Four Months
OK, the new rule/s:
If I'm contemplating a purchase, and I'm seriously and honestly not likely to use/read/whatever that item within four months, then I don't purchase that item, no matter how reasonably priced it is/how much I can currently afford it. If it is a want and not a need, especially. (Non-use would be mostly due to time constraints.)
I don't need to have a large fiber stash, for example. I don't need to have multiple suitcases and chests full of yarn. I don't need to have a huge clothes for fabric stash, either.
I managed to cut down the fiber stash a lot; mostly stuff I'd purchased and either not liked or ended up with too much of one type of fiber. I don't need to buy pounds of fiber unless I have a specific use for it. For example, at the moment I am crocheting a shawl out of blue and grey handspun Shetland. I don't have enough of this colorway for a shawl, or even a scarf. However, I can buy plain gray Shetland to spin and use. In that case, buying 8oz. instead of a braid of 4oz. would be smart.
I use commercial yarns during craft show season. I use handspun for stuff for myself throughout the year, or for gifts. Now, a smart person would craft for the craft shows during the year, or even cut down on the number of craft shows and craft for Etsy instead. And if I honestly only do one or two craft shows per year, then I definitely don't need such a large yarn stash. So that means using it up before buying any additional yarn. (This is not a hardship to not buy new yarn, believe me.) Eventual goal would be to have the yarn stash fit in the small yellow chest and nothing more. This would not, however, include weaving yarns on cones, since they would take up too much space. The eventual goal would be for all weaving yarns on cones to fit on one bookcase. This would mean eliminating the two deep shelves of coned yarns in the chest of drawers with doors.
The fabric stash is what's really out of control. :) And what I truly need to do is make things to cut down on the stash--and I really can't plan on what I make. So the dollmaking return might have to wait for a little while, because I really need to sort through the fabric before I start making stuff, or else I'll end up in the same boat as before. Eventual fabric storage goal would be the chest of drawers with doors and one more closet or chest of drawers.
This will also include household items. And while I may stretch the rule to six months for household items, it's really something that needs to be addressed with household items I already own as well as new purchases.
The second piece to the new rule is if I am contemplating a purchase for resale, and I'm seriously and honestly not going to be able to sell it/repair it/whatever within four months, then again, strongly consider not purchasing it, unless it's so cheap that I could actively look for parts/whatever and make a good deal of money on it when I do resell it.
This means, of course, that some things that have been here for a while need to start moving. And that's what I'll be working on during the next couple of weeks.
If I'm contemplating a purchase, and I'm seriously and honestly not likely to use/read/whatever that item within four months, then I don't purchase that item, no matter how reasonably priced it is/how much I can currently afford it. If it is a want and not a need, especially. (Non-use would be mostly due to time constraints.)
I don't need to have a large fiber stash, for example. I don't need to have multiple suitcases and chests full of yarn. I don't need to have a huge clothes for fabric stash, either.
I managed to cut down the fiber stash a lot; mostly stuff I'd purchased and either not liked or ended up with too much of one type of fiber. I don't need to buy pounds of fiber unless I have a specific use for it. For example, at the moment I am crocheting a shawl out of blue and grey handspun Shetland. I don't have enough of this colorway for a shawl, or even a scarf. However, I can buy plain gray Shetland to spin and use. In that case, buying 8oz. instead of a braid of 4oz. would be smart.
I use commercial yarns during craft show season. I use handspun for stuff for myself throughout the year, or for gifts. Now, a smart person would craft for the craft shows during the year, or even cut down on the number of craft shows and craft for Etsy instead. And if I honestly only do one or two craft shows per year, then I definitely don't need such a large yarn stash. So that means using it up before buying any additional yarn. (This is not a hardship to not buy new yarn, believe me.) Eventual goal would be to have the yarn stash fit in the small yellow chest and nothing more. This would not, however, include weaving yarns on cones, since they would take up too much space. The eventual goal would be for all weaving yarns on cones to fit on one bookcase. This would mean eliminating the two deep shelves of coned yarns in the chest of drawers with doors.
The fabric stash is what's really out of control. :) And what I truly need to do is make things to cut down on the stash--and I really can't plan on what I make. So the dollmaking return might have to wait for a little while, because I really need to sort through the fabric before I start making stuff, or else I'll end up in the same boat as before. Eventual fabric storage goal would be the chest of drawers with doors and one more closet or chest of drawers.
This will also include household items. And while I may stretch the rule to six months for household items, it's really something that needs to be addressed with household items I already own as well as new purchases.
The second piece to the new rule is if I am contemplating a purchase for resale, and I'm seriously and honestly not going to be able to sell it/repair it/whatever within four months, then again, strongly consider not purchasing it, unless it's so cheap that I could actively look for parts/whatever and make a good deal of money on it when I do resell it.
This means, of course, that some things that have been here for a while need to start moving. And that's what I'll be working on during the next couple of weeks.
Comments
One thing that helped shrink my fabric stash was cutting all clothing apart at the seams, and then cutting the seams off where practical. The cut pieces folded much smaller and flatter.