A big black bin bag day
Today I did something that I don’t think I’ve ever done. I decided to really declutter part of my sewing room. Somehow my sewing stuff has always been sacrosanct when it comes to chucking things out and over the last twenty five or so years it’s just accumulated and accumulated…..
….until today.
I’ve really reached the point where the amount of stuff is getting me down. I can’t find the things I want because there’s so much that I don’t that gets in the way. My space is really tiny and squeezed under the eaves and THERE IS NO SPACE FOR ANYTHING. I’ve got piles of things everywhere imaginable. I can’t move and it’s really getting me down.
So this morning armed with my trusty bin bags I set to.
First to go were the dressmaking patterns – anything with 1980’s style shoulders or that would make me look like a sack of potatoes hit the plastic. Anything that looked like something my mother would wear or that I had made and hated went, along with any not very nice or kitchy children’s patterns. I will sew when I have grandchildren, but only the really nice stuff. The rest can go….
Half a bin bag full and a pattern box with free space and full of things that actually make me want to make them.
Next were the quilting patterns. I decided anything that looked dull, involved landscapes (remember when those were the next big thing? Was that in the 1990’s?), teddy bears or intricately appliqued flowers were history…..some of the patterns had been there for 20 years. Wow. One bin bag full and a lot of space left for the rest. I even came across a few nice things that I had forgotten I had.
Next it was time to throw away some memories. Over the years I’ve made zillions of samples in quilting classes. They’ve been things that I really knew in my heart of hearts weren’t ever going to go anywhere, but I hung on to them on the off chance that I would do something with them. I had to say very strictly to myself that it was never going to happen and after rescuing any usable fabric (there wasn’t much), into the bag they went.
They were quickly followed by some rather ancient clothes that needed altering and which I decided I didn’t even like anymore.
The result?
Honestly, between you and me, I feel like a big breath of fresh air has just blown through my little room. There was so much stuff that was never, ever going to be used and it feels really liberating to be done with it. I have so much more space. My WIP boxes fit on a shelf of their very own. My books all fit properly into the bookcase – no more gravity-defying piles. I should be able keep the whole place clean really easily now because I can actually get to everything. IT’S WONDERFUL!
I also feel like I’m brimming over with the urge to create. A great big weight has been lifted and everything is fresh and organized. In a little over an hour I managed to give myself a great big psychological lift (and it didn’t cost me anything!).
You’ll probably have noticed that I didn’t touch the fabrics. Some things really are too precious to get rid of!
Helen
September 26th, 2012 at 12:45 pm
I know exactly how it feels – like you say, a breath of fresh air! We used to have to do this regularly when we lived in a rabbit hutch / flat in London and it felt great. Now we are out in suburbia we have a loft and a garage and a heck of a lot of stuff in boxes. A lot of it is “just in case” stuff. “Just in case” we have another baby. Yeah right! I am going to put a day in the calendar where I go into the loft, bin bag in hand. I shall be ruthless!
September 26th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Woot! Sometimes one needs to have a good talk with oneself, no matter how much one wishes not to. I know that when my roof is fixed and I get my loft sorted out to house crafty things, I will joyously offload reusable stuff up there, but I will also get rid of things at that point. Right now it’s all too scattered, or crammed that I just can’t face it without all the new storage and things o.O
September 26th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
I did the same a few weeks ago. However, I even got rid of some fabrics! People gave me lots of stuff they didn’t want to keep so I had a good look at them and chucked half of them in the bin. I still have quite a bit of junk that needs to be sorted out but it was great to start off with something.
Well done and happy creating!
September 26th, 2012 at 3:21 pm
I’ve been trying to do the same thing in small doses – the first nice day that comes along is going to see me outdoors with two wicker baskets full of I do not know – haven’t touched them since I stopped sewing for myself must be 20+ years ago – who knows what I will find (hopefully not moths – hence the reason for taking it outdoors).
Enjoy your liberation!!!!!
September 26th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Doesn’t it feel good to clear out things you will never use? I’ve been quilting just over 30 years (yikes!) and three months ago I sorted and got rid of lots of stuff. I even took two huge suitcases full of fabric to my quilt guild. We have a free table where anyone can help themselves to items other members no longer want. Now my fabric shelves are somewhat organized and my bookcases are no longer bulging. And it’s so much easier to find things I want to use that I’m inspired to sew even more.
September 26th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Ah, this is what I was supposed to be doing up in among the knitting stuff upstairs for the last couple of weeks. I chickened out and concentrated on preparing other things for my soon-to-arrive visitor (hi Elaine!) instead… Maybe I’ll wait till it’s cold enough to make a fire and spend a day sorting and rearranging that attic floor. Live in hope.
Well done for tackling the dragon, enjoy!
September 26th, 2012 at 10:14 pm
ooooo I LOVE a good chuck out!!! I was waiting to see if you had thrown away any fabric so I could put a’you threw away what!!!?’ comment, but good for you for making so much space without throwing fabric away!! xx
September 26th, 2012 at 11:37 pm
I threw away about 10 years worth of gardeners world magazines which I held on to just in case. I never missed them once!
September 27th, 2012 at 12:31 am
I need to do this…I just have the hardest time giving away fabric…but I can definitely see that it will inspire me to create more!
September 27th, 2012 at 3:00 am
I really struggle with organization – and getting rid of stuff. That’s what I absolutely have to do with my crafty area. Currently it’s a disaster.
September 27th, 2012 at 6:51 am
We have been on a purging rampage at chez stanley, too. It is a wonderful feeling