Moving my crafting space and it's worse than I thought

It's amazing how stuff accumulates! One thought- will you use child themed things for grandkids someday? Might be worth keeping some if you think you will. Good luck with the move!

Someday, when my oldest 2 move out, I will have my own room. I've already staked it out even though it's 5 years away! Lol

Well, what did you expect? The peas are master enablers! 😅

I had to pack up for a flood scare (I live in Central CA.) and just am now reclaiming my room. What a perfect opportunity to purge as I unpack! NOT

Okay, I did find a duplicate stamp and some old lacy Prima embellies that I am taking to put on the giveaway table at Expo.

But I did put some 'pregnancy' related stuff in the give away stack...since my kids tell me there will be 'no more' grandbabies.

One step at a time.

I approach my scrapbooking supplies pretty much like I do the rest of the house. Do I use it? Do I love it? Am I realistically ever going to do this project? Use the tough love approach and be real honest with yourself.

I have a smaller scrap space that is open to anyone going up to the 2nd story of our home. My supplies have to fit in my storage spaces (5x5 Expedit, Raskog cart, small bookcase, desk). I will not allow myself to pile on the floor or migrate to other spaces in my home. I don't need an overflowing room in order to create awesome scrapbooks. I also have enough supplies to scrap until I die. I love my stash and it brings me joy.

I knew I had a lot of stuff but didn't realize how much of it was just taking up space until I did a major purge several years ago. A good portion of my discard pile was things I hadn't chosen in the first place--raffle prizes, gift bags, and left over products from classes. Being frugal I'd told myself I could maybe incorporate it into a layout but that never happened. I also dumped really old tools that I didn't use any more l(remember eyelet setters and hammers). Then I showed no mercy and got rid of anything I didn't like. I had plenty of things I really liked so why make pages with stuff just to use it up?

Pridemom, I'm with you on using PL to help catch up. I had several piles of vacation pictures I'd never scrapped because it was just too overwhelming. One trip had over 200 pictures. I actually got that one done in one weekend using PL. I don't use that system often but sometimes it can come in handy.

I agree!

My suggestion would be to know your style. I have kept punches, die cuts, and paper that would be considered out of date, BUT I know I will use them! I struggle with washi tape, stamps, and using manual die cuts since I have a Cricut. Those were easier to purge. I try to do 3 similar layouts each year for Christmas. I kept more of that paper, but purged other paper that I had 3 of the same design.

I agree most of my purge items are things i was given/won. I got a free poppy die from SSS a few years ago. I never purged it and after moving to my new scrap room in April thought maybe i'd make some poppies for my memorial day PL slot. They turned out great and look fantastic. Now i'm thinking i should make some more in different colors.

I purge periodically and I am always astounded at the amount of stuff I have that I just don't like. A lot of it was giveaways or stuff I bought because it was on clearance. For several years I worked at an LSS and reps and the store owner would often give me things for free and of course I would just take them. So whenever I feel like it I go into my scrapbook room and just start looking at things. Whatever I don't love immediately comes out of the stash and gets sold/donated/thrown away. I still have too much stuff.

I think it easier to purge when you have a place to donate. A not so local crop accepts donations that they create kits from and then sell. Proceeds go to a women's shelter.

Those are gorgeous!


So true.

I have many things that I would probably purge if I had somewhere to send it to where I knew it would be used. I don't want to just trash things.


Would you be able to share a website or address that donations could be sent to for them?

I am a craft hoarder, too.

After living in the same house for 34 years, being a stamper for 30 years, a scrapbooker for 20 years, and someone who had been sewing since I was in college, my craft supplies had grown to enormous proportions. Over time I had unmounted all my wood stamps, which cut down on both weight and space. I gave away Craft stuff that I thought I would never use (to Cub Scout leaders I knew, as well as to fellow crafters). I did not have time or want to deal with yard sales.

One year and 8 months ago, we put a contract on a home to be built that would be closer to our family. We were moving halfway across the country, not just across town.  I got rid of a lot of household stuff, but I had a harder time letting go of things in my craft hoard. I gave some to my scrapping buddies, but it was a very small amount compared to what I kept.

A year before I moved, the last scrapbook store in the Northern Virginia area (a large metro area) closed. I bought a lot of supplies as she was doing sales prior to closing. I was afraid that after we moved, I would not have any LSS near me, so I kept more than I should have. I was right. The closest LSS are both about 35 to 45 minutes away, and neither one has much. There is reportedly a good LSS within driving distance, but it would take 1 hour 15 minutes to get there. I haven't made it there yet.

I do love having my own hoard to shop from, but after unpacking most of my craft supplies and tools, I have come to the conclusion that I really need to go through everything again and pare it down to the stuff I like best and am more likely to end up using. I have become friends with someone else who scrapbooks, so I will probably see if she wants any of the papers, etc., that I want to give away.

I think the reason it is hard for me to get rid of craft supplies is because they represent potential, delightful projects I hope to make someday.

For anyone wanting poppies. I'm more than willing to cut and mail for you to put together. You can make flat but they are designed to be dimensional. I've got plenty of stash to use. Just PM me and I'll cut enough for you to make multiple sizes. Trust me, the paper used will be negligible.

The poppies are pretty!

FWIW, Heartfelt Creations has a video on how to make 3D flowers. They have a Blazing Poppy die that is somewhat similar. Their tutorial should work just fine, regardless of the die used.

Since you said they are meant to be dimensional, watching the HC video might be helpful.

Here is a link:

Dimensional poppies

Dies are some of the treasures in my hoard that I cannot bring myself to get rid of. The above video shows how to make the most gorgeous blooms from flower dies.

Sometimes I like to turn the question around since as creative people we are so good at imagining what we COULD do with everything we have. It's so full of potential, full of possibility, it's very hard to admit that we're never going to get to it.

I look at the things and ask myself if I'm giving them their best life? Am I a good home for them? If paper's purpose is to be pretty and part of layouts, am I likely to allow it to fulfill its purpose, or am I going to leave it sitting in a pile, unloved? There are lots of craft supplies that won't last forever, like rub-ons - am I going to let them die in a drawer? Or should I send them to someone who will love them and rub them onto something beautiful? Do I have so many beautiful things that my favorite ones are buried and allowed to go unused?

Maybe that sounds silly, but it works really well, especially if I know someone who will be able to use the things you're letting go of.

But even if I don't have someone specific in mind, I have learned that once I do the hard thing and donate/throw it away, all the bad feelings of "what should I do with this? I spent so much money on this" go away once the thing is out of my sight. There is always new stuff to buy, and then newer new stuff you'll want as soon as the new stuff you just bought comes home.

BTW beware of the garage sale... seeing people pawing through your things and haggling and deciding they're not worth even a few pennies can set up some difficult feelings in some people. I would have a plan for the stuff that doesn't sell, to make sure it doesn't work its way back into your life. Personally I would probably box everything into "lots" of paper, embellishments, tools, etc and sell it as a sort of mystery box. The buyer might then decide to divvy things up and resell, you might not get the best money for it, but you're more likely to actually get it GONE at the end of the day, and hopefully without seeing things and thinking "oh, I could use that paper for...."