Serious Garage Sale Prep

At least once a year, the store where I teach holds a scrapbooking garage sale. This is a fabulous opportunity to clear out your stash. Customers and employees sign up to be sellers, and payment is given in store credit (less a small percentage for the store). The end result is that you get rid of stuff you no longer need...and in return get store credit to buy new stuff! :) It doesn't get much better than that!

Over the years I've participated in varying degrees. Last year I was busy with many other things and didn't get a chance to sell as much as I should have. So I vowed that this year I would dig much deeper. Our sale is coming up in late April, and so far I have two large boxes packed and priced!

I've been going through all of my stuff and re-assessing what I realisitically need to keep. For example, I looked in this big canvas bin (which I hadn't really looked in for a very long time) and found a number of projects I started but never completed. So I had an honest talk with myself about what I actually WILL complete and kept only those projects. I broke down everything else into components for the sale. 

As I went through this clearing out process, I learned (or re-learned) a few things about myself:

• I often bite off more than I can chew. No surprise there!
• I get frustrated by unfinished projects. I found way too many of them in my craft room.
• I don't seem to care for "week/month/year in the life" type projects. I have started several but have yet to complete one. Honestly, I'd rather document the "big picture" than a single week/month/year. I know a lot of people love these types of projects, but they're just not my thing.
• My tastes in craft supplies have evolved over the years. But not much. :)
• I like versatile, simple products -- no themes.
• I don't want to make things unless they have a definite purpose. I don't want stuff just sitting around gathering dust.
• I have WAY more blue patterned paper than anything else. But WHY? I'm not opposed to blue, but it's definitely not my favorite color. I clearly need to use it more often.
• I love to make cards but don't spend nearly as much time as I'd like doing it. I have enough card-making supplies to set up my own shop!
• I have just a few favorite manufacturers. Realistically, I could probably get rid of everything else. That seems a little drastic right now, but I'm going to give it some thought.
• I especially love to work on my albums but don't devote nearly enough time to it.
• I've got a serious backlog of photos to edit and print.
• I don't have nearly as much stuff as my crafting friends, but I still I have way more than I need, especially when it comes to paper and embellishments.

 Now I'm off to clear out another bin or two! The hardest part is resisting the urge to BUY stuff at the garage sale. The bargains are amazing, and I do love a good deal! I have to keep reminding myself that I'm trying to end up with LESS stuff...not more!

jp