Ten tips to get rid of craft materials (and where you can send them) After the new year, many people are cleaning and organizing. After receiving a few inquiries, I decided to share some of my tips on Instagram. It’s a heavy topic. Many people joke about their “stash” and that it is always the best time to buy fabric. You’re welcome! I don’t want to change your mind, and I am happy you are satisfied. Continue reading if you don’t like the memes, feel overwhelmed trying to find items you’ve bought, run out of space in your storage unit, or feel guilty about unfinished projects. You may be committed to decluttering, but you might need to figure out what to do with your unwanted craft supplies. Please keep reading to find out where you can sell or donate them!
The more you own, the harder it will be to stay organized
Who else has purchased something only to discover that they already owned something similar that they forgot or could not find? It’s frustrating to feel like I already have something, but I can’t find it. You don’t need more storage, but you can reduce the amount of stuff you must manage. You can also catalog/document all your items once you have sorted them. This could be done with an app, notebook, fabric swatches, etc.
You can now spend more time creating instead of consuming
I sometimes buy fabric or craft supplies when I need to feel inspired but cannot make anything. When I order and open the package, I think of a small burst of happiness chemicals, but that doesn’t compare with the feeling of finishing a project. I bought so much fabric for my second child when he was a newborn. I didn’t have time to make anything, but ordering supplies seemed like a great substitute. (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t! ).
It’s clear that when I create, I am happier and feel more fulfilled. Keeping track of my projects and supplies, organizing them to find them quickly, and sorting out my excess are all factors in my ability to make more.
Releasing old projects frees mental energy to work on new ones
I have a lot of unfinished projects, and worse yet, I’ve bought supplies for projects I still need to start. It’s always on my mind. They occupy a small amount of mental energy, wondering where they are or why I haven’t finished them. It’s okay to wait sometimes. I’m also saying that you should work on only some projects from start to finish. For example, completing the Halloween painting makeover took me over three years. The mini quilts above were no exception. It felt good to throw away a craft kit (which was personalized so that no one else could have wanted it) I disliked halfway through and to give a precut pile for a quilt that I decided I did not want to make. Continue reading to learn how you can find what feels right for you.
This post contains ten tips on how to get rid of craft materials (and where you can send them)! With this link or picture:
How to get rid of your craft supplies
Prepare yourself mentally- The process will take much longer than you think, and you will likely give up halfway through it if you believe it will only take half an hour. Making a list may help you. Set a stopwatch or a timer? Schedules? Try these tips to avoid burnout or giving up.
Take it easy on yourself – If decluttering or getting rid of things is difficult for you, ensure that you are well-fed, comfortable in your clothes, and have some entertainment. (Try an audiobook, radio, or TV show). Ensure your children and pets are well-fed and occupied (or asleep). This will allow you to minimize interruptions.
Touch everything- Do not just look at something and move on. You will be able to see how much you have and assess the condition of each item by touching them. Perhaps the paint lid was left open and dried out, or a mouse nibbled your ribbon. If you can’t save it, throw it away!
Make piles – It is a standard tip for decluttering. Create two banks, one for trash and the other for apparent items to re-home. Put it in piles if you’re on the fence. Then, re-evaluate them all one last time. You can also use a box or tote as a “maybe” area and place anything you are unsure about. Leave it there for a week to see what you think.
Organize as you go-It will be difficult if you don’t have enough space, but try to group your supplies as you sort them if they haven’t been stored in this way. All the paints, quilting cotton, and sequins should be in the same place. This will make it easier to identify duplicates or excess supplies.
Do you like it or not? – This may sound obvious, but who hasn’t kept scissors that they dislike “just in case” or fabrics they have changed their minds about because the money had already been spent? Take a look at your rejects and see if there is a pattern. You might keep buying pastels, but you change your mind. You can learn from your past purchases and use them to guide you in future purchases!
Be generous – When you look at your pile (XYZ craft supplies), do you think you will use it all in the next 10? You can keep the fabric longer and create something beautiful in decades. If you love it, you should keep it. If you don’t love it as much or can’t imagine using it all, it’s an excellent opportunity to give it to someone who would otherwise go without it.
Find a home for them- Think about how excited another person will be to use the materials making your space a mess and draining your creativity! It is much easier to give away craft supplies to someone excited to use them. Continue reading to find out WHERE you can send these craft supplies other than the trash!
How can you organize your craft supplies? Please comment if I still need to include any tips you feel everyone could benefit from.
