How/what do you purge

[Trixie]

I took today off and spent it rearranging furniture. The result is less storage in my craft room. Stuff needs to go anyway. Where do I start? I would love to hear what you have gotten rid of and if you have any regrets. I don't know where to start.

Judy

[clamscrapper]

Typically the choices I make to purge come back to bite me. I am getting a new storage building and am going to have to make some of the same choices. I'll just take it a step at a time. Things I don't use all the time will either go to storage to be easily accessible or will be purged.

Will be interested in the different responses.

[jfugina]

I'm interested in the responses too, given that the only things I've ever purged have been dried up ink and gummed up shimmer sprays. Oh.. actually, I did get rid of a bunch of Mrs. Grossman's stickers once. But I think I maybe just gave them to Nicole for her private scrapbook stash. Which means they're still in the house.

I know what I could probably start with and not even notice that the stuff is gone, would be paper punches, and dies. Those were the first tools I started accumulating, and I just never used them much. I have around 10 sets of sizzix alphas - two of the original size and the rest are those thin sizzlits dies. My die collection is ridiculous. I could reclaim a ton of space if I pared that down. I could also probably lose nearly 100 wood mounted stamps and not notice.

[Keitha]

I am not a purger, told myself for years I didn't need to because I had enough room for all my stuff. Which was true until recently... but it's still not in my nature, and frankly I hate the process. That said, I have done some purging in recent months, with no regrets so far. Doing it in little bits works best for me, and putting everything aside for a couple months before donating it helped me let go of it. I will say I don't care about the age of something so if I like it I keep it, no matter how old it is.
Paper: I've been through it all and taken out anything I know I'd never use on a layout or project. Which was more than it should have been - bad choices, leftovers from a line I've already used enough of, multiples I don't need, anything that made me go 'what was I thinking?'. If I bought paper pads I could easily purge 40-50% of those - either not something I'd use or too many of the same thing.
Alphas: I now know what I like so have purged stickers/Thickers that are letters printed in circles or squares rather than diecut, and leftovers where I can't spell whole words - I don't care for the random or 'ransom' look. I've purged some dimensional alphas but hoard my Ki Memories acrylic letters which I still adore.
Anything dried up or that doesn't work, from colour mediums to adhesive. That's a good place to start actually, as it gets your head in the right space.
Embellishments: are mostly organized in thematic drawers, and I've been through about a quarter of those. Pulled out anything I know for sure I won't use, and as long as what's left still fits in the drawer I call it good.
Sorted by type and still to be purged: ribbons, buttons and other tiny dimensional doo-dads in bead boxes, chipboard - both alphas and shapes - and I hate to say it, but stamps. It's been about 5 years since I purged tools and probably time to do it again; pretty sure I got rid of the ol' BG Notch & Die set, but think I still have the Memory Makers Tagmaker, LOL.

[pamcook]

Do I love it?
Does it make me smile?
Will I use it?

If no to all of them, it needs to go. It's just taking up the small amount of space I have for those things that make me smile, I love, and/or will use.

[pbp908]

Do I love it?
Does it make me smile?
Will I use it?

If no to all of them, it needs to go. It's just taking up the small amount of space I have for those things that make me smile, I love, and/or will use.

This, exactly! Why do you think I'm still hanging onto that one lonely sticker??

The only thing I regret is the coffee stain stamp that I sent out with a purge box. I have some things in boxes that I know I'll never use, and if anyone would like a box from me, please speak up.

[clamscrapper]

I did a big purge awhile back and gave a lot of things to my daughter for scrap booking and lots of paints to my granddaughter. That was a good purge. I've kept lots of things that my two youngest grandchildren use all the time. Takes up space for me but they love art and love to get into
my products and create so it's well worth it to me to keep.

[Trixie]

I laughed when I read Julie's response. That is me to a T. Dried up paints. Then I come to a standstill. I decided to stop and group things first. All the paper. All the stamps. All the paint... Then go through like things all at once. The trouble is that I like everything. I can always use that scrap of paper for a card...

I think one thing that gets me is my "collections". Christmas stuff, beach stuff, Graphic 45 stuff, heritage stuff... I am determined to figure it out this time. I seem to use the same few supplies over and over. Sigh. There is so much money in that room. It is crazy.

[ScrappinJen]

I don't purge my scrapping stuff. But this year I did start a serious clothing purge. Does that count? Perhaps it will trickle down?

[mpizzazz]

I took today off and spent it rearranging furniture. The result is less storage in my craft room. Stuff needs to go anyway. Where do I start? I would love to hear what you have gotten rid of and if you have any regrets. I don't know where to start.

Judy

Don't think of the whole room, Judy, it will paralysis you and you won't do anything. One drawer or box at a time is manageable even if you only do one per evening or one a week. Put the stuff you purge somewhere else-garage, shed, etc-if you don't go back to it and take something out in the next few months then donate it.

And that whole "do you love it or use it" thing really works. We did our whole house a few winters ago and even Ray could do it!

[Keitha]

Judy, your mention of collections makes me wonder, do you like to use themed product? I personally love it; while I agree that you can go over-the-top on a scrapbook page, I personally feel that the judicious use of paper or embellishments that support the story or photos enhances it. A Christmas layout just doesn't say Christmas to me without some Christmas product in the layout; if it's all generic, why not just put the photos in a photo album? But that's just my opinion of course. The point I'm trying to get to is that if you prefer generic products, perhaps you can more easily purge some of the themed stuff that even though is pretty you'd never use. If you like/use themed product, maybe some of the generic stuff could go and you wouldn't miss it. Something to keep in mind as you go through your stash.

[Trixie]

They are themed. I don't have a lot of themed but Christmas, heritage,and beach are the biggies.

I thought I saw a 30 day step by step craft room purge and organize plan, but I have googled it every which way and can't find it. I have been working on this for 3 days, but haven't thrown much out.

[pbp908]

It's a class on scrapbook.com. Some great ideas there.

[Trixie]

That is it!!! Thank you, Pam.

[nchoney]

Started "Spring cleaning" my scrapbook room last night (after finishing the Valentine's cards ) - haven't been able to work in there since the big packing-up prior to H. Matthew rolling through... so now's the time! I've already tossed a big bag of trash.... getting rid of cardboard boxes and junk that doesn't need to be in that room anyway... then I'll start purging. I've got lots of packs of paper that I won't ever use all of... so Helen has a friend who's permanently in a wheelchair and makes greeting cards and sells them on Etsy so she can buy more supplies to keep making more... I think she's a worthy cause, so I'll be packing a box of things I won't use and passing them along to her. That should free up a lot of my paper storage space, for starters!!