Freeing Yourself of Your Crafting Stash

A while back, I read a blog entry about someone who said they needed a truck to move all of their scrapbooking supplies. I laughingly told that to my husband. He said, “Well you do have a lot of scrapbooking supplies,” That’s the first time I started actually thinking about the amount of stuff I was accumulating. How did I start collecting supplies rather than using them? How were my buying habits affecting what I was actually using?

Here are some tips for making the most out of your craft stash:

  1. Buy what you need. Makes sense doesn’t it? But really examine your needs. How many brown ink pads do you really need? I say 1. Your number may be 4, but stick to it! Think very carefully about what you NEED and what you can reasonably do---aka don’t make it overly Wayward.
  2. Use what you have. Again, this seems obvious, but think about that beautiful paper or paint you bought for the perfect project. Has that project ever happened? For me, that’s a no. Use your supplies, that’s what you bought them for!
  3. Purge what you don’t need and donate/sell it. Remember when you bought that huge cork board from Goodwill because it was only $2 with great plans to make an amazing craft? Then you got home and got distracted and then wondered how you could actually cut cork board since you don’t have a rotary cutter. Your cork board got put on the back burner and that was 8 months ago. Where you are now, is it likely you will ever get around this craft? Or should you let that cork board go? This goes for all craft supplies. If you’re not going to use it, give it to someone who will. Schools, Girl Scout Troops, and other crafters would love to use your supplies if you are generous enough to give them up. Think about it! If you have items like Cricut cartridges you never use, you could sell those on ebay.
Fortune.

    Having just moved, I have done a LOT of number 3. I asked myself “Is this worth the storage space? Am I really going to use this? What purpose would this finished craft serve?” And so, I got rid of a lot of stuff that just worth storing to me.

    What supplies could you free yourself of?


    **I should mention, I kept that cork board. I want to make a jewelry holder.

    12 comments :

    Ycats said...

    I know just what you mean! in 4 years time I'm gonna be moveing back to the states and all my scrap book supplies here have to be used or given away by then (for the most part) so I give whatever I am thinking about buying a good hard look and decided if I'm gonna use it in the next week. if not I don't buy it! I know my hubby got me loads of papers and stuff for Christmas so I'm gonna try not to buy ANYTHING else for as long as I can! unless it's something simple like white cardstock for card making or something like that. gonna be hard work!

    Maranda said...

    Thanks for this Jaime! I need to go through my crafting and office supplies today as my next moving project and this is just the advice and motivation I need. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you it's ok to get rid of some things. Thanks!!!

    Brave Brooke said...

    I have absolutely no more room! Gotta use what I have now! I think another good idea to help with the second thing you mentioned is to limit yourself and say you won't buy scrapbooking stuff for 2 or 3 months so you have to use what you have!

    Mary Pat Siehl said...

    great tips! about 2 years ago i purged tons of my supplies and i jsut have what i need! makes it easier for me

    Tracy said...

    Good post.
    I always tell a new scrapbooker, only buy for what you are working on...but they never listen, lol.

    Leah said...

    I used to have a jewelry business -- my jewelry supplies alone take up a ton of space, and now with two kids and all the fun kid-themed crafts I've been doing, the stuff piles up. I'm thinking about doing a supply "diet" for a few months, where I only craft with stuff I already own, just to start making a dent. And homemade holiday gifts for as many people as I can make them for, LOL!

    Linda Jordan said...

    I can completely relate. I just moved [by just moved, I mean yesterday lol] and my boyfriend & I have the smallest one bedroom apartment you can imagine [law school dorms in New York City, ugh]. I don't even know the half of what I have because I have nowhere to unpack it to!! It's really becoming difficult, but I'm trying to buy less and dig through the stash more. I've found that scrapbooking challenges help for that & art journaling. I like to only buy new things if I have a specific project in mind [and stick to it!!] instead of shopping around for cute things or good deals.

    Linda
    http://lasteve1.blogspot.com

    Nicole@Thrifty Decorating said...

    Great post! I can't wait to see your jewelry holder! :) Thanks for linking all of your wonderful ideas to Thrifty Thursday! :)

    Camille said...

    SO True! I have so much STUFF down in my basement and I really need to go through it and get rid of stuff that I am never going to use. Thanks for the tips!! And thanks for linking up to our link party!! You gals are all so cute!
    Camille @
    SixSistersStuff.blogspot.com

    Laura @ Laura's Crafty Life said...

    I have a ton of stuff as well. I have been trying to use what I have on hand rather than buying more "stuff". Great tips!

    Terri @ A Creative Princess said...

    You saw my craft room, didn't you? Thank you for all the great tips and linking to It's a Party!

    CatNCart Craft said...

    I can relate, but how can you part with it - I know I should, however???
    Visiting from Running with Glitter

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