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I have been a paper crafter for over 20 years and I have organized and downsized many times over. One thing I will say about this hobby is that I have done a great deal of COLLECTING AND GATHERING of supplies, tools, paper, embellishments, inks stamps and more... and it never ends.
I'm just saying...
Jan-Feb of this year, I went through my craft room and did a major purge. I gave away boxes of stamps, ink pads, paper, tools, books and more, mostly things I purchased in the early years. Things I purchased at conventions thinking I would use and never did, I came across brand new never opened items that were at least 10 years old. I had purchased duplicates and some items I did not have a clue as to why I bought them...as my mother would say "it's a sin" and I felt so foolish to have wasted all that money. It was an awakening... Moving forward my goal is to create more and buy less.
After letting go and taking stock of what I have on hand, I'm shopping my room before I buy new products. I don't need every color ink pad, marker, or water color pencils... I have learned how to mix my colors, make pigment ink, spray mists,refresh what has gone dry, and so much more using what I have already (thanks Frugalcrafter on Youtube). So far, so good... Happy Crafting!
My die stuff is getting full in their box, not sure what I'm going to do. If I take the framelits out of those plastic envelopes it will give me a bit more room. I can store seasonal dies somewhere else perhaps.
__________________ Cindy in Oregon
Last edited by Cartermrc; 04-11-2015 at 07:11 PM..
Heck yeah! Every time I bring home something new (or it arrives on my front porch), the worst part is finding a place for it all. I had loads of room in my closet when I first embarked on this hobby. Ha!
__________________ Debbie "Make it work, people." - Tim Gunn My Gallery
Jan-Feb of this year, I went through my craft room and did a major purge. I gave away boxes of stamps, ink pads, paper, tools, books and more, mostly things I purchased in the early years. Things I purchased at conventions thinking I would use and never did, I came across brand new never opened items that were at least 10 years old. I had purchased duplicates and some items I did not have a clue as to why I bought them...as my mother would say "it's a sin" and I felt so foolish to have wasted all that money. It was an awakening... Moving forward my goal is to create more and buy less.
After letting go and taking stock of what I have on hand, I'm shopping my room before I buy new products. I don't need every color ink pad, marker, or water color pencils... I have learned how to mix my colors, make pigment ink, spray mists,refresh what has gone dry, and so much more using what I have already (thanks Frugalcrafter on Youtube). So far, so good... Happy Crafting!
Good for you! The best thing about reorganizing is the "awakening!" I was even thinking of writing "create more and buy less" and then I saw this post . It sounds like you are well on your way to a more stress-free creative experience. I know it has really made a difference for me, too. Keep up the good work!
A Stamp In The Hand held a two day convention in my city over the weekend. I did not go. In the past I would have been there when the doors opened. In addition, I would have spent way too much money on stuff that I really didn't need. I find keeping a list of supplies NEEDED and ordering saves a lot of money and precious creative time. Pintrest and Youtube provide me with enough ideas feeding the need to create. By avoiding the show I stayed home and made a dozen cards and using the supplies I had on hand. P.S. I tried the Sunburst layout and luv it!
A Stamp In The Hand held a two day convention in my city over the weekend. I did not go. In the past I would have been there when the doors opened. In addition, I would have spent way too much money on stuff that I really didn't need. I find keeping a list of supplies NEEDED and ordering saves a lot of money and precious creative time. Pintrest and Youtube provide me with enough ideas feeding the need to create. By avoiding the show I stayed home and made a dozen cards and using the supplies I had on hand. P.S. I tried the Sunburst layout and luv it!
I went and there were less vendors but the selection was better. I bought several stamp set that I really like a couple of dies and that was it. I didn't go bonkers like in the past and what I bought is not like anything I have now :p No more buying just because it's cute. :p:p
I'm so tickled...I am building up inventory of cards for upcoming festivals that I will be participating in later this year as well as for friends and family. I have a variety of fluid adhesives and glue sticks that I use for smaller projects and embellishments, plus I recently purchased a Xyron Tape Runner (w/coupon of course). It works great, but I wanted to speed things up since I'm trying to do a dozen cards at a time. I noticed on the top shelf of my shelves in the craft room I had a Xyron adhesive 5" sicker maker sitting there collecting dust (5+ years), plus several boxes of refills tucked away in my craft closet. I pulled it down, dusted it off tested the cartridge (I like the repositional tape, it is secure once set in position). It worked like a charm! I cranked out all my card fronts in one continuous strip set and them aside until I was ready to use to them. I burnished the back of the strip to ensure the adhesive was well attached, and burnished the card fronts once applied to the cards. The Xyron has regained favor as one of my must have card making tools.
Here's a link to the description if you're interested, https://www.xyron.com/en-US/Products...-max_xrn500en/
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I'm probably in the minority.....I don't rearrange. I tend to keep things in the same spot for years (same with my living room). I do purge, but I keep lots of my stamps as long as I still love them. I love to cut up my dsp and love using up embellishments. I try to use up what I have. I'm sure it would take many lifetimes to actually use up what I have!
I'm part of a stamp club with my local stamp store. We have a swap twice a year. Bring your stuff, take what you want. I take quite a bit to give away, and bring home very little in exchange! Yay!
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
I wish I could stop myself from reorganizing. Every time I start cleaning up my room, I find myself reorganizing. Is there such a thing as CRD - Compulsive Reorganizing Disorder? LoL
Dea
I am constantly in a state of reorganization & cleaning. I think my husband has given up trying to figure out what I'm doing in my craft room. I decided a couple of weeks ago that tidying up & reorganizing is part of the fun (for me) of crafting. I've been away from home for 2 weeks now visiting my son & his wife & new grandson, I'm almost having withdrawal symptoms..........gotta get back to my craft room.
I am having to re arrange now and then to make room for mini albums and new tools. But I am also purging paper and scraps( larger ones got to local school, small ones go into recycle bin) and stickers. For me it is very freeing to not have so much stuff so I can create in peace.
I find that I am constantly "perfecting" my craft/ design area so that I can have everything I need within arm's reach ...and as others have said already, I have enough "stuff" to last a lifetime :-)
I have my actual "overstock/inventory" in what I call my craft room (11 x13 bedroom) and that room is a definite "work in process"...I have so many carts and storage units in the craft room that I could not create/move around anymore, so I brought the items that I need the most often (i.e. stamps, punches, pre-cut pieces of cardstock and DSP, inkpads, tools, etc.) and converted our neglected dining room area into my "designing room".
It is just my husand and I (and our kitties) and our home is on the smaller side... since it is small and crowded, we do not entertain and have decided to use our house to suit our needs, not just the traditional ones :-)
He never knows what it will look like when he gets home since I tend to rearrange the areas a lot :-) One way to keep him guessing-lol!!
I find that I am constantly "perfecting" my craft/ design area so that I can have everything I need within arm's reach ...and as others have said already, I have enough "stuff" to last a lifetime :-)
I have my actual "overstock/inventory" in what I call my craft room (11 x13 bedroom) and that room is a definite "work in process"...I have so many carts and storage units in the craft room that I could not create/move around anymore, so I brought the items that I need the most often (i.e. stamps, punches, pre-cut pieces of cardstock and DSP, inkpads, tools, etc.) and converted our neglected dining room area into my "designing room".
It is just my husand and I (and our kitties) and our home is on the smaller side... since it is small and crowded, we do not entertain and have decided to use our house to suit our needs, not just the traditional ones :-)
He never knows what it will look like when he gets home since I tend to rearrange the areas a lot :-) One way to keep him guessing-lol!!
This is what we did when we retired, downsized & moved from TX to NV. I told my husband that I never planned to have 12 people for dinner ever again and didn't need a dinning room but I NEEDED a craft room. We share the room [he has a small desk to build buildings for his model railroad] and I have a large desk with shelves, bookcases and room for my stuff.
I agree! I've spent 10 years doing the same, over and over. Then I started using the storage cubes from Michael's.
After a bit of rearranging what is in the drawers, for the first time in 10 years, by george, I think I'm happy!
My big plan is to do away with the plastic drawer units that never have opened easily without the whole unit moving around! 6 more units to go and I'll be done!
My husband has plenty of use in his studio for the plastic units, so he's gotten my hand-me-downs. (Pretty sure that was his plan when he started gifting me the storage cubes, LOL!)
Also, I couldn't find storage I liked for dies and embossing folders, so I made my own. I even created svg files to cut the chipboard for future expansion. (My chipboard is recycled, so I needed 3 layers for sturdiness & no matter how hard I tried, I could not get an exact size on all 3 layers.) They all match and look oh, so pretty!
I also cut multi-layer grids for things like embossing powder jars so they don't slide around.
I found some amazing large plastic bins at Walmart on line for less than $8. My boxes of labels and letter sized page protectors fit great, along with lots and lots of other stuff! (I sure couldn't load down the cloth drawers like these large plastic bins, that was a failure!). I have these bins sitting on the wire cube shelves in my closet.
I'm very pleased when I walk into my studio and see how organized, useful, and clean everything looks!
I have turned my home into my workshop. I create, not entertain. I turned my dining room into my sewing center, my dining room table is home to my sewing machine, thread holder, rulers. etc... I have a counter (breakfast bar) between the dining area and kitchen for guests to sit when they visit, but I use it as my ironing station when I'm sewing. The living room is my cutting and fabric holding area. Lastly, the second bedroom is my paper crafting studio/office. My dog and I are very content in our surroundings. It works for me.
I have turned my home into my workshop. I create, not entertain. I turned my dining room into my sewing center, my dining room table is home to my sewing machine, thread holder, rulers. etc... I have a counter (breakfast bar) between the dining area and kitchen for guests to sit when they visit, but I use it as my ironing station when I'm sewing. The living room is my cutting and fabric holding area. Lastly, the second bedroom is my paper crafting studio/office. My dog and I are very content in our surroundings. It works for me.
I agree! I've spent 10 years doing the same, over and over. Then I started using the storage cubes from Michael's.
After a bit of rearranging what is in the drawers, for the first time in 10 years, by george, I think I'm happy!
My big plan is to do away with the plastic drawer units that never have opened easily without the whole unit moving around! 6 more units to go and I'll be done!
My husband has plenty of use in his studio for the plastic units, so he's gotten my hand-me-downs. (Pretty sure that was his plan when he started gifting me the storage cubes, LOL!)
Also, I couldn't find storage I liked for dies and embossing folders, so I made my own. I even created svg files to cut the chipboard for future expansion. (My chipboard is recycled, so I needed 3 layers for sturdiness & no matter how hard I tried, I could not get an exact size on all 3 layers.) They all match and look oh, so pretty!
I also cut multi-layer grids for things like embossing powder jars so they don't slide around.
I found some amazing large plastic bins at Walmart on line for less than $8. My boxes of labels and letter sized page protectors fit great, along with lots and lots of other stuff! (I sure couldn't load down the cloth drawers like these large plastic bins, that was a failure!). I have these bins sitting on the wire cube shelves in my closet.
I'm very pleased when I walk into my studio and see how organized, useful, and clean everything looks!
this forum of mission organization is my favorite! after reading so much about re-organizing and seeing lovely rooms, i decided to plunge into redoing my room too!
all of a sudden, i emptied all the drawers from the long dresser in my room, and repainted all the drawers medium gray. it was a mint green and pink [dont ask why, thats a long story.] now i plan to paint the dresser this weekend. all spray paint. so much faster.
and then i will paint another small dresser [that will be my future dies and stamp storage] a turquoise. the rest of the furniture in the room is white. and one small wall storage is grey. so i decided to do this dresser gray as a neutral and let my work/ fabric be the colorful objects.
__________________ Creativity is intelligence having fun. - Albert Einstein
Sounds like you're moving along nicely! Post some pics when you get it pulled together again. One thought on all of your drawers: you might want to consider smaller dividers or open containers or something to go inside of them. In my experience, full-size drawers like the typical dresser or desk drawers quickly become black holes where the thing you want is inevitably UNDER everything else! The white/turquoise/grey combo sounds lovely...
I love to reorganize. It reminds me of what I have and how lucky I am. I have those Ikea drawers and desk so I have plenty of space for what I own. I will go through the stamps. I believe they can be recycled to other groups as well as my older border punches.
So true! BTW this was on a minimalist site. I recently moved and DH and I thought we had downsized (we knew we wanted a smaller house) until we found the house and moved in! Been here a month and we already had a large garage sale and I'm planning another! I have begun to purge my crafting stash.
I had 22 moving boxes + countless number of large plastic totes of stamping stuff when we moved. Unpacking our stuff, I realized I have too much. I am a minimalist at heart and I am struggling to gain control of this mess!
My mom was a saver, collector, pack rat or whatever you want to call it. I will NOT succumb to that lifestyle!
I have to remove the sentimental and "might need it" attachment and PURGE!
I agree with you Arlene! We had a garage sale last week and I thought I had purged *everything* I could do without. Then yesterday, as I was packing the unsold items for the next sale, I decided to check "one more time." Another box added to the for sale items! Now I think I'm done ;) .
I do an annual purge - once will never be enough! The things that are borderline on if I should keep or purge, I give myself the next year to use it. If didn't use it during the year, then it has to go. This year's purge was brutal - I have a ton of stuff for the garage sale because I'm more into mixed media that card making.
One good thing is that I did stick to my promise of not buying paper so I have very little paper and none of the "what was I thinking" items. My biggest group of things to go are old stamps that I find I just don't like anymore.
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I sold quite a few old stamp sets at a SU class I had. I just took the few remaining sets to a co-worker and she's going to see what she wants. Then I will have purged most of my unwanted sets.
I really need to purge some embellishments, but it took me so long to have the $$$$ to buy them I hang on to them. I have gotten rid of some buttons and ribbon.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
I sold quite a few old stamp sets at a SU class I had. I just took the few remaining sets to a co-worker and she's going to see what she wants. Then I will have purged most of my unwanted sets.
I really need to purge some embellishments, but it took me so long to have the $$$$ to buy them I hang on to them. I have gotten rid of some buttons and ribbon.
The money's already spent, so why worry about it? My guess is that it gives you a twinge of guilt every time you look at the embellishments that you're not using. Why have that negativity in what should be your Happy Place? If you can't sell them, gift them somewhere that will appreciate them - win/win! You get something out of your space that doesn't bring you joy, and they get something in their space that does!
I was thinking of all of you when I once again reorganized the other day! I used to think there would be an end to the organization but I think I've finally accepted it as a never-ending process.
And... I love it. I love reorganizing! I love feeling like I've really accomplished a more streamlined situation, rediscovering various tools, and realizing there are items to finally give up on. Maybe this is the easiest area in my life to organize? I don't know, but I don't think I'll ever stop reorganizing.
I have realized I love organizing as much as crafting. And as it turns out I have probably spent a small fortune on organizing supplies as well.
The problem is that over time our style changes, and hence what you need at hand also changes. I also realized that I was not using a lot of things as they just weren't stored in a way that made it easy to browse (at least that is what I am telling myself).
So I am now in the process of switching everything to flip through binders. Stamps go in the Tim Holtz binder which I am finding much easier to use than previous DVD cases (and now I have so many blank ones), moving dies to Crafter's Companion Binders instead of the separate magnetic folders (oops those are free, too, now) which made it a pain to find any one without opening all of them.
But now if I go for a major haul, I make sure I take out something in return...sadly it is a much lower value. But still makes me feel better
And since I am not in the US and I do find a volunteer coming over, I have to get a major haul in one go - no choice there.
But seriously if I had to start all over again, there are so many things I would not get. Most I have managed to sell off but some I still can't bring myself to give away - hey I worked hard at ordering them and filling up suitcases to bring them back all the way LOL.
I just put half of my embossing folders on sale as I hardly ever use them - so yay to that - some day I will either use the rest or get them out, too
In reorganizing or down-sizing crafting areas, has anyone converted their wood stamp sets to acrylic block? I have a lot of wood stamp sets, and am afraid the cost to convert, as well as any secondary market price decrease (although I think I'm finally coming to grips that the secondary market isn't what it used to be!)
I unmounted the wood-mount stamps and it was probably one of the best decisions that I ever made regarding stamping.
There are many threads here - maybe search for "unmounting" - that have lots of helpful hints and alternatives. It doesn't have to be terribly expensive.
I gave bags away of stamps that were given to me. Things I felt I had to keep because someone thought enough of me to give them to me. Turns out, they just gave me what they didn't want anymore and it wasn't my style at all. I'm learing going forward that we like different things and I don't have to say yes to accept it. I have cleaned out my drawers over and over. Mostly because I believe it I take inventory of what I have often, I will see what I haven't' used in a long time.
My organizing has come as close to ending as I've ever been! LOL
I finally got my last six storage cubes and was able to put stuff in them I didn't think I'd be able to store. I even have extra space for future stuff!
I am so pleased with how my room is working for me!
I wish I could stop myself from reorganizing. Every time I start cleaning up my room, I find myself reorganizing. Is there such a thing as CRD - Compulsive Reorganizing Disorder? LoL
Dea
If there was, I'd be president of it! I just did two re-organizations in 2 months time! My hubby re-arranged our joint office per my directions 1 month ago and as he was doing that, I went through my stuff and I had a big Wal-Mart bag full of items that I no longer used. I ended up giving them to one of my stamping BFF's and she was thrilled to get the bag.
Then I wasn't happy with the way I had him arrange the office so I had him do it again. I like how our office is set up now but I know that I will probably re-arrange some of my items again as I start to work with the new arrangement!
Organizing/purging is never ending. I'm preparing to move my stamp room downstairs to the basement in order to free up a bedroom for granddaughters to stay in when they come visit.
I have stamped for 18 years. Back in the 'old' days, when I would see a card idea online, (only 1 computer in the house) I would save it and eventually print the ideas out (4 to a page/color) ; and place those pages in 3" binders. Well, today I threw the 8 binders out. With an iPhone, that can go to any room in the house - SCS gallery and Pinterest are at my finger tips. 10 years ago, I would pour over those binders looking for ideas of color, layout, embellishment. But now they just take up space. I've thought about throwing them before, but the hoarder in me, felt guilty about the wasted paper, ink and ideas. But truthfully, I just don't utilize the binders at all. Great sense of relief to have finally purged; and bonus shelf space for a Stamp Storage punch holder!
I was thinking of all of you when I once again reorganized the other day! I used to think there would be an end to the organization but I think I've finally accepted it as a never-ending process.
And... I love it. I love reorganizing! I love feeling like I've really accomplished a more streamlined situation, rediscovering various tools, and realizing there are items to finally give up on. Maybe this is the easiest area in my life to organize? I don't know, but I don't think I'll ever stop reorganizing.
Lol that's exactly how I am.. every time I clean up my craft room I usually find a new way to organize or store something! I used to have everything packed in boxes in my bedroom but finally I had too much stuff to drag it out every time I wanted to work, so I moved into a new room...and then it wasn't long and I was rearranging again and I've not stopped!
Craft room organization never ends
