doesn’t paint??? Huh! It looks like you have the same exact color cabinets that I have. E-mail me back as I have a question.

  15. You have given me such a good idea for my guest room closet – shelves! I need to seriously go through and clean out and get rid of clothes I don’t wear, do some rearranging and then I can put my tablecloths and books in the guest room closet! Does Bill travel? He sounds like a gem!!

  16. You have given me such a good idea for my guest room closet – shelves! I need to seriously go through and clean out and get rid of clothes I don’t wear, do some rearranging and then I can put my tablecloths and books in the guest room closet! Does Bill travel? He sounds like a gem!!

  25. Does Bill travel??? I think I need to hire him when we build in Colorado. We could probably swap some good stories about shoes – mine are under the bed, on the closet floor and lining the closet shelves. My husband cringes when I bring another pair home! I love what Bill did to store your shoes. Do set up a machine somewhere. I can’t believe you have gone this long without sewing on something!!

  26. Does Bill travel??? I think I need to hire him when we build in Colorado. We could probably swap some good stories about shoes – mine are under the bed, on the closet floor and lining the closet shelves. My husband cringes when I bring another pair home! I love what Bill did to store your shoes. Do set up a machine somewhere. I can’t believe you have gone this long without sewing on something!!

  27. Has your husband accused you of being Imelda Marcos? mine has…a girl can never have too many shoes, can she??? It looks like you’re making good progress in the house! Now, get out to that studio and do a little sewing! Go on! Scoot!!

  28. Has your husband accused you of being Imelda Marcos? mine has…a girl can never have too many shoes, can she??? It looks like you’re making good progress in the house! Now, get out to that studio and do a little sewing! Go on! Scoot!!

  29. Looks like things are coming along, Nicole! You are fortunate to have Bill around fixing up all your shelving! Hope you are getting rested up some, from the big move.

  30. Looks like things are coming along, Nicole! You are fortunate to have Bill around fixing up all your shelving! Hope you are getting rested up some, from the big move.

  33. I can understand why Bill is your new best friend! 🙂 Having good storage makes life so much easier!!

  34. I can understand why Bill is your new best friend! 🙂 Having good storage makes life so much easier!!

  35. Hi Nicole,
    I’ve been on vacation, but am now happily home, catching up on the laundry and on my favourite blogs — of which yours is definitely one. I’m happy to hear and see that you are settling nicely into your new home. Seeing the house is nice. But, like you, I can’t wait until you get your sewing studio set up. Thanks for letting us peek through the windows into your new home life!
    Debbie R.

  36. Hi Nicole,
    I’ve been on vacation, but am now happily home, catching up on the laundry and on my favourite blogs — of which yours is definitely one. I’m happy to hear and see that you are settling nicely into your new home. Seeing the house is nice. But, like you, I can’t wait until you get your sewing studio set up. Thanks for letting us peek through the windows into your new home life!
    Debbie R.

  41. You’re really inspiring me to get organized! It thought I had to get rid of shoes…now I know I just need more cubbies 🙂

  42. You’re really inspiring me to get organized! It thought I had to get rid of shoes…now I know I just need more cubbies 🙂

  43. Gotta love Bill! He sounds Awesome! I bet he’s around to work in the quilt studio. It will fun to see the further adventures of Cabinet Bill….

  44. Gotta love Bill! He sounds Awesome! I bet he’s around to work in the quilt studio. It will fun to see the further adventures of Cabinet Bill….

  47. These custom cabinets is something to be envied about. Can I lend your best friend Bill sometimes? Your things looks very organize and I love to have a cabinet like yours.

  48. These custom cabinets is something to be envied about. Can I lend your best friend Bill sometimes? Your things looks very organize and I love to have a cabinet like yours.