How to Downsize Craft Supplies

Crafters also tend to be collectors-and sometimes we collect more than we could ever use in two or three lifetimes. Good organizational skills can help tame some of the chaos that can result from this hunter-gatherer habit-but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and pare down that inventory. Here are some tips for purging your stash and making those hard decisions of what stays and what can go.

Things You'll Need

• 3 or 4 bins or boxes
• Several hours of uninterrupted time
• A strong desire to de-clutter

Instructions

1. Set out your boxes or bins to sort into: one each for Keep, Trash, Sell and Donate, depending on what you want to do with your discards. Try to sort items only once; the more times you pick up an item, the lower the chances you'll actually get rid of it, defeating the purpose of this exercise.

2. Work through a shelf, box, tote or drawer at a time, sorting the items into their respective boxes. Be ruthless! Save those things that you really think you'll use or have a project in mind that you can get to soon and toss the rest. Tools and full packages or yardages can be sold or donated to thrift stores, consignment shops or charity organizations like Ronald McDonald House, who like to have craft items for the kids to work with.

3. Organize the items from the Keep box as it fills up to avoid having a larger project on your hands when you finish than when you started. It's great to see neatly organized shelves or storage bins as you work, and will give you a little boost to keep going.

4. Throw out the trash pile immediately after finishing your sorting for the day. I know going through my own supply room will take multiple sessions, but clearing out the things that are destined for the garbage or recycling bin makes more room for future sorting, as well as gives a sense of closure to the project.

5. Clean or perform routine maintenance, if necessary, to tools, before putting them up on eBay or Etsy.com for sale. You might as well try to recoup some of your investment for larger-ticket items that you just don't use anymore.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a prime project for just before you move; you're already in the frame of mind that you don't want to have to move more than you need to and might be more willing to get rid of excess items.

• Saving remnants of fabric, paper and fibers is fine if you use them-but if you've never quilted and think you might start up, the paper is wrinkled or the fibers are tangled-do yourself a favor and toss them.

• Paints and glues dry out over time-check those bottles before putting them into the Keep bin. Elastics, Lycra and spandex can dry-rot, turning them into wasted space; a quick tug-test will tell you if those items are worth keeping.

Resources

• Ronald McDonald House Charities
• Etsy.com