NotAPotter

Since this is a pottery forum, here is a picture of my "work mug" she made a while back.

 

Good to know on the thrift store ordeal. I already came across a bread rack for $50 locally, I think I'll give them a ring and pick it up.
I'll have to keep an eye out for a cupboard. I think she'd like that. She definitely wrap everything in plastic bag right now. I'm sure she'd like to do away with that.

you are doing a wonderful thing for your wife, she will love all of it.  since you know what kind of things she makes, get yourself a tiny pocket size tape measure and have it available all the time.   you never know when you will notice something that was never intended for pottery use and it is available free or used.   like the baker's rack in your photo.  you are setting of on a lifetime adventure, keep your eyes open and your imagination on alert for the unusual.  thrift stores have almost any tool you need in the kitchen section.
i use the baker's rack you show, it will hold a large number of things for me because i make very flat pieces.   others make mugs, vases etc. that are tall.  their racks might be the same overall size but only have six shelves.   you will not need to use the metal trays that hold food.   (more later.) use shelves of thick drywall, about 1/2 inch.   mine measure  17 1/2 by 26 inches and slide in from the smaller end.   the racks come in many different heights and they can support the shelves either way.   consistency is important because shelves can be moved from freshly made items to bisque or glazed racks depending on the layout.  sliding a shelf into a rack is so simple.   you do NOT need to tape the edges if you cut correctly.
buying the big items takes money and the way to save up for them means saving wherever you can.  buying from ceramic supply stores is necessary for specific items.   baker's racks do not need to be new.  maybe i paid as much as $50 for the first one, the rest were free.    i have about 5 of them, 4 use the same size shelves and can be used from the narrow end.   supermarkets replace their racks about every 7 years so look for some place that is about to remodel and suggest removing the old ones so they do not have to pay a disposal fee.
six feet long steel tables are from pizza kitchens, same remodel opportunity. 
*metal food trays might come with the rack but you do not need more than one or two.   if she uses hot wax it is much faster than painting wet wax with a brush and then waiting for it to dry.  a square electric frying pan or longer one fits on the metal tray and provides a way to carry it to a safe location when not in use.  the wax can be from half burned candles the thrift store is given but would not sell.  ask them to save them in a smallish box you give them with the promise that you will buy the full box for x$ if they will call you.
you are going to make lots of new friends at the thrift shops near you, broaden your horizons and have lots of fun, too.
 

@NotAPotter The damp closet is just a place that can stay humid, sealed off. No special equipment required. I use a plastic cupboard, but I did have to put a gasket on the door because there was a gap. I used a cast off wooden cupboard for years, when it finally rotted enough I switched to the plastic one. 
Yes, Hardie cement board is what I’m talking about. The 1/2” is smoother and doesn’t get saturated as fast as the 1/4.” The wedging surface should be absorbent so the clay doesn’t stick. Plaster is a traditional surface. Plywood gets saturated fast and gets sticky, and also eventually breaks down leaving splinters in the clay. Some people cover plywood with heavy duty canvas and that works, but it fills with clay and is a pain to clean.

Thanks for the feedback. That's exactly the type of thing I'm after.
When you say damp closet, can you give me an example? I would like to think it's something that has humidity control, but not sure if we're talking about aomething sinpler than that.
Are you talking about Hardie cement board? You say similar to plaster... Does the wedging work surface need to be porous/absorbent like that? What happens if it isn't?
I've definitely heard her talk about this a ways back. Right now the work surface she has is a plywood workbench, and I remember her saying something about how it wasn't good for wedging.

Good idea. I was actually thinking about getting her one of those hydraulic carts from harbor fright that would allow her to lift the clay up to the wedging surface. Would make it easy to unload from the trunk of her car, and then load it to her working surface.
The "recessed" space in the garage (adjacent to utility room) I have water lines running. I'll be able to tap into those to supply water to a sink. I don't intend on tapping into the drain in the house. I fear dealing with clogged drains down the road... even with the use of clay sink traps. That and I need to break into the concrete to tap into existing drains and I am really trying to avoid that. I need to think about it a little more, but I was thinking of making the traps/water reservoir mobile so they can be wheeled to the end of the garage and dumped outside or just have a hose handy to flush and drain it as needed (like a water heater).
And lighting is def on the list. I have quite a bit of LED strip lights to use so there'll be plenty of light to work with.