Show Notes
Welcome to The Craft Room. Today let's talk about the thing that everyeone seems to be talking about ... decluttering. it really does feel like everybody is talking about declulttering at the moment (minimalism would be a close second), so let's go there today, specifically in relation to craft stuff. Now if you haven't heard of Marie Kondo, she is a Japanese professional organiser. Her book, 'The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering & Organising', is a New York Times best seller. She even has a series on Netflix! She has brought decluttering into mainstream conversation, but she is one of thousands of professional organisers world wide. The rise of organising as a profession can really only mean one thing ... too many people have too much stuff, and need help to get it sorted. LINKS FlyLady - http://www.flylady.net/ Organize 365 - https://organize365.com/ Marie Kondo - https://konmari.com/ My blog post for this episode - https://dawnlewis.com.au/podcast-episode-7-should-you-kondo-your-craft/ In episode 6 I talked about tidying up / decluttering as a way to get your crafting mojo back. Regardless of whether prefer to work in a neat environment or one with all your supplies on display, a good tidy up to get your supplies organised has serious benefits.
1. Time - We waste an enormous amount of time looking for things. Being able to find what you need straight away means more time crafting and less wasted time looking. 2. Space - At some point we all hit capacity when it comes to craft supply storage. If we continue to accumulate supplies faster than we can use them, then we're going to end up with a bit of craft chaos. Removing old, unwanted, unloved and damaged supplies creates space for new goodies we can't wait to use. 3. Treasure - I always say that organising your craft supplies is like a treasure hunt. You find things you thought were lost, that you forgot you had, or a stockpile of staples that will save you a trip to the store later. It can spark ideas for new projects, and unearth old projects you can't wait to finish. 4. Trash - The flip side to the 'treasure' coin is trash. Chances are that there are dried up paint tubes, brushes with solid bristles, empty packages, moth-eaten yarn or damaged supplies in your stash. Moving out the trash means more room for the treasure.
Identifying how craft supplies came into your house can be helpful in the decluttering decision making process. I can think of 8 ways that craft stuff comes into my home. 1. Consumables - I bought this because it's something I always use. 2. Project - I bought this with a particular project in mind. 3. Stash building - I bought this because I like to work late at night and would like a variety of supplies to choose from. 4. You love it - I bought this because I loved it so much I couldn't bear to leave it behind. 5. It was on sale - I bought this because it was marked way down in the bargain bin, and too good a price to pass up. 6. Gifts - I was given this as a gift. 7. Swaps - I received this when I partcipated in a swap. 8. Freebies - I got this for free (on the cover of a magazine, in a goodie bag at the craft show, when I was on a design team).
Identifying how an item came to be in your stash can help you make decisions about whether it needs to stay or go. The Kondo method has you hold each item and ask yourself if it sparks joy. Honestly, if I were to do that with my craft supplies it would take years. So ... I have some other questions you can ask yourself that may help you decide if something stays or goes.
1. Does it spark joy? 2. Am I really going to use this? 3. Can I think of a use for this? 4. Is this still my style? 5. Is this in good enough condition to use? 6. Can I keep part and donate the rest? 7. Did I put this in the 'donate' pile, then feel sad? (kind of the flip side question to #1). 8. Is there a reason I haven't used this already? 9. If my house burned down, would
More from The Craft Room Podcast
Hello and welcome to The Craft Room Podcast. I'm so glad you're joining me today, as we are talking about forgotten gems. If you've been crafting for a long time, like me, then you likely have a LOT of amazing products and resources. Back in episode 40 I talked about The Craft Stash, and this is kind of an extension of that episode. Usually when people talk about forgotten gems, they're referring to old movies or television shows, paintings or travel destinations. But this is a craft podcast, so, of course, we are going to be talking about them in the context of crafting. In thinking about this for a few weeks, I've found that forgotten crafty gems tend to fall into one of three categories … 1. Physical (which falls into 3 sub-categories - Consumables, Tools, References/Resources) 2. Virtual/digital 3. Techniques/knowledge So … what can we do to uncover our forgotten crafting gems. Well, before we talk about that, I would like to remind you of one important thing. If you were out in Lightning Ridge mining for opals, not everything you dig up is going to be a beautiful gem. There's going to be a whole lot of rubble, and, let's be honest … there's going to be some dirt. The same applies when searching for forgotten crafting gems, in your stash, on the internet, on your computer, your phone or in your memory. Be prepared to find a few things that you look at and wonder 'Why did I keep this?', and I suspect there will be some dust, and potentially a dead bug in there somewhere. The easiest way to find anything is to look for it, and I'll walk you through from low effort / low time options, then we'll level up. 1. Look 2. Closer Look 3. Sort 4. Organise If there's anything I hope you take away from this episode, I hope it is this … * It's worth pressing pause on bringing new things into your home so you can take some time to look at what you have, decide what you love and curate a craft stash that is a true treasure chest. * Keep track of your virtual and digital gems so you can enjoy them before they disappear. Block out some time to watch that video, look at old bookmarked pages, work your way through that online course or print those checklists and templates and use them. * Sometimes we need to clear the rubble and the dirt (and the dead fly) so our gems can truly shine. One crafters rubble is another crafters treasure. Mostly I hope that you find great joy in your craft stash, and if you find a truly amazing treasure, please feel free to share it, maybe in the Craft with Dawn Lewis Facebook group (link in show notes and on the blog). Enjoy the gem hunt, and happy crafting!
Today on The Craft Room Podcast, let's talk about something that most crafters will probably consider at some point in their lives … a no spend year. Sometimes it's a month, a quarter, six months … but most commonly I see people setting this goal for a whole year. It might sound drastic, even unthinkable to some, but in this economy, especially with the rising prices of craft supplies, there are plenty of people doing a no-spend year. I'm not trying to talk anyone into such a dramatic situation, and, of course, there are some alternatives, so let's talk about the difference between a no spend, low spend and mindful spend year, the reasons you might consider them, and how you can succeed at such a challenge.
Hello and welcome to The Craft Room Podcast. I'm so glad you're joining me today, as we are talking about the benefits of swatching. Yes, I am on a swatching kick right now and it all started thanks to my friend Sally. I went to visit her last month and she showed me her beautifully organised craft supplies, but more importantly she showed me her ink pad swatches. I knew the second I saw it that this was the solution I had been looking for for years. It's not like I've never swatched before. My Copic markers are swatched out on a hex chart, I've swatched some pencils and a watercolour palette. But I didn't have what I have always wanted … a swatch folder with all the colours in one place. Until I saw Sally's I didn't know why I was baulking at it, and the reality is … I wanted more swatches to a page. It's not like a plastic sleeve with pockets is a revolutionary product, but I'd never seen coin collecting sleeves used for swatching before. I will link to the ones I used below.
Today on The Craft Room Podcast, let's talk about my Big Announcement and Product Longevity.