I have a billion craft things in draws(And all over the floor)Im trying to sort out and tidy up. If you asked me what was in the draws I couldn’t tell you 99% of it, but when I look in I think “Oh, I must keep that…Thatl come in handy one day” etc
Ive got it in my head to just open a draw, tip it all in a bin bag and get rid of it, but just cant.
Do you hoard your craft items? Do you throw away/sell the items you no longer use or have an interest in?
Is it just me that keep s everything?
I don’t want to end up as a crazy lady that cant move in her home, like on those tv programmes.
I’m quite old so I have quite a stash, even a few things from the 1960s- (conte crayons, oil pastels, scraper board, pastels, French curves,etc!) Well, you never know when you’re going to need them! Also a hoard of bits of fabric, buttons, beads, all sorts of paint, lino cutting stuff, silk painting stuff, glass painting stuff, etc. And reference material- pictures of things I might want to use at some point, books, broken jewellery, beads… Perhaps I am that crazy lady!..
I have craft stuff everywhere, books galore, magazines, knitting needles in every room, buttons and beads, material and wool to name a small few, even when I do have a little clear out - normally to my mum, because if she doesn’t use it, I can always get it back lol, there is still loads around me. I will use it all, promise
Holds up ones hand but then it does get used up and of course replaced with more bits and bobs I find online and in charity shops. There’s always lots of bits and bobs given to me as well
But any business worth it’s salt will have supplies ready at hand so production is not held up.
Well that’s my excuse. I just wish I had my own studio where I could store it all in a proper storage system.
I buy interesting materials when the opportunity arises not because I need them but because I never know when I might see it again needless to say I have quite a collection. But that said some of my rocks which only come from one source have been mined out (ie the mine no longer produces it) so are getting increasingly difficult to get and more expensive as a result so obviously when I bought them I knew that would happen and was investing for the future (yeah right I’ll just keep telling myself that, real reason because it was pretty). It will all slowly but surely get turned into jewellery when the inspiration strikes until then I’ll just admire them.
Sasha
I am just trying to thin down all of my possessions, including art and craft materials, using the KonMari method (check it out on Amazon) - a rather eccentric Japanese lady wrote the book!
However, it works! I have got rid of dozens of bin bags and boxes of ‘things’ to charity shops and the dump, as well as selling some on an auction site. I look at it in this way, if you really need something again in the future, check out the price on the internet - you can probably buy it again if you really need it for less than you think.
My fabric stash is the hardest thing to thin down, though. I may need it all someday ;o)
NO I don’t hoard things…I only have about 300 tubes of paint…5 identical paint boxes…245 paint brushes…400 A3 sheets of art paper…156 art books…38 dvd’s…over 500 rubber stamps, 39 ink pads…and…and…
That isn’t hoarding is it???
I agree with Sasha! If you really like something you should get it while you can even if you can’t think of a use for it immediately. It is better to do that than wish you had it later. I would add that I often buy a few more than I need of things like Czech glass and Swarovski crystals so that I have a sample of that colour for the future and I instantly know whether or not I want that colour, or try a different one.
I often buy things I like but have no immediate use for. I also have plenty that have been bought for a specific purpose but the project didn’t quite work out how I planned so still have bits left over. Every so often I get some of them out and set myself a bit of a challenge to think of something I could make that would incorporate some of them. Hoarding is great for creativity!
I’m really bad for hoarding things, I have a bag of scrap felt and one of fabric just in case I make something that will only need a small piece of fabric. I also have 1000’s of meters of ribbon which some of them I’ll never use.
Forgot to mention I recently visited my favourite shop whilst on our hols but I refrained from buying any more fabrics. I have plenty to be getting on with, like 2 very large plastic tubs full to the top. That’s my downfall fabrics, I just love buying especially the Christmas ones. They are like magnets to me.
Unfortunately, I’m one of those people who is very influenced by “deals”, so I will buy ridiculous amounts of craft supplies when they are on offer. I was a bit surprised last week, when i showed my partner something that I’d bought on spec, told him the price and he replied “at that price, buy ten more”. I’ve never moved so fast!
I buy loads of craft materials, usually after spending hours choosing them from every available website. When it all arrives I’m so excited but then don’t feel as though I should use it, especially material in case I mess it up! Trying to use things more now but still have heaps stored in boxes. I love my craft boxes
I recently did a car boot sale to try and make some space in my spare room, sold some of my stash of supplies. . . . and then the following week bought more buttons, ribbons etc whilst out shopping! . . pointless!
I was about to throw out a skirt I’d ripped when I decided to unpick the lovely ribbon from the bottom of the hem first.
As I was in the process a friend dropped by and asked if I had any plans for the fabric of the ripped skirt. When I said I was thinking of throwing it out she asked if I could make her a bag from it which I did. The ribbon went into my stash and some of it has already been used in card making.
Perhaps I am that crazy lady!..
