Saturday, February 22, 2014

Big Fat Lies

I recently read a post on NorthDixie Designs that caught me in exactly the same place:  Trying to clean out stuff and rearrange to have more room.  More efficient room.  I mentioned it on my book blog--how I just continue to store things I "might" need or want later.  

Huge trashbags have gone in the trash, as I clean out the small attic space, where some boxes have been sitting since our move several years ago and where I hide stuff just to get it out of the way because I can't quite bring myself to throw it in the trash.  

Here are some of the Big Fat Lies Dixie mentions:  



"I will save these little snippets of fabric and make a doll quilt."
"I will re-read these old  magazines for inspiration."
"I need more fabric." "I NEEEEEEEED ________ (fill in the blank)."
"I will make tote bags out of these remnants of upholstery fabric."
"I have time to add one more thing to my plate."
"I will make a doll out of these chair parts."


 Sadly, EVERY one of them applies to me!  I kid you not--even the chair parts!  Well, actually, my version is 3 spindles from a table.  You can check out what else Dixie has to say here.

I can't even work on all of my WIPs because I need better organization, and the chaos overwhelms me.  Yesterday, I wouldn't even go up there to see what I debated on tossing, but  had been unable to actually put in either the latest trash bag or the box for GoodWill.

While resigned to this chore taking weeks, if not months, I also continue to discover little things that had been forgotten or misplaced.  Some boxes, just have to be set aside because going through them would require too much time, and I know that I want to keep the mementos, photos, notes, and folders.  


And fabric?  Why did I keep these particular scraps?  I don't even like them. Then I discover something like small pieced blocks that never made it to a quilt and think, "Oh, this will be good to put in the "heart" basket, where I keep all of the scrappy things for making hearts.

(More on the stuffed hearts later.)

One of my problems is that I love all crafting:  sewing, embroidery, clay, mixed media, assemblage, weaving.  Which means an awful lot of craft supplies...and unfinished projects.



Notice the 3 spindles, legs from some small, old table
that I bought at a flea market.
I paid for 3 old table legs!
Of course, I will use them, eventually....

The other WIPs have been around for months now.

Going upstairs now for another round!


10 comments:

  1. My WIPs have gotten out of hand, too. You should see the stuff I have saved just in case I want it for a craft project. I've done several purges of the stuff, but don't seem to get very far before I'm back to "I need that". ;)

    At least I know I have company.

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  2. Marie - :) The "Just in Case" file! (or closet, or attic) As soon as you toss it, you need it. And is it really possible to begin a new project without "needing" something?

    Oh, yes, you have company!

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  3. Hi Jenclaire! I cleaned the attic out last weekend and there was alot more in our garbage and alot less in the attic when I got done!! LOL!! I got rid of some things that I was saving for just the right project! I did donate some things to Good Will.

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  4. The number of times I've needed something I previously got rid of and subsequently replaced is really small, compared to the joy and lightness I felt getting rid of said thing in the first place.

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  5. Sherri - A clean slate! Good for you! I'm working on it, but finding it slow process. Getting rid of stuff is just the first step, though. Have also got to rearrange and organize. :)

    Connie Rose - It does give a sense of lightness and satisfaction to see space open up!

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  6. Hi Jenclair. You sure speak to me on this one! I've quit posting about my cleaning out and getting rid of and so on, because it feels never-ending! But I am much better about letting go that I used to be. Some of that has to do with my dream (read that as obsession!) with tiny house living. I keep talking to myself about what will fit in my one day tiny house living! I'm cleaning out Everything!!And I have come to huge realizations about what I will and won't do on the creative front. Just today, I sold a quilt book J. bought for me years ago. I knew from the get-go that it was not My kind of quilting, but kept it because it was a gift from him and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. The price on it was $29.99...which I'm sure he did not pay. I got talked down to $6.00...and now she's ready to take her first class and fall in love with quilting (or not) and start her own buying frenzy!!! When he and I talked about it and I showed him the cover of the book...he didn't even remember it...AT ALL!!! So, there you go! Just Why was I keeping it all of these years!!! lol Never used, brand new and cloaked in pure silliness of the ways of 'keeping'. Sometimes "someday" doesn't come and that is fine!

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  7. Oh yes! I've got lots of WIPs too, and so many "just in case" stuff... It's so difficult to throw things away. I understand you.

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  8. Nancy - :) I read the Tiny House blog daily. Now that is stream-lined living! You are right, clearing out has to be on-going. I love that you cleared your clutter by selling your quilt book, and gave another woman a new obsession!

    Francoise - I hope I can continue to cull things after finishing this attempt, but I feel that would be asking too much.

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  9. Ah, I see I have company! ;-) I loved Connie's comment above, and really needed to read that to keep me going.

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  10. Dixie - It is nice to know that there are others who suffer from the same accumulation syndrome! I loved your post, and although I still have a way to go, I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel--and spending less time debating!

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Good to hear from you!