Tips for downsizing into a different craft space?

The biggest things I can think of would be to take advantage of your new wall space (build up!) and if your current workspace doesn't offer storage within the base/legs, I would get a different workspace.

I went from a big room to a space about 1/2 the size. It's still a decent sized room but I lost a LOT of wall space. My workspace is two butcher block counter tops that rest on top of short shelving units (all from IKEA). I didn't use these much when I was in the bigger room (it held old Paper Crafts magazines, crafty books and Scentsy melts). When I moved in to this room I got rid of all the books/magazines and moved the Scentsy stuff into the hallway closet. Now my desk shelves hold like a dozen of the 12x12 iris cases with some smaller card boxes in between.

I found it helpful when remodelling to pack up ALL my stuff in the categories I was used to finding it in.

Then when I was UN packing, I chose what would go into each space, and set up boxes for donation. That way I could put stuff back in that I really wanted. Making the choice too early was not a good idea for me. I needed to see the new space and then choose what would go into it.

Your scrapping style and needs have probably changed alot since 2007. You can choose your categories in your new space for the pages you will be scrapping going forward.

And ((((HUGS))))) on giving up the bigger room.

I moved last December & while my new space was smaller, it came with a closet and big windows, plus an attached bathroom so all that was great. It also had to double as my home office since I work from home a couple of days per week. I did a couple of things that helped, it was hard, and I was lucky enough to have some funds set aside to help. 

I purged before we moved, but it wasn't nearly enough. I still felt overwhelmed in my room and unable to be as productive as I wanted to be. So after a couple of months of living in the space, and having it not work, I did a brutal purge. If it was more than a few years old, I didn't absolutely love it, wouldn't buy it today, or know exactly what project it was for it, it left my stash. I got rid of a bunch of cute things, but stuff in all honesty I wasn't going to use most of it. I now have a much smaller stash and it's so much easier to find things and make layouts. Only once in the last 6 weeks have I thought about something that I got rid of. So for me, that my spaces is calmer, organized, and 1000 times more usable, makes me thinking about a purged pice of chipboard not a big deal. 

I invested in storage options and a couple of furniture pieces. I did a large order from the container store. I also hired a professional organizer for around 5 hours. It was $150 per hour. She came first and did a free consultation and she measured the space. She gave me a shopping list of containers/bins/furniture to buy based on my needs and the space. My main pieces, lots of Alex drawers from IKEA, were all kept in the plans because I wanted to reuse as much as possible. The big day, she brought an assistant so there were three of us working. I got about 95% done when they were here. I've tweaked a few things since we set things up. Even with all that, I know my systems will need to continue to evolve and I'm okay with that. 

Now to help maintain, I've started purging immediately after I've used a kit. If I think I'm unlikely to use something, I go ahead and purge it right then. A lot of what I ended up purging where older kit pieces that I'd hung on too. Going through every single thing in my stash made me see where there were gaps (tiny word stickers), what I was way over buying (Washi tape), and what I wan't reaching for any more (wood veneer).

Another benefit of having a smaller stash, and an organized space, is I've started thinking more critically about what I actually use on my layouts. I keep a running list of what I need and try to keep my shopping along those lines. I also limit myself to only one kit subscription per month. I will pick-up other kits when I love them, but I don't subscribe. It becomes too overwhelming for me to get in that much product every month. Truthfully, I know I don't have enough time to use that much product. I want my space to stay nice, so one kit subscription is the max I can reasonably use. 

Good luck with your transition. I really love my new (smaller) space now. If you want my shopping list, I'm happy to send you links. 

I envy people who can use wall space in front of their desks. Although I do appreciate the light my windows give me.

My advice mostly inspired by Dana K White (A Slob Comes Clean):
- your room is a container which holds lots of other containers. The goal is not to fill any container so full that it is hard to function in. Your "clutter threshold" is your own, but the goal is to be able to have space for yourself and the stuff you most love to use.
- prioritize what goes in your containers/room - put the essential/best/most favorite stuff in first. Then, if more stuff you like fits, yay! If it's already full you have to decide what goes out to make room for the stuff you really want to keep.
- consider organizing by where you would look for stuff first, not where it "should" go
- if you didn't know you had it you probably don't need it
- knowing whether you're a macro or micro sorter and whether you like to see everything or have it all behind closed doors will help with the design and layout. Don't organize for "should" - if you prefer to throw all your paint in a basket on a shelf don't try to emulate the person who organizes each bottle into a perfectly shaded rainbow.
Good luck! I hope the room works well for you

So as you can see my cardstock and PP are stored on the back of the table (it's a 6ft folding table). My cricut is to one side and the folders up against the paper shelves are kits and my alpha stickers/rubons. my scraps are in the plastic envelopes above the paper in the middle - the 3-drawer units hold themes I have a ton of - Christmas, travel, Girl Scouts, and Navy as well as collection kits.

the bookcase on the right has memorabilia and other loose project pieces and my overflow cardstock and PP on top, the shelves hold my PL cards, dies/QK handle/Epic Six, cards, inspiration...

the drawers to the left have stamps, punches, tools/adhesive/nuvo drops and then small alpha stickers, eyelets/brads, and flowers/ribbons/random embellishments. My page protectors and colourblocking templates are on top.

Under the desk is a file box with themed stuff and a binder of embossing folders, iris drawers of projects, and extra albums (plus non-scrapbook storage)

There is a lot of great advice in this thread...making sure to take advantage of vertical space is a huge one.

Another thing that was big for me was getting rid of unnecessary packaging. Last time I was doing a big scrap room sort, I got rid of a ton of packaging. It takes up so much space. PL cards got consolidated together into boxes, embellishments got put together in containers with like things together, leftover stickers and die cuts got sorted by colour.

if i had to radically downsize, i would pare down on my punches, get rid of a ton of embellishments, probably half of my man-height paper collection and my sizzix original dies.  

I had to radically downsize when I lost my craft room to my uncle moving in. It look me a long time to reorganize. I just shoved it all in my new space and ignored it for most of 2020 until spring of this year. I’ve purged A LOT. One thing that tripped me up at first was “could I still use this?” Too many things I could. However, I really had to think, I could, but will I? If it’s been in my stash for years, apparently I’m not planning to use it. I had to really look at how I craft. What do I reach for 75% of the time. It’s not nearly as much as I thought considering how much I still have. I’ve made my room “usable” but I still have too much stuff. It’s time to purge more. I also have to admit I’m much more creative and motivated when I’m not weighed down by so much stuff and way too many choices to make. Less things cuts down on the dithering.

One think I struggle with is storing pictures and memorabilia that is not scrapped yet. That is taking up way too much room.

Original packaging also makes it feel "precious" which can get in the way of actually using it.

Six piece credenza...

I don't need to downsize right now but so many wonderful tips here. I feel alot more cluttered lately so this helps. Thank you!

You STOLE my logic?! 

Applause for not caving! I caved. I don’t like coloring images and didn’t when a kid. (I do love color: watercolors, inks, Zig Real Brushes, inks, alcohol inks, Gelatos, inks.) When a beginner stamper I saw Copics at an LSS and immediately dismissed them. 

But I read Copic fans’ forum posts, and the LSS had a basic class, and I *should* like them because... ? So I bought Copics and took the class. The instructor was outstanding. I never used them.

The LSS closed and someone told me about another one, and they had Copics. And a multi-session class. I bought more - a special discount! I went to the first two classes, looked at the clock a lot. Hello! Is anyone home!? The Copics went to a much better home. 

When we moved a couple years ago I wanted my new space (which was larger) to be more functional and I didn't want to waste time, energy, and money moving "stuff" for the sake of stuff.

If it was a supply like paper, embellishments, etc. I asked myself:

1. Do I HONESTLY love it - Y/N If No, purge

2. Am I going to REALLY use it and If Yes, for what? If No, purge.

3. Being brutally honest, will I really ever realistically do that project and when? If it's not within the next 2 years or so it's probably not going to happen. - Purge

No matter how cool it was/is or how popular/fashionable if you aren't going to use it it isn't doing you any good. It's just taking up space and getting in the way, especially if you really don't love it.


For tools and other types of multi-time use supplies I asked.

1. Do I use this? - If No, purge.

2. When was the last time I use this? - If it's been more than a year think long and hard about when it might get used again and for what.

3. Is this something I will ACTUALLY use in the next year? Be brutally honest. If No, think long and hard about purging.

4. Do I have another tool/Device or something else in my stash that can do the same thing or close to it I could use instead? - If yes, seriously consider purging


The other suggestion I would make, if time and space allow, is to make you"purge" pile, or box, or whatever and put it to the side or in closet. This way IF you change your mind in say a month or even 2 you can go and get that item back. I can honestly say I think there was only 1 thing I went back and pulled out of mine.

While I know it's double the work, for me, I found easier anymore productive to go stings like paper and embellishments twice. The first time I got rid of the "easy stuff". Then I waited a couple days or even a week or more and did a second pass. The second time I was able to be more brutal, and honest about what I would I really use and really cull my stash to what would honestly be used.