Me too. I’ve found it helpful to have a specific deadline in mind to make it go a little faster - I want to get these boxes out today, what else can fit in them? I’m going to the creative reuse center on Thursday what else can I take? Another issue I’ve had is thinking “well it already has a place and I don’t have anything else to put there now so I might as well keep it”.
I’m definitely guilty of pulling a bunch of stuff out, going through it, finding like 2 things to part with then putting it all back. I’m trying to be more ruthless with my destashing (still a long way to go) and so far it’s been good. I honestly can’t even tell I’ve destashed anything, that’s how densely packed all of my supplies are.
For me I realized keeping a bunch of stuff I don’t actually want to use was creating mental stress and stopping me from getting/using the stuff I want/enjoy. E.g. not using the good stuff because I should use up all the cheap stuff I already have first, not allowing myself to follow my interests into a new medium because I have all of the supplies for lots of other things I had a passing interest in at some point, etc.
I’m trying to adopt the mindset that acquiring the supplies in the first place was enough purpose for the supplies (they made me super happy when I got them!) but that doesn’t mean I have to hold onto them forever or that I have to use them. Seeing the act of getting them as a purpose in of itself helped make me feel less like I was being wasteful. I think the act of destashing is also helping me be more mindful about what I’m bringing into the house because going through everything is a lot of work.
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(Linda -2024 Choose Projects that You Want to Do :us:)
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Well stated!
I have to look at the progress I make and then tell myself not to repeat it because it truly is a lot of work, both physically and mentally!
I tend to shuffle as well instead of deal instantly…I can do it in my work, but not in my personal life…too many factors get in the way, so I have to identify them and plow through!
I can find everything, but now I have to decide whether or not I want to even try to destash it…maybe, as you said, it is just inferior supplies or fabrics I have no more interest in, etc.
You guys make me feel it is possible and that it is not an isolated dilemma…many face the same choices!
I destashed about half of my button and bead hoard, loaded them into extra peanut jars (so I could destash them, too) AND took them to goodwill today along with a box of miscellany and a garbage bag of knit and upholstery fabrics. I didn’t even go inside to shop at GW.
Yay, me!
I now have an empty shelf and an empty drawer to absorb undertable box contents!
I’ve de-stashed some things I bought for my flat that didn’t really end up working out. It has created a clear space in my hallway… that I’m now going to use to declutter all the other toolboxes and things that are just dumped in the hallway.
It’s not a craft declutter… BUT… in this thought process (stage 1 is in motion), I realised I have a load of wool fabrics in my bedroom in the wardrobe. Last year’s denim de-stash has left a tub with loads of space, so I get to move the fabric out of the bedroom (5 years!) into the fabric area!!
Such a small kinda revelation but makes me feel happy.
Congrats to all of you that have destashed, whether one box or a bunch.
I’ve been procrastiquilting instead of organizing and destashing.
But now I have an installation piece designed for an art show in April for Earth Day. Small show at our church. But my mind is shopping my stash for bits to use…some of which I was going to destash. Ah well, some of it will be used.
One thing I’ve found that helps when I’m trying to speed up the process is inviting a (very understanding) friend over. On my own I dither and shuffle but if @katiebread is there to hang out or ask me direct questions about what’s happening in a pile/box of doom I move much more quickly and decisively. Part of it is that I value her time more than I do my own, maybe, but it’s also just more enjoyable to have company. And we also get to have fun brainstorming potential projects for neat supplies or laughing over the “why did I save this?” items.
That is a good idea, it sounds a lot more fun to have some company. I don’t really have any friends here, as we’ve only lived here 18 months, but hopefully I’ll get to know some people before too long. It’s definitely more fun chatting about it with all of you on this thread!
destashing has been halted. I slipped on some Ice a few days ago and thought I might have broken something in my left arm. Xrays say not so, but my arm still hurts. Ugh.
Thanks everyone! It’s just a bummer to be in the flow of a fun project and be forced to stop. So annoying. But maybe this will force me to read a book haha (need to learn how to knit and read at the same time).