2013 Annual DeStash-Along

[jfer007]

I've already broken down and bought 8 skeins of yarn! But, it is for a Valentine present, so it's not going in my stash. So, i don't feel too bad, but it is just sitting on my floor now. It's hard to craft a surprise when the person you are crafting for is in the same small house

[Kookaloo_Starr]

Ah jfer007, I guess you'll be crocheting in the bathroom late at night then? I have the same problem, no secrets in this tiny house!

[trinalocakary]

Went back to ufyh and realized this girl is only 20. She should have the physical energy to have done this already. I've been collecting for a long time and at her age, the only mess I had was the bed. With some help I could accomplish these projects easily and wish I had the stamina. 20 on 10 off is what I have basically been doing, and I'm worn out.

I don't like that she implies we are lazy. I am but, I'm almost 3 times her age and also work for a living. I'm not spewing any dis-respect, I'm just saying we all have our own abilities, and it seems on a good day with a lot of coffee I could match her.

Moral of the story, don't feel guilty at all. Embrace your craftiness, which apparently she is not into. Let us keep re-purposing our stuff. We feel better for it. I worked in here about an hour total today sorting the tiny stuff and planning on the organization and started the donate box down here.

Definitely going over to the givers and needers. Fabric is piling up and that is my biggest hoard.

Peace out. Just at an age where I can be candid and tell it like I see it. (The funny thing, my deceased Dad's column was titled, "The way I see it." I come by it honestly.

Do a search on Tumblr for ufyh and read the posts people tag like that, it is individuals with disabilities and health issues, or who due to circumstances have fallen behind who write the posts and show photos, it helps when I fall behind myself.  She doesn't write much herself and posts other people's blog posts.  By the way at 20 my life and apt were a disaster.
A huge help came getting ready for the birthday party I am giving a friend, in prep for sorting the art room we took everything to the garage and set the room up as a lounge area.  All the time I feel my house is a mess, that I can't keep up but it took us less than 2 hours of casual work to get it party ready and about 75% decorated for a Russian theme party and that included moving the remaining storage stuff out of that room and moving all the random kitchen stuff out as well.
The thing is the house is fine it is now within 30 mins of "guest ready" at all times except for the craft room so realizing that this one black hole was dragging me down has motivated more and more to get it organized and keep it clean and put together.
I also think this craft along will help a lot.

[vampedangel14]

I have a small stash (but still enough that I have no where to put anything new) and I only have two rooms to work in (still live at home). I love the stacking drawers and I have many of them that have all my stuff in it plus half of a dresser filled with stuff. I have yarn in a few different places. All of my things are already organized since I do it when I buy things and I have always been a neat and organized person even when I was a kid.

My problem is that I think of a project and go buy stuff for it only to then forget what I bought everything for! Then I'll make something else using bits and pieces only to then remember what I had originally bought the stuff for. I then go out again and rebuy the things I need, then again forget what I was going to do. Nope, I don't write anything down and I really need to start doing that.

I live in Massachusetts and if anyone else lives here or around me and has a huge stash that needs organizing for, send me a message. If you are close enough to me, I would not mind going over some weekend and helping you organize things or clean. Seriously!  Looking at all the exploding stash pictures is giving me itchy fingers XD (I'm not a neat freak either. Just like things organized, lol).

[ScrappySue]

meowari and anyone else interested, I actually find Flylady a wobderful resource for cleaning and sorting tips, and she has helped me move from a swirl of "I never get anything done!" to , I can do anything for 15minutes.
But back to the craft room which has eluded any kind of organisation.
I dont mind having heaps of stuff cos I make heaps of things, but what bothers me is when I cant find what I am looking for and get totally bogged down.
So I started to follow the challenges and quickly realised that I needed to actually clean off the huge teetering mound plentiful supplies from the floor., before I can work out what I have.
So far I have gathered a box of scraps and bits of fabric I can part with for a friend new to sewing, who has requested stuff. Its oddly easier for me to pass things on than toss.
I have a giant storage box of wools to felt, fabrics for medieval garb,but the rest lacks any sort of oprganisation. Still, its all progress. Thanks for the inspiration peoples!
S

[fishstix43]

Oh, I definitely find it easier to pass things on to others rather than toss them!  I don't know about other places, but here's there's always people on freecycle looking for fabric scraps. Anytime they get too overwhelming, I just bag them up and list them, and within about 3 days someone has always come to get them.  So even if you don't know anyone in person that needs them, check out freecycle.  Pretty sure this goes for yarn too, but I don't pay as much attention to that since I don't really do yarny things.   

[Taramor]

meowari and anyone else interested, I actually find Flylady a wobderful resource for cleaning and sorting tips, and she has helped me move from a swirl of "I never get anything done!" to , I can do anything for 15minutes.

I second that. I found a lot of help on Flylady, and she isn't calling anybody lazy or anything like it.
And Lovesclutter - I have heard people say "I never have time to read", when they see my books, and even looking proud saying it.  . I have time to craft, and to read - but maybe I don't have time to watch a stupid show on TV, or a sportsgame...

[cursive_queen]

Ok, I"m showing off my mess.  Honestly - the bulk is fabric that's either scraps, or larger pieces that have been cut into.  I just need to get a good system to get it organized at put away.  I tried to do a panoramic view.  In the last photo, the stuff against the back wall is hubby's tools, not my craft stuff

[kaz814]

Okay here are my first 2013 destashing projects!

A magnet board, two bulletin boards, and paper organizers!  (Linked so I don't cross post too much.  )

[Wulf]

When people look at my bookshelves (and there are a lot of them) and ask "Have you actually read all those books?", the answer is always "No, not all of them. What's the use of only having books you've already read?" Similarly for "Are you using all that stuff?", the answer is "I haven't yet, that's why I still have it."

I'm glad to have found UFYH (thanks to whoever suggested it here - I've forgotten who it was) and think there's a lot of useful stuff there. If you haven't yet read the Fundamentals page, it's worth looking at. She says "If you are someone dealing with physical limitations, chronic illness, chronic pain, mental illness, or any other situation that makes getting your living environment under control difficult, please know that you are not lazy, and that we know that “getting off your ass” may not be easy or even possible sometimes."  I particularly like the post about "How do I keep the place clean when no one will help?" This one particularly struck home for me.

Wulf