Craft room declutter- seven things to toss

With a new Stampin’ Up! catalogue coming soon, I am sure crafters around the world are feeling the itch to declutter, make room for the new and purge some of their stash. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the idea of parting with some of your beloved stash, here are seven easy, achievable destash tasks that will help free up some space, and reduce the clutter.

1) Dried out adhesive. This one is a no-brainer. If it doesn’t stick, it won’t work, and there’s no point keeping it. Make sure your liquid glue still flows, and your glue dots still stick. Same goes for dimensionals and other foam adhesives. If they don’t- into the garbage it goes.1)

2) Itty bitty teeny tiny scraps. We all have scraps, we all love scraps. I have a YouTube series devoted to them, and have a hard time purging them. But- in reality, I am probably only going to use them if they are about 1″ or a long strip 1/4″ or wider. If you feel really badly about getting rid of the pretty paper, donate to a school, daycare, or senior centre. They’ll gladly take craft supplies.

3) Old Magazines and Catalogs. It might be tempting to hold on to old catalogues and papercrafting magazines, they take a up a lot of space. You can often find digital copies online (issu.com is one of my favourite websites for magazines online). If you can’t quite part with something, rip out the pages you want to keep, and recycle the rest. Keep the project sheets in a binder, and go through it once in a while and remove the projects you are no longer interested in.

4) Old ink. Go through markers, pens, alcohol inks, ink pads and reinkers. Toss any that cannot be refilled, or are totally dried out. Yes, it pains me to toss pens and markers, but (don’t tell hubby), there’s always new, pretty writing tools at the store, and well, they have a way of jumping into my cart. Not sure how to refill the Stampin’ Write markers? Check out this video.

5) Outdated or broken tools. Sponges break down, brushes loose their bristles. Tools lose their places in our hearts. If you bought something you had to have, but it’s no longer working, or you no longer use it, it’s time to either chuck it, or send it to a new home.

6) Unused bling. Wait???? That’s a thing??? Unfortunately, it can be. Sticker packs where only a few are used, or embellishments in a size or colour you don’t usually use. It’s a sad fact that some bling just doesn’t resonate with us. You know who would love them? A school or daycare. When kids create- the blingier the better!

7) Uninked stamps. We all have them- sets we loved, but have never seen the inside of an ink pad. Or, haven’t been used in a while. Go through the sets you have, figure out the ones you love and use regularly, and put them in one spot. The others can be donated, sold, or shared with friends. The only exception to this rule, for me, is if it is a seasonal or special occasion set that I just once in a while. And, of course, some sets will never leave my stash- Lovely as a Tree, for example. I love it, and use it once in a while, but it will forever be in my stash.

Bonus tip: Duplicates. Hands up if you have ever purchased something you already own. I know I have. If you realize it fairly soon after you buy it, most places (even Stampin’ Up!) will let you return it. However, if you have multiples of the same item, keep two, and give the rest to a friend or fellow crafter who might appreciate it. You can also bundle up your extra goodies and sell them on a Facebook page, marketplace, or at a garage sale.

Destashing your craft room might feel like a daunting task, but taking it a little bit at a time, and in manageable chunks will make it less overwhelming. Plus, you can make it a fun experience. Take all the items you want to get rid of that are in good condition, and create a swap event with other crafty friends. Everyone brings items they no longer use, and everyone swaps with each other. Whatever is leftover at the end of the event either goes home with the original owner, or gets donated to a school, daycare, or senior centre.
Getting rid of the visual clutter will make your space feel more calm, and will let you quickly find what you’re looking for.
Happy crafting!

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