It seems there will always be crafting supplies to be decluttered from my stash. I still make all my own greeting cards, so the stash is still used. However my desire for simplicity and space has me revisiting my supplies on a regular basis to determine if there are things that I can do without. I get more and more ruthless with every pass.
I like to keep lists of things to do and one such list is things to consider decluttering. Paper supplies get added and crossed off that list over and over again. Other craft items often find there way to the donation pile as I am in the midst of crafting. I’ll come across something and think, I haven’t used that in a while and probably never will, so out it goes. While others, such as fiddly cutting dies, will be discarded because I am over fussing with them. And it is a rare thing for me to have decluttering regrets.
Colleen, I am doing the same thing. With Mother and my brother having passed, Imsent all the scrapbook pages to those who were more involved in the picture than I was. I still have the pictures backed up to a file so if I want to look at them I can. Since I am not scrapbooking any more, I have finally decluttered the rest of the supplies. I am still making cards but am planning to stop that soon. I have thus departed with most of my dies, stamps, stickers, and my die cutting machine. I have a friend who has a cutter and I just go over there and use it when I want. I emptied an entire closet except for my printer. I emptied out the kitchen cupboards that I can’t reach without a stool and placed all the contents on one shelf in the closet. I’m still working on the other shelf. I need to buy a cheap container for the odds and ends I am putting up there. I’m working on the other closet too. I will have to send before and after pictures once I am done.
Hi, Deb J,
365lessthings.com, Colleen, you and several other gals popped into my head today.
I have warm, happy memories of reading for about 10 years, if not prior.
I recall when you and your Mom were making the move from your apartment to the Assisted Living Facility, for your Mom.
My condolences on the passing of your Dear Mother and Brother.
I took care of both my parents over the span of approximately 15 years, so I can appreciate and understand
what you may have experienced.
Although Colleen and the blog are not presently ‘active,’ I’d like you to know that I enjoyed yours – and others’ – contributions and your down-to-earth presentation.
Wishing you all the best!
Ellen
I’m always considering re-arranging or decluttering things as I use them. Especially when cooking or crafting. I have stream lined my kitchen & crafting so that I currently only have kitchen items I use. My crafting area contains current craft activity items, always subject to change as my interest & activities change.
Hi Colleen, its good to see your post. I couldn’t remember the name I use here…lol. I hope all the past commenters on your blog are doing well. It would good to see comments from some of you!
I think my hubby became afraid I was going to declutter his stuff, so I had to back off a bit…not stop though. Right now I have a treadmill listed on Facebook Marketplace and 3 more things I’m ready to list: teapot and candleholders, wine cooler, exercise ball. And I have an old copy machine I’d like to declutter but have not been able to enlist hubby’s help yet. I think the copy machine is in a hard-to-get-to place in his shop. Wish me luck!
Deb J, it’s good to read your update. I can see that many things have happened in the interim.
Hi Colleen,
Interestingly, I was just thinking about you and the blog this morn, wishing we could get it going again with all the old commenters. I miss reading all those. Good to see Deb J and Calla on board today!
I am into a major kitchen declutter the last couple of days. One box headed to the thrift. Another of things I really like and will put away for a time to see if I need or miss using them.
As soon as I complete my tax prep (I am working at the same large table I normally rubber stamp on), I have LOTS of rubber stamps to price and send to a friends booth to see if they will sell. If not, they will go to the thrift as well. I still have one drawer of stamps to keep (maybe 40), but as you said, one can get more ruthless with each pass. I really don’t think I will be making cards in the future, so I will revisit that area again soon.
It always feels better when items leave!!!
Yay! Good for you! I am thankful in late January to have done a BIG destash of fabrics/quilting items that I no longer used or had interest in. I am trying to focus on the types of projects that I really want to work on. I filled up the back of my car with all sorts of treasures to donate to a local sewing/crafting non-profit. They will use them in their classes or sell in their newly-opened thrift store. I also make my own greeting cards, though I sometimes think of just getting rid of ALL of it and only buying cards as needed. Lighten my load. Then I can focus on just my quilting and needlework. Still thinking…
Susanne, I loved your “destash†word!!! I had never heard it before, but it only makes sense that if you stashed something away, you can destash it! . Congratulations on the big haul away!
In regard to card making, I have found it rewarding as I have gotten older to simplify all of that. I have had good success in finding brand name cards at the thrift stores, and now our local Dollar Tree stores sell Hallmark cards for fifty cents or $1. I recently donated almost all that was left of my card stock and papers to a local private school for the kids to work with. I read a great quote on another site that helped me a lot…..â€It was fun, now it’s doneâ€. Enjoy whatever you decide to do!
Oh Susanne I wish I could go the final step and get rid of all my card making stuff. I do cross stitch cards and have sooooo much stuff! I have gone through my files of patterns and whittled them down from 5 to 2. I made myself be realistic about which ones I was ever likely to do and got rid of the fiddlier patterns. I have enough aida for 2 lifetimes, likewise card blanks. I do still enjoy occasional card making though.
Sue J, just keep revisiting the craft stash and get more Ruthless every time. That is what I do. My desire for less stuff usually overrides my desire to keep telling myself I will use it eventually.
Trying to remember my old user name. I’ll see if this is it…
Nope
Found it. Deanna AR US
Thank you Colleen!
So nice to see Colleen posting and the fellow 365ers! Just catching up on the posts from the last few months.
I have found with all this extra home time my tolerance for “stuff†has further diminished. In particular, if clothing is not fitting or hanging just right, out it goes. It also helps to have a brutally honest teenager who is not afraid to tell you when it looks like you are wearing a paper bag 🙂
Oh I too have a brutally honest teenager!!! “MOM, are you REALLY wearing THAT!!!†She’s 16 now, and was a toddler when I first found Colleen and 365. We have grown up from decluttering her dolls and toys to now decluttering her Make-up supplies and clothing. This just proves the positive influence Colleen has had on soooo many people all over the world for over a decade! Although I still should shop less (oooppppss!!!).
Hi Colleen, Joshua Becker (BecomingMinimalist) mentioned you in his recent email, where he listed various decluttering styles. I think I am in ‘Maintenance Mode’ now. My home looks a bit cluttery to me but that is okay. It functions well, I am able to find things, I know what I have, and can put stuff away easily. I still declutter various items if I realize that I don’t need or want them. I have open bins on shelves in my garage that I call “kits” for our 2 grandkids (7 and 8yo). They are ‘outdoor’, ‘bead’, ‘Slime making’, ‘Lego’, ‘nail polish’, and ‘book’. It is easy to grab a kit when they come over to play with Grandmama. We also have a cabinet with paints and puzzles (and flashlights!) that they can get to themselves. I hope your family is well. Thanks for posting!
What pure joy to reconnect with you, your post and your readers/commenters!!! It’s been YEARS and I have missed you much, thought about you often, and am delighted to have searched you today and rediscovered these recent posts! Colleen, we go back probably 12 years or more (did you start 365 around 2009???). When I first found you I was living in Germany; but since then have been back in the U.S. (Colorado) for many years. I have some excess craft supplies that I’m going to search through this weekend (we’re expecting a huge snow storm). It will be a quiet time to stay home and declutter. Then I can drop off the “must-gos†next week after the snow melts. I will let you know how it goes (and provide snow fall totals if anyone is interested!! Hee hee hee!).
I definitely would like to hear how much snow you received and how your fluttering efforts go!
Snow totals varied around the city and surrounding areas. Probably about 2 feet in our backyard! Decluttered (de-fluttered) craft supplies, clothing, decor items and some blankets!
That’s a lot of snow!
Hopefully you were able to enjoy snow with a cup of hot chocolate when taking a break from shoveling.
I love that you De-fluttered ( de-cluttered). LOL
Snow totals varied around the city and surrounding areas. Probably about 2 feet in our backyard! Decluttered (de-fluttered) craft supplies, clothing, decor items and some blankets! Then shoveled, a lot!
Fluttering=decluttering
Darn autocorrect
It is so exciting to see people continuing to post and hearing everyone’s comments! I thought I would mention something I am currently doing. My niece, a true minimalist, just turned 51. I have no children, so during the years I have been getting rid of stuff, I will say things like “ There’s another car load of things you don’t have to deal with when I’m goneâ€. In her birthday card, I said in honor of her, I was donating 51 things. It has gone far beyond that number but I have decided to make it a yearly tradition to shoot for at least the number of her birthday years to donate at that time. (I haven’t stopped donating all year long, this is just a new goal I’ve set). It has been fun!!
Colleen! I was just thinking of you, and our long-ago catchup when you visited Melbourne (2011?) So glad to see you have started posting again.
My youngest is in his last year of high school and I am also in declutter Maintenance Mode till he finishes (and either moves out with friends, or stays home for a bit). Either way, all the school-related stuff – uniforms, papers, books, bags – will go. I will *not* miss having to wash white school shirts and polo tops!
My daughter allowed me to help her completely declutter her room earlier this year and we got rid of around 70% of her stuff. She is being very mindful about what she buys now, which is wonderful. I got rid of all the craft stuff (wool, needles, fabric) that weren’t for a designated project, so have wool for several pairs of socks, fabric for 2 quilts, and crochet cotton for another scrap blanket and arugami crochet animals.
Hi everybody! It’s been 6 months since my last hello! I share that I am shopping/thrifting much much less. So with less coming in and stuff still going out (decluttering/defluttering) all is being maintained at a great level. It’s such fun to re-read posts from over the years to keep my inspiration up! In June my dear Daddy (91) passed away. However, over the past 6 years I had been helping my parents declutter TONS of stuff! So with my Daddy’s passing (and since he had been in a nursing home for 2 years) it was super simple for my dear Mom to be able to just focus on healing from the loss of her husband of 67 years. She didn’t have to stress about getting rid of his stuff because the majority of it was already gone. Although some of the times over the past years it was kinda hard for my parents to part with some items, in the end there is appreciation for not having to deal with that challenge now. My Daddy was a child of the depression and had pack-rat tendencies. Now my Mom sees the value in getting rid of her stuff (within reason!) knowing that my siblings and I won’t have to deal with the onslaught of cleaning up after her down the road (she’s 93). Also, she is happy to see her items enjoyed by those who requested certain things. My siblings are so grateful for all the decluttering over the years as now we can be together and enjoy memories. The things (possessions) we wanted of parents lives (although very little actually) are happy in their new homes. It’s not stuff we gain from the death of a loved one, it’s the memories in our hearts and the feeling of love.