Purging, Part II

As I moved my boxes and boxes (and boxes!) of scrap supplies into our new house, I had the same thought over and over:

WHERE DID ALL THIS STUFF COME FROM?

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how I had amassed so much STUFF. After all, I used relatively little of it (and virtually NONE of it during the past 6 months as we got settled in Lexington and I scrapped pretty much exclusively digitally).

So what could be in those boxes? I could likely just toss the whole kit and caboodle, right?

Wrong.

The boxes definitely weren't loaded with "junk." It was, for the most part, good, usable supplies. Tools I thought I HAD to have, altered items I'd get around to altering "someday," and plenty of good, ole' fashioned stamps, papers, ribbons, buttons, eyelets, blah blah blah.

I decided I would cut what I had at least in half, and so I began the process of sorting. Here are five more tips I learned the hard way:

 

1. Have a plan. It's very difficult for me to get rid of brand new stuff that's never been touched, or to toss perfectly fine supplies and tools. So I had to know what I was doing with my discards before I could mentally and emotionally separate from the items. I created five (of course!) piles:

• TRASH. Stuff that's obviously unsalvageable, or not worth the effort (scraps of paper, stray paper clips, altered items like a handful of playing cards no one else would be able to use).
• DONATE to GOODWILL. This was where non-scrapping/art supplies got stored. This pile includes boxes, ballpoint pens, random usable items not scrap-related.
• DONATE to a SCHOOL. I'm hoping to get a few big boxes of supplies together for a school, shelter, or other program. This pile includes partially used supplies (half sheets of stickers, partially used spool of ribbon, used stamps, etc.)
• SAVE for GIVEAWAYS. This box is full of goodies I can give away on my blog or during the Layout a Day (LOAD) challenge.
• SELL. I created "kits" as I was sorting, by manufacturer, that I am going to sell on my blog in the upcoming week. (Want to buy? I've got American Crafts, Sweetwater/Kaiser, Little Yellow Bicycle, Making Memories, Cosmo Cricket, cardstock box, rub-on box, KI Memories...)

Having a plan worked for me because it forced me to go through the process of deciding whether I should keep something, when it could be sold, donated, or tossed. THIS REALLY, REALLY HELPED ME PURGE! I know some organizers recommend just getting the stuff out of your space, but I needed the plan to help me make that separation. I want to know my goodies will be going to a good home!

 

2. It's true - you only use about 20% of your stuff. Experts say you only wear 20% of your clothes, use 20% of your possessions, and (by extension!) use 20% of your scrapbooking supplies. Why not whittle it down to the 20% you love? I was amazed at how much stuff I had that I had never touched. (Sidenote: Somehow, the 80/20 rule does not work for me with food. I wish I could say I only ate 20% of what was on my plate... but alas, I cannot lie!)

 

3. Just keep swimming. With the amount of stuff I have to sort through (not to mention the boxes throughout the rest of the house from our move), it really felt like I was making very little progress at times. I had to tell myself that I WAS making progress, it was just going to take some time. I wish I'd taken before and after photos so I could gauge my progress, but the number of empty Rubbermaid containers and the filling boxes of donations helped to spur me on!

 

4. Don't beat yourself up. As I sorted this stuff, I kept saying, "Ugh, what a waste! I can't believe I spent money on all this! What was I thinking?" This kind of negative self-talk does not help! The point is, the money has been spent. Am I going to move on or let that stuff color my life today?

I also worked to create a new story for myself, as my dear friend and personal coach Jennifer Louden says. Instead of saying, "I wasted money on this stuff. I'm an idiot and a spendthrift," I could say, "I spent money on these items, and buying them gave me enjoyment. Now I'm getting enjoyment from moving them on to someone else." (See, Jen, I DO listen to you!).

 

5. Get the stuff out of the house NOW. If you can drop it off the same day, awesome! If not, you just might start second-guessing yourself and go picking through your discards, pulling things out of the boxes like a crow strips carrion from roadkill. If you can't get the rejects OUT, at least seal the boxes, or place them in an area you won't see (basement, closet, etc.). (Sidenote: I wish the young fellows in the photo above were MY garbagemen... I'd toss a lot more!)

What about you? Are you purging? How's it going?

Comments

[Jennifer McGuire]

Great post. I've been purging and organizing, but this definitely gives me more of an idea for a plan. I'm a wing-it kind of gal, so this helps!!

I received an email today that Archiver's is taking donations of unused and gently used scrapbooking supplies. They are donating them to charity. I am planning to take my stuff there.

I'm purging as well as moving stuff to basement storage and keeping an inventory of the stuff in the basement. I scrap in a walk-in closet, so there's just not room for everything. There are empty albums, idea books, and magazines (I have every issue of Simple!) I want to keep, so I've put them in the basement and inventoried what's down there so I can use that for reference.

I really like the advice to just keep swimming and not to beat yourself up. It does take a while to make progress. And the stuff is sunk cost at this point. I figure I'm wasting money on the stuff I could use if I don't get all the stuff I don't use out of the way!

Looking forward to using my stash during the February LOAD!! And hopefully I've made enough room to pick up one of those kits you're making...

[Jennifer McGuire]

Oh, and those playing cards you found...I found two ScrapHappy playing cards telling me to listen to a 9/24 podcast to see if I had won. They were buried under stuff on my inspiration board. How many years have I had those? Did you find the rest of the stack?

[April]

Yep, I started purging my scrapbook room on Friday! I had to stop on Saturday and Sunday to help with some family things and taking down the Christmas tree, and now hubby's gone back to work, so I will start again tomorrow. I don't know how I forgot about keeping some supplies aside for giveaways . . . that will make it much easier to get rid of full sheets of things! Thanks for sharing your tips!

[Barb]

I did the same thing with my kids' outgrown clothing last week. And it wasn't stuff I wanted to hang onto... my problem was disorganization! I put stuff into three (sorry, only three!) piles. Donate to the Salvation Army. Mail to my sister. Mail to my friend. Bags were filled for the Sally Ann and dropped off the same day. Boxes were filled, taped and addressed and taken to the post office, also on the same day.

I did a purge of my supplies in December, and that ended in two boxes being mailed to friends' kids. Need to do another round to make room for some of your cast-offs I snagged last week. Oh, and one of my friends has quit paper scrapping and is sending me stuff, so I really do need to downsize before packages start arriving. :P

[Juel]

I was doing so good when we were getting ready to move in 2008! It felt so good to purge and pass on things......2009? It didn't get off to a good start! October 2009 joined LOAD again, fell in love with scrapbooking again and woke up to what I had been doing to myself for 9 months! I was burying myself and my new scrapbook corner in stuff I haven't touched since I bought it!! Beating myself up over and over again. You are right, the money is gone....today I stop beating myself up and start purging......to ulimately be happy again.

[FuzzyCricket]

I seriously need to tackle my supplies. I have so much stuff I received when I worked for a design team. Most of it I won't ever use. But see, I can't waste things. Food, clothing, craft supplies. It's a genetic thing, inherited from my Mom and Grandma.

So, I really like your plan ahead plan.That is something I can do. I find I can more easily let things go if I know they aren't wasted.

[Jennifer McIntyre @atthebluebarn]

Great article - cute pix - so helpful. We have been purging since September. We have a lot of stuff - Lego, Playmobil, games, Webkinz, not to mention lots of clothes that need to find smaller bodies! I highly recommend a notebook - go thru each room of your home [closets, too if they hold a lot of stuff} and make a list of what you have that has the potential to go someplace else. Then - start moving to along to it's new home. I try to post tips on my blog weekly about cleaning, purging and organising. . .that helps, too!

[karol]

purging here, as well.

so far, we have donated the following to goodwill:

suitcases, outgrown clothes of the girls, cd holders, home decor items, candles, insulated cooler, plates, coffee pot, coasters...

then i put lots of items in the trash.

it feels good. i continue to look at things realistically as i wander through the house decluttering.

great ideas in this post!

[Jersay Girl Anne]

I purged back in August when someone was looking for donations for a womans shelter. It felt good to give to them when i know they would never be able to afford to go out and buy scrapbooking supplies. If my memory serves me correctly didn't you purge your scrapbook stuff when you first moved to MA? :)

[Karen]

I'm on a purging spree as well. I'm trying to do it little by little instead of overwhelming myself. I've done my closet and drawers in the bedroom (did a great job there), and have started with my scrap supplies. Sorted through patterned paper (but I think I kept 80% so perhaps I need to go through it again), organized the cardstock but didn't get rid of much. Your post is inspiring me to go back and purge! I wish I knew I had a good source for all I need to weed out. The thing I needed to hear most was "don't beat yourself up." That's hard not to do. There's a lot of stuff here I'll probably never use. I quit the scrapbook kit, and promised to buy this year only if I needed something to finish a project.

[Raesha]

I have been purging like a mad woman.....goes along with my OLW of CLEANSE for this year:) Sunday afternoon we took 4 overflowing bags to Goodwill and treated ourselves to dinner afterwards at Outback. Nice trade off:) Tons of crap out of the house in exchange for a nice dinner with my Hubby and Miss S. I also cleaned out ALL my shoes on Sunday while watching CSI on Netflix (I miss Warrick:)) and have 4 big tote bags of shoes to take to the resale shop:) It feels SO GOOD!!!! Hopefully soon I will be able to tackle my scrapbooking closet:)

[Lisa]

Yes, I've been organizing and trying to purge for weeks now, but keep getting interrupted and/or overwhelmed,

I also scrap with a few of my daughter's friends, so I tend to keep things so they can use my stash of unwanted goodies. I'm trying to organize everything so we can find things when we do scrap and get ready for LOAD :) Wasn't sure I'd be able to do Load this time around with everything going on, but I'm signing up anyway...Load will keep me motivated to scrap :)

[Crafty P]

the problem I'm having is that the stuff I need to purge takes time- alone time- and usually when I have that time, I'm tired and just want to read a magazine or a blog or something. I need to get motivated b/c I know I have a pair of jeans "hidden" in this house that will fit me better and hopefully do not have a hole in the knees, which though trendy is rather chilly to pull off these blustery days!

As for scrap stuff, I think I'm rather practical and don't buy it excessively. I do have a LOT of paper, but I'm saving up all my goodies for FEBRUARY!!!!!!!

[Jana D]

Thank you. I really needed Jen's advice about how to not feel bad about getting rid of things. Perfect timing.

[Gab]

Love this post! Right now we are contemplating moving back to Hong Kong (not for a couple of years but I need to start thinking about it) and I am a hoarder. I need to go through my stash now - maybe after LOAD - and work out what to do!
When DS has been in hospital, the hospital school room has always been really appreciative of craft supplies and ideas for what to do with them

[Julie Hickey]

Perfect! My mother, who has ALS, has left a legacy of her hoarding and slowly we have been helping my parents sort through and get rid of stuff, but I also need to do it in my own home! I sit and look around me and see piles starting much like what I grew up with and I don't want to be like my parents in 30 years with a house full of STUFF too embarrassed to invite people in! My problem is seeing memories attached to certain things and it is hard to let go of stuff - like right now I am going through my old jewelry box. I have worn the same pair of earrings for about 7 year now but yet I still have a box full of earrings from when I was a teenager! And I remember wearing or purchasing or being given each piece. I know I should let go of it all and just put the past in the past. I need to take a deep breath in and just take the plunge.

[Bev]

I am trying to purge also. I've been in my house over 30 years so things just seem to collect. But I know I am making progress because the book shelf has space and there are empty spots in the closets now. The key for me will be to stay ahead of it all.