Organization Station!

Today, I’m going to take a break from my usual puzzlesivedone content to share one of my Christmas gifts to myself with everyone.

Readers, you may be aware that Joe and I moved from Vancouver to Halifax back in September. That’s 6,165 km! We did downsize quite a bit of our furniture and possessions and my puzzles were carefully culled. I did end up selling, donating, gifting, and passing on a good number of puzzles. But naturally there are a handful in my collection that I wanted to keep. Some of my rare and vintage puzzles and some that had sentimental value to me.

In general, my approach is that I don’t want to have a huge collection of puzzles. I don’t really like clutter, I get too overwhelmed and then, just can’t be comfortable in my own home. Many puzzles that I find at the thrift store, I complete them once or twice and then I’ll pass them on.

This winter, since we have very little furniture, we decided instead of buying gifts for each other, we’d make a couple home purchases. One of which, was a shelf, a basic ikea brand shelf, and this could be dedicated to my puzzles. Let me show you around 🙂

I kept 2 of my favourite Tuco puzzles as well as Wave of the future by NorDevCo, Sportshoes, and Penguins at the beach, (naturally!) I found another Milton Bradley Schimmel puzzle here in Halifax and a vintage Fairchild which I just completed this week.

Cobble Hill generously sent me some puzzles last year and I’ve picked up a few more along the way. Tucked beside them is a vintage puzzle from the 1930s that I found at a thrift store a while back from a company in Ontario.

I kept a few of my favourite Pomegranate puzzles, I’ve found a few here too. Also the Galison Peonies puzzle, my Areaware Gradient and a fun Eeboo because they were all gifts from Joe. I’ve also found a lot of shaped F.X. Schmid puzzles here, plus another Schimmel and a brand I’ve never heard of called Kingdom.

Many of the puzzles in these shelves are puzzles that I’ve found here in Halifax, Ravensburger both modern and vintage, a travel Canada Eurographics, a 3000 piece Educa puzzle of Picasso’s Guernica and another Nancy Drew collage puzzle. I’ve also found two of Buffalo Games’ Talking Jigsaw puzzles, (which are a rare find!) Some of the other puzzles I brought from Vancouver, a Granville Island puzzle, Verticalville II, a vintage kids Ravensburger.

A Marilyn puzzle found in our new lobby, a Paperblanks, Bits and Pieces, USAopoly and the beautiful Unidragon Puzzle I received this past fall.

I also have a spot for my yarn, the other red bin is holding some of Joe’s music and record supplies. But this red bin is all for me!

Above that, I have a Springbok shelf. Many of these were brought from Vancouver. The really special ones had to stay!

Again with the Springbok, many of my vintage ones, (I have a few more stashed in another small shelf in our living room) but I decided to put my colourful ones together.

I never had a puzzle shelf, I used to store my puzzles on top of my kitchen cupboards. It started as a way to keep my cat Chester from climbing on top of the cupboards and it turned into “the place for puzzles” in my last three apartments.

Looking at this shelf makes me feel so excited for what puzzles are to come. Choosing a puzzle is fun and relaxing, it’s pretty and makes me feel organized, I truly love it! 2023 is going to be a fun year for puzzles!