Use it up, Throw it out, Make it Work or Do Without? {A Konmari Question}

Hi friends! I got a very similar question from several viewers after posting my current craft room tour last week, it went something like this:

“Lindsay, are there things you kept to use up that you won’t rebuy once they are gone?”

Good question! The thing that kept me from purging supplies in the past was that it felt wasteful. Don’t get me wrong, I did not throw away any “good supplies” I purged. They were given to friends, schools or donated to people who could use them. I did keep some things because I know I’ll use them up but not buy again. Are you wondering what these items are? Watch the video and find out!

Video!

The thing that decluttering using the Konmari method from The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up taught me is that things come into out lives to fulfill a purpose, when they are done fulfilling the purpose you can let them go. My cheap white cardstock is currently fulfilling a purpose and I am using it up, when I run out I will only replenish a couple of brands: My Neenah Classic Crest (for alcohol marker coloring), My Heavyweight Recollections (for card bases) and my cheap utilitarian Georgia Pacific from Sam’s Club for inky backgrounds, gel printing, party printables and other projects where I do not need the premium qualities of the others. I am also buying in appropriate amounts. I come from a teaching background where I bought in bulk to get the per project cost low and that habit of looking for the cheapest price kept me buying massive amounts that I could not realistically use up. I also had a fear of wasting supplies unless I had a lot of back stock. This is called the “fear of running out” and I think that is what causes most of us to hoard stuff especially craft supplies because companies only produce a limited run of paper/embellishments and when it’s gone it’s gone. Brilliant marketing on their part but I don’t have to fall for it LOL! There will always be newer, cuter and more trendy things to buy in the future if we use up our current stash up and we bought it to use it right?

I want to thank you for the thought provoking questions you ask after every Konmari craft room video and if you want to see the other videos in this series you can find the playlist here! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!