• 0 items$0.00
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hands Occupied

Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

  • BLOG
    • Knitting
    • Crochet
    • Latch Hook
    • Macramé
    • Punch Needle
  • ABOUT
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • YouTube

Better Living Through Handymanlyness

July 31, 2014 2 Comments

In this year’s Reader Survey, a chunk of you awesome respondents said you want to see some more personal content, one reader wanted to see some upcycling ideas, and another suggested a series about creative space inspiration. So I’ll hit a few birds with one stone today by sharing one of the most creative spaces I could think of that’s personal for me – my dad’s basement workshop.

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com Last summer I shared the story of how my dad built a log cabin out of reclaimed utility poles when I was little. A resourceful guy like that doesn’t get that way overnight. At first glance, some of you might be thinking hoarder alert! as you look at these photos, but I’m not so sure. Rather than spending money at the container store, my dad’s go-to source for organizing materials is most people’s recycling bins. For this guy, nothing is better at keeping things organized than an old nail, shoe box or cleaned out sour cream tub.

If you think about it, a lot of municipalities don’t even have the capacity to recycle many plastics, particularly lids to things, so why not try to extend their otherwise-landfilling life?

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com

Being 6’4″ has a huge impact on how my dad uses his space. His shop organization is absolutely NOT limited to walls of shelving. See everything hanging from the rafters? There are rolls of duct and packing tape hanging from nails. There’s a level, old lanyards, keys, work masks, an army water bottle, pliers, and who knows what else up there too.

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com

There are notes everywhere. On pieces of wood, taped to drawers, written on boxes used for storage. Yes, on the top shelf there the box reads “explod outhouse.” It’s a small replica of an outhouse that explodes when you touch it, scaring the pants off whoever you’re pranking. Gotta store that somewhere important – pranks are an important trick in every handyman’s arsenal.

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com

A big outdoorsman in addition to handyman, my dad has a lot of gear to keep organized (not unlike most crafters I know). Part of his collection of fishing tackle and poles resides in his shop. He recycled styrofoam packaging into a clever, tiered storage system for organizing sharp fishing lures.

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com

See the net in the photo below? I think it might most accurately depict how exactly my dad’s brain works. In addition to the fishing and hunting, he’s also a big tennis and racquetball lover, has been for years. The racquetball racquet pictured must have been broken at some point, so instead of giving it away, he attached the net from a fishing net (I assume the frame was broken or found discarded somewhere knowing my dad) to the stringless racquet, making a well-gripped net for catching smaller things.

PS: The two articles pinned to the wood shelf are a Guide to Paint & Varnish and Better Living Through Handymanlyness. Who needs Pinterest when you’ve got a shelf and a staple gun?

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com

Looking for a storage system to keep small things organized? Look no further than an empty Cheez Whiz jar. Pro handymanlyness tip, folks. I joke, but I should really do something like this with yarn scraps. An empty jam jar for all of my wool scraps, another for acryllic, another for alpaca blends. Not the worst idea ever, yarn hoarders! ;)

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com

His workshop also extends to the garage a bit, where he’s got a huge stash of flags left in the ground by cable company workers. What are they for? He keeps some in a holder taped to the lawn mower for literally flagging dog doo that needs cleaning up.

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com

With low to no cost practical ideas like these, I can’t say the man’s a hoarder. Just an especially creative reuser. Remember – a lot of the stuff in that shop didn’t cost a dime.

Better Living Through Handymanlyness / Creative Space Tour at handsoccupied.com

Filed Under: Craft Fairs & Store Tours, Inspiration Tagged With: creative reuse, creative spaces, fishing, hunting, inspiration, shop tour, workshop

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. She specializes in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macramé, and her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now!

Previous Post: « How to Make a Pom Pom
Next Post: Picks of the Week »

Reader Interactions

DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
Visit similar articles...

  • Picks of the WeekPicks of the Week
  • Picks of the Week for July 7, 2017 | Hands OccupiedPicks of the Week
  • Picks of the WeekPicks of the Week
  • Picks of the WeekPicks of the Week

DON’T MISS ANOTHER UPDATE

Comments

  1. Peaches

    July 31, 2014 at 3:10 pm

    Whoa! Now THAT is a creative work space. Very cool!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      July 31, 2014 at 3:20 pm

      Haha, thanks! I was hoping someone would appreciate it for its pure weird- yet smart-ness. Probably not necessarily for design bloggers, but whaddyagonna do! :)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

UPDATES BY EMAIL

Monthly highlights sent to your inbox.

Find Me Elsewhere, If You’re There

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Latch Hook by Heidi GustadDiscover Unique Items

Footer

INSTAGRAM

handsoccupied

Craft book author & pattern designer ❤️💛💙
knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé
.
Please email for pattern support. 🧶

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
How to do a one-step provisional knitting cast on How to do a one-step provisional knitting cast on / a.k.a. crochet provisional cast on, scrap yarn cast on
.
I read recently that tiktok and Instagram are being used as search engines more and more. 🤔 I thought since I’m going to all the work of making tutorials on YouTube, I should experiment with making a quick version of them for other platforms. There are obvious teaching limitations to vertical video, short-form content like this, but I think I covered the gist of this cast on in a minute. The YouTube version also covers how to unzip this cast on because there was time for it 👍🏻 L1nk is in my profile. 
.
I’m very much looking for feedback as I continue to make instructional knitting & craft videos. Sometimes good tutorials are hard to find, and (ideally polite) feedback helps me improve. 
.

#handsoccupied #provisionalcaston #knitting #knititngtutorial #knittersofinstagram #crochethook #knittingtutorial
For the first time in a long time, there’s a new For the first time in a long time, there’s a new tutorial from Hands Occupied! 🎉 The video is live on YouTube & the blog. 
.
The post covers what provisional cast ons are & how they differ, and the video covers how to work a one-step provisional cast on using scrap yarn and a crochet hook. (This is a great one to save for future reference.)
.
I learned several names for this method while researching this video & post. Crochet provisional cast on, one-step cast on, scrap yarn cast on - if you know even more names for this technique, please share! 
.
#handsoccupied #provisionalcaston #knitting #scrapyarn #crochethook
Working on a sample for some upcoming videos. It’s an overcast day with intermittent sunshine & I have a scruffy little sidecar. 🐶 Can’t complain! 
.
What’s on your needles this week? 
.
Yarn: @debbieblissknits Cashmerino Aran 
.
#handsoccupied #knitting #knittinglife
Peg boards and craft room organization go together Peg boards and craft room organization go together like peanut butter and jelly. So, as you can see, do latch hook tools and screwdriver organizers! 🪛 
.
I think this trick translates to any tool with a thick handle, so leather working tools, punch needles, print making tools, etc. should work! What other tools am I, a needlecrafter, blanking on right now? 
.
#craftorganization #handsoccupied #latchhook #latchhooking
Pegboard storage is my favorite for craft supplies Pegboard storage is my favorite for craft supplies, so getting a few hung in my new studio has been a priority. Here’s my first attempt. 🔨 
.
Details: This pegboard panel is for organizing my knitting needles, latch hook tools, sewing thread, etc. It doesn’t need to hold much weight, so I didn’t anchor this into a stud - just used basic drywall anchors. I’ve also got a set of two 2’x4’ panels for another spot in my studio, and those will need a stud/more than 3 drywall anchors. Wish me luck! 
.
[description: video features a woman hanging a panel of pegboard using a square dowel and drill]
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 / Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework / Branding by Ink + Mortar
All Site & Shop Policies / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy