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I dunno, Stacy - I can still waffle with the best of 'em! ;)
One suggestion (for me, too) is to pretend that you ARE starting with the basics and shop your stash for just those and ignore the rest and see how you do...
and begin this hobby with the simple basics. Too much stuff is overwhelming me!
Yes, I think that many of us started out with so much enthusiasm, and are now finding ourselves overwhelmed and burned out. My problem was buying WAY too much paper when I started. I didn't buy with purpose, or with the idea of coordinating colors or anything. So, here I am with a ton of stuff that doesn't go together in color or style...sigh.
One thing I would warn those who are starting out is to try not to buy everything all at once. Wait until you find what works for you, and add with a plan.
I dunno, Stacy - I can still waffle with the best of 'em! ;)
One suggestion (for me, too) is to pretend that you ARE starting with the basics and shop your stash for just those and ignore the rest and see how you do...
I'm doing that now too, especially with the colored card stock. I basically challenge myself to use the colors that I generally steer away from (so that I don't have to keep looking at those and feel guilty that I bought so much of it). Surprisingly, it often sparks a creative streak that gives me a whole new burst of energy...and I actually end up liking the end result. Now to do the same with those patterned papers that I dislike. (why oh why did I buy so many paper stacks??)
I get a do-over with every move, finding stuff I forgot about, throwing and donating stuff I know I will never use. The next purge will be quite huge as I have narrowed my focus to scrapbooking only, card making is taking a way-back seat. I will have less stuff and more room so it is a win-win. Good luck with your plan to simplify and it will feel like a do-over, I promise.
Mary Beth
I am not really a purger and I do buy whole color ranges of coloring mediums so, the waffling thing for me comes in with embellishments more than anything else. ( I really hardly ever use them, and I have received tons of them over the years as gifts) so, those are the things that I find harder to let go of is I think to my self, your not going to use that and then it is quickly followed by so an so gifted this to you to "make cards with" and a darling hopeful look on their face when they said it, and is probably expecting to see it used sooner or later. and that is my hard thing.
You are not alone! Would you like some ideas? If so, read on. If not, do not.
- Make decluttering fun. Play the month-long game that’s been getting chatter. On day 1 put one item to get rid of in a box. On day 2, put two items in the box. On day 3, yes, three items, until day 30, where you’re up to 30. I don’t do math but apparently it’s just under 500, unless you start in February with its 29 days. ;)
- Paying it forward feels good. Load up a Priority mail box for a SCSer who’s on a strict budget. If you don’t know someone, write a post asking for a response via PM (in case they feel shy). Hint: 12x12 paper cut to 11x11 fits one of the boxes. (I did not have a lot of 12x12 and my trimmer cuts many sheets at one time so not difficult.)
- Find a non-profit thrift shop that supports a cause you believe in to donate to. Ours is Life4Animals in Maryland. Or read one of the threads here with the types of organizations people donate to. Ask for links.
- Sell, but only if it won’t add to the overwhelming feeling. It did for me so I’ve donated almost everything.
- Reap the benefit of going through one category. This week I went through 6x6 and 4x6 pads, cardstock and 12x12 paper. Besides pulling a stack inches high to give away, I re-discovered wonderful papers. It was fun. You can go through a huge amount in a short time. (Note: I pulled many sheets out of pads to give away.)
- Schedule a time to go through items. Set a timer for 30 minutes - or 20 or 10. When I decluttered our “wreck” room, the timer was set for 5 minutes. I almost always stayed longer, of course, since starting is the toughest part, but 5 minutes equaled success.
- Not everyone’s cup of tea, and it costs $$, but I enrolled in a decluttering program called SimpLESSity. Besides videos, written material, very personal email support, it came with some weekly hour-long group phone calls. After the call everyone (who wants to) is paired with an accountability partner to do an exercise for 20 minutes: decluttering or any task.
One of my partners and I hit it off - she’s a crafter/origami! - and she and I have weekly accountability phone calls. Somehow magic happens with accountability calls. These two weekly calls provide structure, and not just for my craft stash. (I call it a foove - a fake move, as if we’re downsizing to a smaller home.) Sometimes they run specials - worth emailing to ask if interested.
Listening to people from all over the U.S. and beyond (a man from Spain often calls in) is inspiring and helps with the aloneness of clutter. The calls are well designed with everyone on mute except the person who is called on.
So very many great ideas...thank you. I needed some inspiration, I think, to let go of the items I am not using. Thank you, thank you. I became a SU demonstrator and bought many items to build my business. About a year into that, I went to work for an office that I truly enjoy, spending 15 years there and still employed. I went through breast cancer and the wonder of having 6 grandchildren since 2010 and another will be here in May. I am retiring in May to enjoy my grandchildren. How did 15 years go by so quickly? Thank you Splitcoast Stampers.
I am not really a purger and I do buy whole color ranges of coloring mediums so, the waffling thing for me comes in with embellishments more than anything else. ( I really hardly ever use them, and I have received tons of them over the years as gifts) so, those are the things that I find harder to let go of is I think to my self, your not going to use that and then it is quickly followed by so an so gifted this to you to "make cards with" and a darling hopeful look on their face when they said it, and is probably expecting to see it used sooner or later. and that is my hard thing.
Sentimental clutter can be so tough. Another program I enrolled in was solely about sentimental clutter (valuable items and those worth zip), and included videos and questions to ask ourselves in order to move past the love or guilt or whatever feelings we had about that item that held us back from getting rid of it.
If still getting items like that regularly, it’s okay to tell people - even in a email - that we’re so grateful for past gifts, and now that the craft room is fully stocked and overflowing, in fact we’re paying it forward by finding homes for some items that people/organizations are in turn are so grateful for. So thank you so much and here’s to a streamlined 2020.
Some people could feel disappointed but they’ll be okay! Since they’re showing their kindness, maybe an alternative could be found.
And times change, and styles change and it can take awhile to realize what you find joy in. I have been waffling over 3 magazine holders full of Bazzil textured cardstock.......that I probably haven't touch in several years......I think I'm about ready to box it up and send it to a good home......soon.......very soon.
Sentimental clutter can be so tough. Another program I enrolled in was solely about sentimental clutter (valuable items and those worth zip), and included videos and questions to ask ourselves in order to move past the love or guilt or whatever feelings we had about that item that held us back from getting rid of it.
If still getting items like that regularly, it’s okay to tell people - even in a email - that we’re so grateful for past gifts, and now that the craft room is fully stocked and overflowing, in fact we’re paying it forward by finding homes for some items that people/organizations are in turn are so grateful for. So thank you so much and here’s to a streamlined 2020.
Some people could feel disappointed but they’ll be okay! Since they’re showing their kindness, maybe an alternative could be found.
I am in the process of moving my craft stuff into my son's bedroom. He decided to take over his sister's bedroom who will be continuing on to graduate school. so I promised myself to purge again and this time get rid of the sentimental stuff, once and for all.
I used to have the basement for my crafting but I hurt my knee back in march and can't do the stairs. So all craft stuff is upstairs and I don't have the room I used to. Purge away!!
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
I get a do-over with every move, finding stuff I forgot about, throwing and donating stuff I know I will never use. The next purge will be quite huge as I have narrowed my focus to scrapbooking only, card making is taking a way-back seat. I will have less stuff and more room so it is a win-win. Good luck with your plan to simplify and it will feel like a do-over, I promise.
Mary Beth
That's why I never want to move...I have SO much stuff! The paper crafting is only one of my many hobbies over the years. I've dabbled in everything from sewing, to quilting, to crochet, cross-stitch and needlepoint, soap and candle making, you name it. I've gotten rid of a lot of excess by donating to the senior center or schools but there's still a lot left.
I started out as a scrapbooker and found that the supplies for scrapbooking actually took up more room than my current ones for card making. I used to stamp on my layouts so still had stamps and ink, but the papers and tools were for 12x12 so that took up room. Also, the albums are filling two large shelves in my living room bookcase. Of course, I over-bought when I started too, so that all adds to the stash. I have a lot of partially finished layouts that I hope to finish this year and get into albums. That will be a good feeling.
Karen
And times change, and styles change and it can take awhile to realize what you find joy in. I have been waffling over 3 magazine holders full of Bazzil textured cardstock.......that I probably haven't touch in several years......I think I'm about ready to box it up and send it to a good home......soon.......very soon.
You're lucky you only have magazine holders filled with Bazzil card stock (I love Bazzil cardstock and can't believe you can't find a use for it:shock. I have stacks of old magazines ...which are much worse than cardstock! A friend of mine has been sending me her craft magazines after she's finished reading them, and most of them are from the UK. I had never seen these magazines in the US so find it fun to see the differences in crafting style between the UK and US. In addition, most of the American craft magazines have gone away so I never read one here. I used to subscribe to a number of papercrafting magazines before they went digital, but had finally forced myself to donate most of them to the library freebie rack or the senior center. Now I get these UK magazines and they're piling up...eek!
This is a good thread to read because I need a bit of a kick in the pants to get some of this purged.
You're lucky you only have magazine holders filled with Bazzil card stock (I love Bazzil cardstock and can't believe you can't find a use for it:shock. I have stacks of old magazines ...which are much worse than cardstock! A friend of mine has been sending me her craft magazines after she's finished reading them, and most of them are from the UK. I had never seen these magazines in the US so find it fun to see the differences in crafting style between the UK and US. In addition, most of the American craft magazines have gone away so I never read one here. I used to subscribe to a number of papercrafting magazines before they went digital, but had finally forced myself to donate most of them to the library freebie rack or the senior center. Now I get these UK magazines and they're piling up...eek!
This is a good thread to read because I need a bit of a kick in the pants to get some of this purged.
Karen
Kick in the pants: good theme for a card challenge, literal or figurative!
Okay Karen, I confess........I also have several of the unopened packs of color coordinated Bazzil stashed in a drawer. I have moved mostly into Stampin Up for my cardstock and inks.........they match and make things easy. Also, the cardstock was cheaper than Bazzil if you bought it from a LSS. I used to get several magazines too but when I stopped I took my supply of those down to the LSS and they were happy to have them available for their customers.
I give away or recycle paper I don't use. and I don't feel guilty about it. I think the longer we stamp we improve, our styles change, tools improve which causes us to buy more. I love some of the first stamps I bought, others I am bored with, I give, donate or sell some of those too. Check with a local nursing home they might appreciate some of your stash (or a woman's shelter)
I love pads of cardstock but there are always pieces within the pad that I know I will never use. I bought some medium binder clips and one day took all of the paper pads apart - page by page and only kept the ones I loved or knew I could use on cards. Some are better suited for scrapbooking which I don't do. Then I clipped the pads including the front and back pieces back together. They were so much thinner! Now I can keep scraps clipped inside the front cover. The pages I didn't want were donated to various places.
I would add ... go through the paper packs and pull out the sheets you know you’ll use and then put the rest aside to get rid of.
In my monthly crop group we bring in unwanteds and pass them around for others to pick through. The rest we donate to a school.
I’m on a crafting diet. I’m not buying anything this year except replacements (oh and that cute stamp set that was 40% off with free shipping 🙄). And my goal is to go through all my stamps and dies and use them or decide I really won’t use much and get rid of.
I also plan to use up my patterned paper. Pulling at least one sheet a week and using it - on layouts or cards.
So agree, Susan. I alluded to it, though it was under the idea of going through one category at a time:
- Reap the benefit of going through one category. This week I went through 6x6 and 4x6 pads, cardstock and 12x12 paper. Besides pulling a stack inches high to give away, I re-discovered wonderful papers. It was fun. You can go through a huge amount in a short time.
I added some stamps, dies and other goodies, put it in a Priority Mail box and shipped it to someone on SCS. The 12x12 was cut to 11x11 to fit. I had asked if cutting it would work, and since my trimmer cuts multiple sheets and I didn’t have that much it wasn’t difficult.
I love pads of cardstock but there are always pieces within the pad that I know I will never use. I bought some medium binder clips and one day took all of the paper pads apart - page by page and only kept the ones I loved or knew I could use on cards. Some are better suited for scrapbooking which I don't do. Then I clipped the pads including the front and back pieces back together. They were so much thinner! Now I can keep scraps clipped inside the front cover. The pages I didn't want were donated to various places.
I did that too with 6x6 and 4x6 pads, just didn’t clip them. They’re still within the covers in the frig bin they were in before. Scraps stay with the pads except for very small ones for die cutting, and they go in a little bin in ROYGBIV order.
When I pull a pad out, the pad behind it is turned so it sticks up as a place holder. They’re in a casual order.
I love pads of cardstock but there are always pieces within the pad that I know I will never use. I bought some medium binder clips and one day took all of the paper pads apart - page by page and only kept the ones I loved or knew I could use on cards. Some are better suited for scrapbooking which I don't do. Then I clipped the pads including the front and back pieces back together. They were so much thinner! Now I can keep scraps clipped inside the front cover. The pages I didn't want were donated to various places.
Oooh, I love the idea of using binder clips to hold the papers that you want to keep. My paper stacks are always falling apart, and the scraps fall onto the floor etc. I need to go buy a bunch of binder clips and get crackin'.
Karen
I preferred having the cover showing the collection for reference. I also like having the collection together. Otherwise, I'd have to find a place to store the single sheets.
I’m lower tech; they’re turned upside down in their bin if scraps are in them.
Exceptions: a couple have small envelopes taped to the inside back cover, flap removed.
Oh, I do the upside down trick too..but some of mine have torn apart from the binding and they are now basically a stack of loose papers..argh. So the binder clips can solve that headache. The ridiculous part is that I use binder clips all the time, and so does my husband. Why I haven't figured this out before is a mystery,
Karen
Our local independent paper craft shop has a garage sale twice a year. Crafters package, price and drop off items. Their crew handles the sale, bundles up unsolditems for us to pick up and issue us a store credit in the amount of our sales. Of course, participants get to shop the day before so we get gently used stuff very inexpensively. Last fall I made $197.00 and most of my sales were embellishments and paper my friends gave me or 12" x 12" paper I was selling 25 sheets for $2.00. It really thinned down my stash, gave me a lot more room to work helped with organizing the rest.
Not all brands of paper stacks fit in my shelf standing on end. I tried.
I put my 12x12 partially used stacks on the top shelf of a bookshelf in my craft room so any size fits. I have them sandwiched in between two small table top drawer units that act as bookends.
Karen
I preferred having the cover showing the collection for reference. I also like having the collection together. Otherwise, I'd have to find a place to store the single sheets.
Ditto. I keep collection together inside their covers. I just don’t clip them.
This is a great thread, and Beth your long post was interesting to read. I cave when I see items go on clearance on SU. I was just thinking the other day......if I could start over. But that ship has already sailed, lol.....
You are not alone! Would you like some ideas? If so, read on. If not, do not.
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Just my much too wordy take. YMMV. Hang in there!
Beth
Wow, Beth, that is a fantastic list of ideas for managing and purging our crafting inventory! I too started off, when new to card making, by buying lots of colored and DSP paper as well as stamps and dies with no formed idea of what I was going to do with them. Now, a few years later, I have a room full of soooo much stuff and I feel guilty for buying way more than I need or could ever use.
I am finding it difficult (and a bit overwhelming) to even start to whittle my stash down to just the stuff that “sparks joy”. Your list is just the thing to help me get started on a cleansing purge.
Another factor that prevent some people from purging their stash is the amount of money invested in their stuff. This money is considered “sunk costs”, which are dollars already spent and permanently lost. Sunk costs cannot be refunded or recovered, so it should not influence us as to how or where we distribute our purged items. Hard to do, but necessary to get past that “but it cost me this much” hurdle. Again, your list provides actions so that others can benefit from our purges.
Well said, C J Crafty.......I like what someone said once, when we are donating our unwanted stuff, it blesses or makes someone else's day! No sense in beating ourselves up about it.
And times change, and styles change and it can take awhile to realize what you find joy in. I have been waffling over 3 magazine holders full of Bazzil textured cardstock.......that I probably haven't touch in several years......I think I'm about ready to box it up and send it to a good home......soon.......very soon.
I have 2 granddaughters that really love to craft, so I tend to put together packages of a variety of things and take it to them, when we visit. Win, win!
Purchasing Tips
- keep an inventory of what you have; this will help to prevent buying duplicates (yup, been there, done that, more than once)
- when it comes to consumable/renewable items, such as paper and embellishments, use up what you have before you buy more
- re-discover your stuff; go “shopping” in your own stash and look for new ways to use the stuff you already have
- Adopt a policy of 1-in/2-out; for every new item purchased, use up or get rid of two items
- Prevent impulse purchases - leave it in the shopping cart for a couple of weeks and then do a “do I really NEED it” self-check before making the new purchase: is it worth the cost to buy, do I remember why I wanted it, do I already have something similar, do I have room to store it, will I use it in the next week/month, is it versatile and multi-use or just a “one-off” item that I will only use once
Purchasing Tips
- keep an inventory of what you have; this will help to prevent buying duplicates (yup, been there, done that, more than once)
- when it comes to consumable/renewable items, such as paper and embellishments, use up what you have before you buy more
- re-discover your stuff; go “shopping” in your own stash and look for new ways to use the stuff you already have
- Adopt a policy of 1-in/2-out; for every new item purchased, use up or get rid of two items
- Prevent impulse purchases - leave it in the shopping cart for a couple of weeks and then do a “do I really NEED it” self-check before making the new purchase: is it worth the cost to buy, do I remember why I wanted it, do I already have something similar, do I have room to store it, will I use it in the next week/month, is it versatile and multi-use or just a “one-off” item that I will only use once
Yes, great tips.
My biggest impulse stopper (instead of impulse shopper) has been reminding myself: 1) there's a difference between something being beautiful/cool/etc., versus my actually using it sufficiently, and 2) first checking my stash for a similar item is mandatory.
Bonus: when checking, great forgotten items emerge, meh items are pulled for the donate box, and sometimes I forget about the thing I was considering buying.
I do buy most frequently used consumables if on a terrific sale - like Neenah Classic Crest - but just one ream. Waiting until almost gone could force me to pay much more.
I do buy most frequently used consumables if on a terrific sale - like Neenah Classic Crest - but just one ream. Waiting until almost gone could force me to pay much more.
Good point about catching the sales for consumables.
Just one more idea if decluttering: document for reinforcement. I’ve probably looked at the photo ten times of a 4” stack of paper going to another crafter. Not being a perfect documenter, I forgot to re-take the photo when more paper was added, but the point is a visible layer accomplishment - especially if there’s lots to do. Yes, there’s all of THAT, but I did this.
Either1) before and after photos; 2) a photo of what is leaving; or 3) instead of a photo a list. Like “30 6x6 paper pads and pulled 4 inches of paper.” Or more general, a list of every category we’re planning on going through with a check mark next to it when complete, or a note like “halfway there!”
Not all decluttering and purging has to be drudge work; it can be fun, with small celebrations along the way, and discoveries of what was forgotten. Just my take. YMMV.
I wish I could have a do over.....
