Scissorhands

Two weeks ago, we had some painting done in a spare bedroom which necessitated moving all of my art supplies, paperarts/stamp materials and large collection of quilting & handcraft books/magazines down the hall to my sewing room.  Just writing that sentence foreshadows the problem.  With so much free space in this house, I've spread out all over and with everything accumulated in one room, it was quite a revelation.  I say *everything*, yet yarns and knitting books/materials are downstairs in the computer room.  Ai-yi-yi.  Seeing it all there together...oh, and all of the art supplies were actually stacked in the adjacent bathroom...I had flash forwards to having to unpack all of this stuff in the next house, which will be decidedly smaller.

I can hear you all thinking, "Is this a republished post from last year?  Didn't she do all this before she put the house up for sale in June?"   That was then, this is now.  That was nibbling, though it didn't feel like it at the time.  This is serious editing.  Painful, even.  Three things prompted it.

• Seeing everything piled together in a space that's probably still larger than what I'll have in the next place.  (And thinking about unpacking it all when I get there.  Ugh.)
• Handing M a fistful of Goodwill receipts while he was doing the taxes last week.  When he asked me what was in all of the ennumerated bags & boxes I donated, I literally couldn't think of one thing.
• An occasional viewer of Oprah, I caught a recent episode in which organization expert Peter Walsh was counseling a poor woman whose kitchen was stuffed with cookbooks and supplies, many of which she had never used.  When she told him she always intended to do more serious baking, he said something to the effect of  'This is not who you are but who you want to be.' 

Wow, that last one really struck a chord with this former art teacher.  I've accumulated so many supplies and references for disparate art & handcraft interests that I'm drowning here.  I took a hard look at my real passions...the ones I actually practice and enjoy...and am now trying to put the blinders on to all of these competing endeavors which tempt my time and expenditures.

So that's where I've been the last week.  Interviewing realtors, tidying up and ruthlessly editing my supplies.  It's not easy but feels great.  One thing I'll share is that I've been cutting out favorite quilt photos from numerous saved sources...calendars, magazines and, *yikes*, even some books. I had tons (almost literally) of reference materials that I've been hauling around from house to house, taking up shelf space, for the sake of a few precious photos and I finally made the bold decision to extract them.  In one triumph, 16" of space was cleared when I went through my 20 year collection of Quilt Engagement Calendars, clipping out my favorite quilts.  A hefty 2" stack resulted, but now my faves are all in one place and free to be pinned up on a bulletin board for quick reference or inspiration.

Of course, that got all of my quilting juices flowing again, but since we're *reintroducing* the house to the market on Monday, I'm tamping down such inclinations in the interest of the staging efforts of our new realtor.  Not for long, though.  And a new mitten is in the works.  Back sooner than later...promise!

Comments

[KT]

Thank you so much for both the words and pictures. Your fabric stash looks very balanced, something I need to learn. I have way too many huge prints vs. very few blenders and small prints. Also, I almost missed the tulip on your design wall! It is wonderful.

[Kristin La Flamme]

Editing from 16" to 2" is impressive. Over the years my art supplies have morphed from art school needs, to artist's book making and other paper arts, to quilting -- with bits of graphic design, stamping and knitting thrown in for good measure. I'd love to keep all the supplies for all of the things that interest me, but with moving every three years or so and never knowing what kind of living quarters we'll have, it's just not practical. We have to feed the muse that's currently residing with us, and as for the rest of the stuff -- well, there probably wasn't enough time in the day for all of it anyways. Feel great about your ruthless editing!!

BTW, I've been seeing lots of variations on zig-zag quilts lately (or maybe my muse is just noticing them right now) and I really like the one you seem to have in progress.

[abby]

When I was recovering from the flu last year, I went through years of Martha Stewarts and pulled articles and recipes, slid the pieces into sheet protectors, and put them in a large binder. It felt so great to clear up that space.

(I've also donated 100 books - so far - to a local library for their upcoming sale. That feels great!)

[Hobbygåsa]

That is, what can I say, a lot. But I totally understand you, I am a collector too, I collect everthing that in any way, and perhaps maybe can be used for my several hobbies. That takes a lot of space. Your last mitten is beautiful!

[Cara]

Mmmmmm...mmmmm...mmmmm! Guess what I'm chewing on? You are THE BEST! THANK YOU!!!!!

[Stephanie]

That looks like a big room of heaven!

[KathieB]

I should print out this post and paste it to my forehead. Living in the same house (which has more than ample storage) for fifteen years has allowed my stuff to expand to frightful proportions. There are the QNMs going back to the early 80s, and my Threads going back to issue 1 etc., etc. I bet I could free up some space if I ever made the decision to get rid of all those magazines. And fabric. Oh lord, the fabric... And on and on and on.

[amandajean]

oh, my, your fabric stash is beautiful!!! good luck with the downsizing....I feel your pain.

[Scribbles & Bits]

That last one is the one sticking with me, too. With the move, that's been a real eye-opener. Rex and I have both had to pare down and start analyzing who we are and who we want to be and either merge the two or give up. We're trying to merge right now, but we'll see how that goes. Sorry, long and rambly comment.

[deirdre]

I am so with you. I had a bin with: 1 bottle of india ink, three yellow ping pongs, an eraser, a metal thing that I picked up off the street because it looks like a polar bear, a plastic spoon, a straw, and a painter's palette. Why do I have these? I *may* use them, one day.

[Cindra]

This is why I am never going to move! The thought of doing all this brings on panic attacks.
What is that gorgeous quilt on the wall?

[Leslie]

Looks like you're making good progress and you will feel so good when it's done! I read recently a suggestion to scan all those magazine clippings and store them online--sounds good but I have yet to tackle that!

[Sally]

Oh my gosh, good luck with all of it! We recently downsized from 3000 sq ft to 1775 sq ft and it is SO HARD to deal with smaller spaces. But then you adjust and you get used to it, and you love the small spaces for what they allow you to focus on. I really miss our old (huge) bookshelf, but having to pare down our books was a great exercise in deciding WHO WE REALLY ARE. Sending house-selling vibes!

[Loretta]

I don't envy you this task. Having moved across country three times in 7 years, I know the drill well. But, now we've been here for 7 years and I see the stuff accumulating. Brava to you for culling your stash and for putting on those blinders.

[Kathie]

I love the zig zag quilt on your wall!! I have a whole room that is separate from our house for my creative endeavors. It was built as an artists studio and the light is great there. the room is completely filled with fabric, yarn, embroidery floss, photos, pictures from magazines....all the things I love. Once in awhile my husband suggests turning my room into a game room with a pool table and bar. It's my room, it's my inspiration, it's me. Things I have had since I was in high school--- over 25 years ago--- I may want them, they may inspire me, or I may want to throw them away some day...but they are mine and they feel like they are me.

[Tonya R]

I love having my inspiration notebooks with all the pictures gathered together. much easier to find them that way than all spread out through different magazines. I love the glimpses of your work room though. Cheddar Houses look great and love that zigzag too. Sorry you're having to go through all that house selling pain - good luck to you.

[Cascade Lily]

That room looks like a crafter's dream Jan :) Ah well, so will the next one - with half the amount of 'stuff'! Good luck with it!

[Amy]

WOW, that quote so inspired me... I had to quit reading to throw my thoughts onto my blog...
http://thecalicocat.blogspot.com/2008/02/quote-effect.html

BTW Love the zig zag quilt that you have on your design wall.

[Chris]

Thanks for sharing that quote. That's giving me quite a bit to think about right now. :) Good luck with the continuing house stuff.

[Nancy]

Fantastic and inspirational post! These arty hobbies bring home loads of stuff and sometimes you've got to be ruthless.

[Norma]

A couple things: Holy COW you have a lot of stuff. That's not helping in any way, I know.

But I read the part about the cookbooks with interest. I recently did that with my cookbooks. I had two huge cupboards full of cookbooks I hadn't even browsed in for probably 20 years. I don't bake anymore, except on the most odd occasion, and when I do, the recipes are mostly all on the internet now anyway (old favorites from the back of Hershey's Cocoa Cans, for example). Cooking, I cook very simply nowadays -- simple clean meats, fish & poultry with vegetables and salads, and anything else I do, I do by feel, without a recipe.

I got rid of them all. It made a whole lot of new space for the new pinot stemware I got. It's just the tiniest dent, and I want to do more, more, MORE. It's a bit hard with my husband. He actually lets me get rid of stuff that's "mine," but NOT his crap. And worse, even with mine, he makes me SO MAD because he literally goes through the garbage or the Goodwill piles and pulls stuff back out. It makes me CRAZY!!!

[dee]

I can't stop looking at your neat shelves....really can't stop. I've never seen neat shelves like that. I think I must go into my, now famous, Closet of Shame and weep quietly. When I come out, if I do, I will come back and try to focus all my attention on the beautiful zig-zag quilt on the wall that I can't focus on now because your shelves are so neat.

[monica]

yes I can relate to that... but look at all thoseamazing fabrics ....

please don't ever give up quilting. or mittens knitting. The one above is totally divine.

[Jean]

O.K. now you need to take a deep breath..... in, out, in, out! Yep, that's good for you too! I'ts hard to purge out the stuff you hang on too. But, in the long run.... it's less stuff you have to go thru later to actually find what you are looking for in the first place! Take it from me, I've been doing the same thing! So nice to be able to look at a shelf and see what your looking for! Plus, you know as well as I do that there are things that we just won't or don't want to get back to in our "old" life! Memories are great... let's just keep them that!
Your zig-zag quilt is great... hang in there. If you do it now, then there is more time for doing what's fun later!
Jean

[dorie]

I know you look at that photo and see things you need to go through, but all I can see are lovely works in progress!

[Jaye]

Perhaps some schools in your area would want some of the supplies?

[Sarah]

Hey Jan, bring on that stash, it looks something like mine but more organised! Loving that quilt on your design wall :) Sarah

[Shannon]

Scary how easy it is to collect when you've got so much space to spread it out. When I moved overseas I got rid of 75% of my possessions - that was 3.5 years ago. Even six months after the fact I couldn't remember what I got rid of (not counting the big things like a couch and bed). It feel good to have that weight (literally and figuratively) removed from your life!

[Doni in Nebraska]

We sound like soul sisters! I, too, am weaning myself from so much stuff. I went thru all my Quilt Engagement Calendars - ripped out the calendar parts and am hoping to bind the quilt photos together once I'm off crutches! I thought I was the only one holding on to those wonderful quilt photos!

doni in nebraska

[Karen Beigh (Log Cabin Quilter)]

I was browsing through blogs and came across yours. I like the two quilts on the wall that you are working on. Both the house quilt and the zigzag but especially the zigzag design.

[mathea]

Is it a sign of the times or what? There seems to be a lot of paring down "going around" lately. I too have been going through my stuff to see what I can get rid of. I have tonnes of magazines, and have started ever so slowly going through them placing post-its on pages where I see something I might like to make one day. The ones that end up without post-its sticking out go straight to the recycling bin, and then we'll see about the rest... I have thrown out at least 50 since the beginning of the year, and it does feel good!
I love your shelves of fabric and works in progress though - there's a lot of inspiration in that room. And I must admit to a little jump of joy when noticing your Project Spectrum quilt tops there: "Oh goody, she doesn't always finish her quilts right away either!" But we will one day, right? And we might need those art supplies one day, right? ;-)

[Nettie]

Also loving that quilt on the design wall. Looks sort of Amish in color scheme. Another one who is desperately trying to pare down here, but my place is mayhem compared to yours.
Impressed with how you're just venturing into the unknown with that mitten.

[Sandy Sparacino]

Did this organizer offer any tips on how to figure out who you really are, not who you want to be? This is a great post! I read about it on Spiral... then followed the trail thru another blog to land here! GREAT post!

[Anita]

'This is not who you are but who you want to be.'

Ouch! I think that statement may cause some serious self-reflection in the near future. Good, but painful.

On a totally different note, I absolutely LOVE that haystack/zig-zag quilt on your design wall! Love, love, love it!

[Lissa]

I love your stash, so organised and I love the quilts on your design wall too..
Hedgehog sent me here!

and I'll be sure to return!

Lissa

[Danette]

I am reading "It's All Too Much" right now. It is a fantastic book by Peter Walsh. I love the idea of simplifying and focusing and turning our lives back to a more simple time so we can enjoy what is really important.
I have to say though, you look pretty darn organized to me!! And incredibly talented.