Room for the Ironing Board

In my revamped sewing room I needed to find room for the big ironing board I bought.  B doesn’t seem to think it needs to be put away anywhere (not that he uses it) but it’s so big and looks so untidy that I do.

The fitted wardrobe already had basic shelves in that I had installed.  So I thought well if I cut them down and build an end piece – viola* room for the ironing board.

Before – Shelves all the way across

Then whilst tootling around IKEA I spotted iron holders, the ultimate thing for the bargain price of £3.99 (literally priceless) – double viola* no more iron getting in the way whilst it cooled down.

So I built my end piece using some wood we had in the shed and some screwy bolts (I don’t know the technical term – but show me someone who does AND can knit a shawl) that were out of a storage box I dismantled.

‘Ladder’ end Piece

The one worry was that I needed 10 screwy bolts and we only had 8 so I looked in the miscelleneous screw bag and found another one!  This is worrying because it would imply that something in the house or shed has a screwy bolt missing! Nothing has fallen down so far so basically I’m not loosing any sleep over it.

Screwy bolty thing

B had very kindly placed the ironing board in the wardrobe to position the ‘ladder’ and was very proud of himself.  However he decided that this achievement warranted his further involvement.  Now I’m not sure if this is because I am no longer as ‘capable’ as I was or what but he just serves to complicate matters.  This time by suggesting some sophisticated arrangement for securing the end of the laths to the ‘ladder’.  Now it sounded basically to me like a lot more work for extra nothing.  These things are going to be hidden away, so they don’t need to be asesthically pleasing just serviceable.

In light of B’s input I had to put the laths on the end piece when he was otherwise engaged.  By the time he came through he realised that my way of using wood glue on them all and securing three out of the five on each shelf with screws would suffice.  It also took about three weeks less than B’s method!

Now I had strategically positioned the iron holder just inside the wardrobe door. Far enough away from anything remotely flammable but not too far inside so it was awkward for me to slot it into place.  B didn’t like where I’d put it.  He thought it would be better positioned, well you’ll never guess, outside the door, right there…

Right there!

‘Yes, oh darling husband of mine I have spent time building an end peice, sawing, screwy bolting, glueing and screwing to hide the ironing board away only to put the iron on the wall outside the wardrobe.  Yes, I think that is a truly wonderful idea!’

Needless to say the iron is staying IN THE WARDROBE!

*  Yes I know that’s a musical instrument before anybody points it out.