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For the past 10 years I kept a journal of all my stamps along with pictures/samples from magazines of things I gonna' make someday and it's so out of date because I haven't kept up with new stamps, removing outdated material, etc. It takes up 5 3" binders plus a 2 full file drawers of things waiting to be put away. It drives me crazy, but I just kept putting off making it current. I figured it would take at least a full week of work to bring it up to date.
My Ah Ha Moment! I never look at it, never ever. Anytime I need an idea I just go to the internet and search. So I threw it away! Yep, I kept a 100 or so page protectors for future use and rest went in the trash can. Adios - Ciao - bye-bye!!!!!!!!
I can't tell you how good it feels to know that I don't have that chore to do; I get back a shelf and 2 drawers of space. I am so tired of organizing my toys instead of playing with my toys!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh - it feels so good!
Good for you! I am taking a break from my project for today...sorting through my piles of magazines. You are right, the ideas are often outdated or just not my style any more. I use the internet for almost everything so I don't know why I am hanging on to all these magazines. I might just do that same thing 'cuz I really wanna play today!!
It may seem like a small thing to some, but I just purged my scraps. I had 3 separate baskets (waiting to be filed) and 2 accordian file boxes. I went thru and anything smaller than 1/4 sheet I purged. Gave to my GD's to punch and use. It was so depressing looking at those baskets that it really wasn't worth saving all those small pieces. I condensed to a total of 1 small box of useable scraps. Made my scrap room look a lot more tidy.
Kathy T
Last week I did exactly the same as scraphappy1650 and Jen. I had wallets and binders of projects to do that I've never looked at and a huge heap of magazines to go through and I thought to hell with it all and put the lot in the recycling bin. Some of those magazines were two years old and I had never leafed through them again. A great weight lifted and a lot of space to use in a better way.
Just shows you great minds think alike. I just tossed 3 binders worth of ideas I had gathered, printed from the internet or saved. I figured I hadn't looked at them in over a year (maybe more!) so out they went. Feels good!
I also went through all my 12 x 12 paper and purged. Gave it to my niece or to the kids at church. Felt great! I still have too much paper but now it is manageable!
Purging scraps is definitely a big deal. I've been so cautious is throwing things away that I have way too many scraps - I know I'll never use them. I also have at least two binders full of stamp images and card ideas. I may just toss them this week.
A couple of weeks ago, I cleaned out my 2 drawer filing cabinet so that I could store all of my paper in it. I purged a little then, but after watching an episode of "Hoarders" I too got rid of almost all of the sketches, ideas, techniques, clippings, and magazines that I had been saving - I hadn't looked at them in years either, and I figure I can find great ideas here any time I need them! Rusticus, you are right - it is a huge weight gone!
I just dropped in for a few minutes to take a break from cleaning and progress is going great - scraps are gone now too. Like KathyT - just kept the 1/4 sheets and larger. Also, tossed out all the little bottles of acrylic paint. hmm... I wonder what next on the radar?? Glad this is paper recycle week, that big blue boy is filling up pretty fast.
Thanks to everyone for making me feel good about getting rid of the clutter : + )
We just did a BIG move. We are Air force so we have to "worry" about how much our household goods weigh. I sat down and went through all my "stuff" and purged tons of papers. I fell so much lighter now!lol
Now all I have to do is finish unpacking all my stamping stuff and find room for it all!
__________________ 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
Great thread, Stamphappy! I had lots of crafty stuff from when my kids were little and I was teacher aide...now my DH is a sub teacher, so he is glad to take stuff to his schools (think boxes of crayons, bags of pipecleaners, yarn bits, little bottles of acrylics, egg decor, even a twist and shape balloon kit). Don't know why I haven't thought of this before, because it's the same policy I have for clothes/shoes: buy something new, move something old out the door! (I draw the line at stamps, of course!)
I tossed 3 years worth of magazines, a drawer full of ideas that have never seen my desk and 4 index files of the stamps I own that I never look at because I know what I have and I just go get it...
__________________ Karen
...My life is like a stroll on the beach...As near to the edge as I can go...Thoreau...
I donated a mess of paper as well. About a year ago I tossed ALL of my old scrabooking and stamping mags. Felt good to not have to think about where to put them and I realised I know my style and don't need them. Of course now I have an entire new set to get rid of.... Purging feels soooo good!. I'll have to ust bite the bullet with this lot too I think. Was thinking of making a stamp reference for myself but maybe now I won't bother after hearing that you all don't need yours and I'd rather make stuff than make an organising aid that I may not even use.
I have scrap and stamp magazines dating back to 2005. I held onto them with the thought that I would lift many of the ideas in them. But now looking back through them I noticed my style has drastically changed so I have a HUGE stack of magazines waiting to leave this house!
I cleaned out my 12 x 12 a couple of months ago. I purged everything that didn't suit me. My daughter claimed a huge pile of paper for backgrounds on her pages. Then I went through all the Simple Scrapbooks magazines and drew out a couple or three sketches from each, saved a few CAS scrap page samples, and am passing on the magazines to my daughter. I canned some scrapbook sketches that really aren't "my style". I feel like my few small binders of scrapbook stuff is under control.
I also cleaned out ribbons and embellishments I'll never use. All this and the paper is going to our local children's home. One of the cottages has scrapbook supplies on their wish list.
The rest of my 12 x 12 is going in 2 piles. The scrapbook pile...doesn't get used on cards...and the card pile. I have started cutting the card pile to 6 x 6 squares. I have found that I can't seem to break into a 12 x 12 to use it on a card, and if I am not using it in scrapbooks, then it just doesn't get used. But I have no problem using a 6 x 6 piece for cards. And that paper was meant to be used on cards anyway!
I am getting with my parents next week for a couple of days so that we can review genealogy records. In preparation for that...my, oh, my...I cleaned up a bunch of stuff that was in my files. The printed material from my computer files was all out of date...so out it went. Things are rearranged so I don't have duplicated information. Everything is a bit more logical ;).
Next on the list is to go through my binders of card ideas/techniques/etc. It is all in page protectors and I'm thinking of just punching the paper. The page protectors make my binders slippery on the shelf. At the same time, I will organize and purge. I use the ideas if they are organized and I don't have to hunt forever to find something. I used to print out all the challenges here so that I wouldn't have to go back and forth from the computer to my craft room. But I find that I really don't do most of the challenges...so out the printed copies are going! I'll keep some card sketches. But not every one. I plan to keep just what I will use out of all of this...how freeing!
Thanks for starting this thread! It helped me to feel better about PURGING my stuff!
OMG! i did the same thing a couple weeks ago. I had saved the articles/ideas from stamp&scrap magazines from 2002-2008. i stopped buying magazines. and even though there were great stuff in there, i just dont go back to it. So much stuff on the internet now. i went through each, and saved a few pages of stuff that i really love. I have a half inch binder,which i am keeping on my desk for quick access. if its not going to fit in there, something has to go. Same like my clothes closet. 1 new item in, 1 old item out. i feel so much better, and recovered a book shelf which i needed for my text books.
I purged a little then, but after watching an episode of "Hoarders" I too got rid of almost all of the sketches, ideas, techniques, clippings, and magazines that I had been saving - I hadn't looked at them in years either, and I figure I can find great ideas here any time I need them! Rusticus, you are right - it is a huge weight gone!
OMG! I feel the same way, I swear that show has instilled the fear of death in me!! :mrgreen:
I have been trying to get rid of some stuff already, but after seeing all these great tips I might have to go do some more purging so you guys don't see me on next week's episode!! lol..
A couple of weeks ago, I cleaned out my 2 drawer filing cabinet so that I could store all of my paper in it. I purged a little then, but after watching an episode of "Hoarders" I too got rid of almost all of the sketches, ideas, techniques, clippings, and magazines that I had been saving - I hadn't looked at them in years either, and I figure I can find great ideas here any time I need them! Rusticus, you are right - it is a huge weight gone!
DUDE! That show "Hoarders" makes me get rid of alot of stuff! LOL A couple of episodes of that and you wont have anything left in the house you dont use everyday! LOL
I went thru my scraps the other day and make ziploc baggies of my colors and put my scraps in there now and then sort them by colors in a plastic sleeve. I tossed a bunch of these teeny tiny pieces I was keeping. Same thing with my DSP. I was keeping way too small of pieces!
I am also going to start purging some of the things I have saved. I printed off tons of stuff when I first found SCS but have found I dont go back and look at that binder full of stuff and if I need the tutorial, I can just look here again! Why do I need it printed off in a binder? but I will keep it until I find out how to save and store things in files on my computer and then I will toss it out.
I also just finally purged my huge stash of the clamshell boxes. I finally just said "you know what? you ARENT going to make all those cute things you say you are with them, so just get rid of most of them!" and I did! That one felt really good cuz those take up a lot of space.
I have a 5" x 7" envelope that is one inch thick full of half-coloured images that I abandonned, and set aside, thinking I'll come back to them later. Periodically, I'll trash the entire envelope.
Then I keep scraps in folders along with the full-sized sheets of paper. When I run out of the full-sized sheets and go to get more sheets, I toss any remaining scraps, unless they are very big. Otherwise there'd be no room - the scraps take up a lot of thickness!!
I like the show Hoarders too, except that sometimes the endings are depressing - nothing really changes - ugh, depressing!! But I also like Clean Sweep (always has great happy endings).
I created a challenge on my blog just to get rid of my scraps. . .let me tell ya'. . .I have a ton of scraps . ..at the end of the year, what ever I don't use, I'm going to rid of either by giving them away or throwing them away. Come play along. . .I need more participants so I don't feel so alone. . .
Opps, too late for me - scraps are gone but thank's for the offer
Moving on to the projects that I'm never going to finish - next it's on to the 12x12 paper. Gee I really want to cut it down to 6x6 but that is a really hard one for me to do. I may need to have a mocha and think about it, but if I don't do it they are going to find my body buried under mounds of some homely paper. What was I thinking I would make with some of this stuff - ugly card of the year?
Can't seem to part with the supply part of it, but last summer I recycled a huge stack of old magazines and I haven't renewed subscriptions to any of them either. I do on occasion buy a magazine here or there, but no subscriptions. There is a ton of information and inspiration right here and all over the internet. And it doesn't take up any room in my house.(Unless you count all of the things I buy because I want to do all of these great things!
I'm shedding some weight of my own this week. I've been unmounting my wood mounted stamps and boy does it feel good. I even weighed the bag of wood blocks and after I had unmounted less than 10 sets the bag weighed 5 lbs....it's full to overflowing now and I can't wait to get rid of my clamshells.....next the ribbon I thought I needed 50 yards of.
I am inspired!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to purge, purge, purge. I watch hoarders too but for some reason when I get inspired to throw stuff away it is never my craft stuff.:-P;-)
Ok, I've been getting ride of stuff too. I've also challenged myself to use up my scraps. I got rid of all the old magazines and ideas I printed off. Just like Stamphappy1650 I ended up with tons of sheet protectors and space on my shelves.
Anytime I make a card I always make one to keep. Do any of you that? I also write down the materials I used on a sticky and put on the inside of the card in case I need to make the same card again (I've had friends ask me to make some of them).
If you do keep one card my question is what the heck do you do with them all? I have cards dating back to like 2001 or so and some of them are just plain ugly to me now. Some I still like. I have photo boxes full of cards I made.
I guess I just close my eyes and toss some of them....
I got so irritated yesterday at all the little scraps I keep...and the colors that I wanted weren't in there. Thanks for the push. I'm taking my scraps to school and I'll let my students use them for the art center...I always feel bad that all we have is newsprint to use and they'll be delighted to have 'real' paper!
Ok, I've been getting ride of stuff too. I've also challenged myself to use up my scraps. I got rid of all the old magazines and ideas I printed off. Just like Stamphappy1650 I ended up with tons of sheet protectors and space on my shelves.
Anytime I make a card I always make one to keep. Do any of you that? I also write down the materials I used on a sticky and put on the inside of the card in case I need to make the same card again (I've had friends ask me to make some of them).
If you do keep one card my question is what the heck do you do with them all? I have cards dating back to like 2001 or so and some of them are just plain ugly to me now. Some I still like. I have photo boxes full of cards I made.
I guess I just close my eyes and toss some of them....
you can donate the cards you dont want to keep... there are lots of places that would love to have them, such as operation write home. (cards are sent to deployed service members to use to write to their families)
Moving on to the projects that I'm never going to finish - next it's on to the 12x12 paper. Gee I really want to cut it down to 6x6 but that is a really hard one for me to do. I may need to have a mocha and think about it, but if I don't do it they are going to find my body buried under mounds of some homely paper. What was I thinking I would make with some of this stuff - ugly card of the year?
LOL, I have some of the same paper...when I need a mat I pull from my ugly pile, cut it and brayer it a better color! Today, I'm starting my unmounting project, can't wait to shed pounds of wood! This thread is an INSPIRATION
<3
Ok, I've been getting ride of stuff too. I've also challenged myself to use up my scraps. I got rid of all the old magazines and ideas I printed off. Just like Stamphappy1650 I ended up with tons of sheet protectors and space on my shelves.
Anytime I make a card I always make one to keep. Do any of you that? I also write down the materials I used on a sticky and put on the inside of the card in case I need to make the same card again (I've had friends ask me to make some of them).
If you do keep one card my question is what the heck do you do with them all? I have cards dating back to like 2001 or so and some of them are just plain ugly to me now. Some I still like. I have photo boxes full of cards I made.
I guess I just close my eyes and toss some of them....
PLEASE let us know you are not going to toss those cards! As others have mentioned, there are lots of places that would love to have them. If you have not seen any ideas that appeal to you, check out the Need a Lift forum for more ideas. You can pack them in a priority box if necessary.
I could never throw away cards. Please donate them! I don't make one of each for myself though. Mine are almost always one of a kind. I never even thought of it!
But on the other hand, I would kill anyone who suggested that I throw out scraps smaller than 6x6"! I use them all the time! I have my cardstock in paper keepers by Cropper Hopper that are basically a 13x13" envelope with pockets on each side. they start at half way up the keeper and go up to the top so the scraps aren't hard to access. I keep smaller scraps in the front pocket and the large ones in the back. I keep scraps about 2" square and larger in there. I keep a limited number of smaller scraps in a small box and I won't keep more than that. I keep scraps of DP in with the packages they some in (packs) and I have another paper keeper for loose sheets of DP.
I guess what it comes down to is that if you won't use smaller scraps, it doesn't make sense to keep them but by all means donate them. Please don't throw them out! Nursing homes, foster homes, group homes, orphanages, children's hospitals, Homes for Assited Living for people with developmental delays etc can all use these things.
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
Can't seem to part with the supply part of it, but last summer I recycled a huge stack of old magazines and I haven't renewed subscriptions to any of them either. I do on occasion buy a magazine here or there, but no subscriptions. There is a ton of information and inspiration right here and all over the internet. And it doesn't take up any room in my house.(Unless you count all of the things I buy because I want to do all of these great things!
And some magazines are available online for a fraction of the cost! I got Scrapbook Trends, Cards, Bead (something or other) and Handmade for $9.99 for a year, all together, not EACH!
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
We just moved this week and my DH said if I don't get rid of some stuff he would throw it out himself! He doesn't want to move it again! You guys have given me some good ideas....I can't wait till this weekend to start unpacking and purging. I already set tons of stuff a side for a garage sale, I would love to donate some other stuff too. Any ideas of where to start looking? I tried googling some ideas but came up blank.
-------
Caren
Caren,
I've donated to an adult daycare and they were really pleased. Seems like everyone thinks of preschool but not the elderly. I've also donated to the women's shelter. Lots of schools are happy to receive as well as preschools. Purge away and after a little while it really does start to feel good, but that first batch I purged kinda made me sick at my stomach. LOL
Kathy T
Ok, I've been getting ride of stuff too. I've also challenged myself to use up my scraps. I got rid of all the old magazines and ideas I printed off. Just like Stamphappy1650 I ended up with tons of sheet protectors and space on my shelves.
Anytime I make a card I always make one to keep. Do any of you that? I also write down the materials I used on a sticky and put on the inside of the card in case I need to make the same card again (I've had friends ask me to make some of them).
If you do keep one card my question is what the heck do you do with them all? I have cards dating back to like 2001 or so and some of them are just plain ugly to me now. Some I still like. I have photo boxes full of cards I made.
I guess I just close my eyes and toss some of them....
I have been a demonstrator for 15 years and have tons and tons of sample card fronts. Many are very simple, some even not so pretty. The challenge sections of this site has a monthly Cards for a Cause. Each month the moderator picks a different group to send cards to. I have been challenging myself to make full card fronts and pretty up some of the really dogearred or homely samples and mailing large boxes out to the moderator. I have almost 140 cards ready to go out this month and I will be mailing them soon. You can find the link to this month's cause here:
I had planned to donate some of my cards to the local homeless shelter. I receive their monthly newsletter and this month they are looking for greeting cards for their library. I've donated to them before - anytime their newsletter says they are needing I donate a box worth.
However, I am selective with what I donate. Everyone deserves a nice card and some of my earlier cards just do not pass my own test. If I wouldn't give it to a friend or family then I don't donate it. It's those "ugly" cards that remain and just sit and take up space in my craft room.
Oh I forgot to say thanks for the links to other places I can donate. I have plenty of cards in my inventory to send out (not just the one extra I keep for myself).
Why not remake the ugly cards? Pull the card apart, keep what you can, rework what you can, toss what doesn't work. I always reuse or remake cards from swaps and RAKS. Otherwise I'd be overflowing with cards waiting to be used. It's just paper, paper has two sides, so redoing a card is an excellent way to go.
Why not remake the ugly cards? Pull the card apart, keep what you can, rework what you can, toss what doesn't work. I always reuse or remake cards from swaps and RAKS. Otherwise I'd be overflowing with cards waiting to be used. It's just paper, paper has two sides, so redoing a card is an excellent way to go.
During this clean-up I went my card files and pulled apart some of the images, embellishments, etc. for remakes. I recently learned that a freind's mother belongs to a group that makes cards to send to the military. I'm now saving all my items to toss out for her. Yea!
As for the Ah-Ha clean-up
Eyelets most are gone - sheesh, did I really need a gazzillion of real red?
Memory Box 6x6 paper - I can remember when I thought I had to have every new pack that came out. I used what I liked and the rest has been taking up space - gone!
Tested all my gel pens - not one of them still worked - 20 of them!
Next to clean are tools - Fastenator, tag maker, and maybe the Bind-it-All; I never use these and I'm tired of looking at them and feeling guilty.
CONGRATULATIONS on the cleaning! It really does make one feel so much better to get rid of that 'clutter'. I'm a clutter bug but I've been going through stuff too. Giving myself 'permission' to get rid of stuff that I think I want to keep but won't use. Right now, I pretty much only have Stampin Up stuff - cause I sell it and I like it and it coordinates so I don't have to think so much and match colors - I had a really hard time doing that.
So I called a friend who had a daughter teaching kindergarten and she came and got all of the paper, ribbon, lots of stuff. Freecycled a bunch of stuff, gave lots to other card makers who don't care who makes the stuff, they just want stuff. It took many sweeps and I'm still going through stuff for another sweep. It freed up so much room in my house and in my head. I get really overwhelmed with too much stuff and then I shut down, and this really helped me. I can do projects easier and faster and better. And now I rarely bring anything into the house (except I still buy SU!). I had so much stuff from Michael's that I bought and never used.
I went through scraps too and got rid of anything that I couldn't get a punch through. And found a better way to store my paper so I can see that I have a scrap to use before using a full sheet. That has helped tons too.
I haven't missed anything that I got rid of (and this sweep also was done with clothes, kitchen stuff, tools, just STUFF!).
I keep thinking of buying one of those Bind it Alls, but I figure the store does it for like $2, and then I don't have to buy all the stuff, use and store it. For the times I need something bound, I'll pay the $2.
Oh i was also going to say that I too got rid of my stamp index. I tried making one a couple different times, never kept up with it, never got them into binders, but then decided I would never go to the binder anyway.
Same with patterns and card ideas. I always look on line first, so why keep the image - its stored in the internet world! I only keep the templates that I've bought in a three ring binder now, in case I lose them on the computer.
Ah HA Moment - no more stamp journal!
