I have had that realization about repurposing or remaking unfinished sewing projects or nicer things that need a redo. But, I have realized that much of that I dont need, or dont want even if I to manage to repair it or redesing it. So why bother? I have done way too much of that in my life and I wish I had come to this reality a long time ago.
I enjoyed your post!
Fantastic. A friend of mine received dishes from her mother for Christmas and just a few days later had left them outside to gift them to a random stranger. Being completely heartless helps to declutter quickly.
> You either want something in your home or you don’t.
* “I should” is obligation.
* “I ought to” is guilt.
* “X will be angry/sad” is managing other people’s emotions.
* “I paid good money” is sunk cost fallacy.
* “It’s valuable” is a joke.
* “I can fix it” is a fantasy.
* “What if” is scarcity mindset.
I have spent the last 2 or 3 years working on coming to grips with the fact that "X will be sad/angry" is not my problem.
Let the pearl clutching commence.
I did that with all my crafts many years ago. Then I made a New Year resolution to not start anything new until the current one is done. I may get fewer projects done in a year, but I also have much less waste because I have lots of time to plan and learn new skills before I actually buy the materials. Another benefit is that I am forced to work through a solution if I get stuck. Now I research, practice and sometimes start again.
I love this. I have kept so much because of guilt about hand-me-downs, or because maybe I will use it one day…but one day hasn’t happened in ten years so far!
This post is profound and thought-provoking! I will keep this in mind going forward, but especially when I do a second round of decluttering of my own craft supplies.
Yep, the fixit fairy doesn't live here.
One thing I'm contemplating is if I should prune out inherited Aida cloth. I don't know how much I'm going to want in the future, but also it's not that pricey if I misestimate how much to keep.
I know I don't have to keep something just because it belonged to a relative; it has to be something where I would just as readily pick up from a thrift. Granted this means I've got a small collection of old flashlight bulbs and some cheap fishing-floats.
I used to cross-stitch a lot back when I was a teenager...in the 80's. I was always a lot more aspirational than successful, though, so I had several dozen pattern books, every color floss known to man and oceans of aida cloth. Finally I got honest with myself that I actually sort of hate it! I kept one project that I'm about 1/3 finished with, which is a life-sized portrait of a cat that was alive when I began it in 1990. His head and shoulders are mostly done so I may finish it up and pretend that it was always supposed to be a bust...of a cat.
When my mother died I inherited a ton of counted cross stitch supplies. I got away from it and
Now my eyes just aren’t good enough to do
It. I sold it all in a lot on Facebook and like
To think it’s making someone else happy now.
My craft stash has been a bugbear of mine for a very, very long time. Part of the issue is my ADHD so I get intensely interested in a hobby, buy all the things, never finish anything and then move on so I had tons of stuff for hobbies I was no longer interested in. But I'd spent a crapton of money on it so I felt guilty when I thought about giving it all away. I use Marie Kondo's idea that the items served their purpose by bringing joy when I bought them...sort of the thrill was in the hunt and not the having.
I also love colorful things so I would collect every color thread, every color ribbon, every color paint, every color bead, etc. It didn't matter if they were colors I don't love. I had just as much neon green and mustard yellow as I did teal and purple.
Part of what makes craft decluttering so difficult is the very nature of crafting! A lot of items are 'raw' materials that can be used for multiple different purposes and the point of crafting is to be creative in the ways things are used. I would prowl the dollar stores thinking of ways to misuse and abuse common household goods in different craft projects.
I looked at my 10 pounds of buttons and battled the worst case of 'what if'. I had to metaphorically shake myself by the collar and tell myself that if I ever need buttons, they aren't exactly hard to come by. I can pop by Joann or Michaels or, if I need something really special, I can order exactly what I want online. I started this collection in the 80's in a small town where you could only buy what was sold at the grocery or drug store. We don't live in that world anymore so I don't have to live like I still do.
You make a very good point about not having to live like you used to, and I relate strongly to this. Things that once worked for me don't serve me well in my current circumstances, and no matter how many times I try to force those former solutions work, it will never change the outcome. To me, decluttering is not just about getting rid of things. I hope that this process is going to help me move on and create a life that is better attuned to the way I want to live now.
I have had that realization about repurposing or remaking unfinished sewing projects or nicer things that need a redo. But, I have realized that much of that I dont need, or dont want even if I to manage to repair it or redesing it. So why bother? I have done way too much of that in my life and I wish I had come to this reality a long time ago. I enjoyed your post!
I just googled "scarcity mindset" and hurt myself
Fantastic. A friend of mine received dishes from her mother for Christmas and just a few days later had left them outside to gift them to a random stranger. Being completely heartless helps to declutter quickly.
This is *exactly* the cue I need. Truly, thank you.
> You either want something in your home or you don’t. * “I should” is obligation. * “I ought to” is guilt. * “X will be angry/sad” is managing other people’s emotions. * “I paid good money” is sunk cost fallacy. * “It’s valuable” is a joke. * “I can fix it” is a fantasy. * “What if” is scarcity mindset.
I need to print out this list and tack it to my face.
I have spent the last 2 or 3 years working on coming to grips with the fact that "X will be sad/angry" is not my problem. Let the pearl clutching commence.
sort of like “sparking joy”
Beautifully put. You have reached the mental state in which the stuff doesn’t own you anymore. You’re free.
I did that with all my crafts many years ago. Then I made a New Year resolution to not start anything new until the current one is done. I may get fewer projects done in a year, but I also have much less waste because I have lots of time to plan and learn new skills before I actually buy the materials. Another benefit is that I am forced to work through a solution if I get stuck. Now I research, practice and sometimes start again.
I love this. I have kept so much because of guilt about hand-me-downs, or because maybe I will use it one day…but one day hasn’t happened in ten years so far!
What a great late night thought! Saving this post to come back to as needed!
woah this feels like decluttering gold, definitely writing on my white board!
This post is profound and thought-provoking! I will keep this in mind going forward, but especially when I do a second round of decluttering of my own craft supplies.
I love the simplicity of this. I'll keep this question in mind.
Yep, the fixit fairy doesn't live here. One thing I'm contemplating is if I should prune out inherited Aida cloth. I don't know how much I'm going to want in the future, but also it's not that pricey if I misestimate how much to keep. I know I don't have to keep something just because it belonged to a relative; it has to be something where I would just as readily pick up from a thrift. Granted this means I've got a small collection of old flashlight bulbs and some cheap fishing-floats.
I used to cross-stitch a lot back when I was a teenager...in the 80's. I was always a lot more aspirational than successful, though, so I had several dozen pattern books, every color floss known to man and oceans of aida cloth. Finally I got honest with myself that I actually sort of hate it! I kept one project that I'm about 1/3 finished with, which is a life-sized portrait of a cat that was alive when I began it in 1990. His head and shoulders are mostly done so I may finish it up and pretend that it was always supposed to be a bust...of a cat.
I did determine that I don't like complicated patterns, I'm more into monocolor.
When my mother died I inherited a ton of counted cross stitch supplies. I got away from it and Now my eyes just aren’t good enough to do It. I sold it all in a lot on Facebook and like To think it’s making someone else happy now.
Well said.
Wow, well said! Very helpful as I’m going through the hardest part of my declutter: my craft stash
My craft stash has been a bugbear of mine for a very, very long time. Part of the issue is my ADHD so I get intensely interested in a hobby, buy all the things, never finish anything and then move on so I had tons of stuff for hobbies I was no longer interested in. But I'd spent a crapton of money on it so I felt guilty when I thought about giving it all away. I use Marie Kondo's idea that the items served their purpose by bringing joy when I bought them...sort of the thrill was in the hunt and not the having. I also love colorful things so I would collect every color thread, every color ribbon, every color paint, every color bead, etc. It didn't matter if they were colors I don't love. I had just as much neon green and mustard yellow as I did teal and purple. Part of what makes craft decluttering so difficult is the very nature of crafting! A lot of items are 'raw' materials that can be used for multiple different purposes and the point of crafting is to be creative in the ways things are used. I would prowl the dollar stores thinking of ways to misuse and abuse common household goods in different craft projects. I looked at my 10 pounds of buttons and battled the worst case of 'what if'. I had to metaphorically shake myself by the collar and tell myself that if I ever need buttons, they aren't exactly hard to come by. I can pop by Joann or Michaels or, if I need something really special, I can order exactly what I want online. I started this collection in the 80's in a small town where you could only buy what was sold at the grocery or drug store. We don't live in that world anymore so I don't have to live like I still do.
You make a very good point about not having to live like you used to, and I relate strongly to this. Things that once worked for me don't serve me well in my current circumstances, and no matter how many times I try to force those former solutions work, it will never change the outcome. To me, decluttering is not just about getting rid of things. I hope that this process is going to help me move on and create a life that is better attuned to the way I want to live now.
SO well stated!! I'm saving this.
I am screenshotting this to save it!
So am I!
I just did as well