There's one word that constantly causes chaos in this challenge:Might.
Here's an example of a typical week in the TSS household as the pressure rises before the Saturday midnight STSS deadline...
Me: "OK, I need to get rid of some stuff or we're not going to meet target this week."
Me: "Well, I might wear it. You know. In the middle of winter. If it's been raining for a while so most of my usual choices are dirty and I'm desperate. Or I could layer it. Besides, I might feel like some colour..."
Me: "OK then. That pair of sneakers that go with the orange 3/4 pants and the khaki 3/4 pants. Neither of which fit you at the moment. So maybe you could get rid of them while you're at it..."
Me: "Well I plan to get back to the gym so will fit back into them and then I'll need the shoes. Besides, it seems a pity to get rid of perfectly good shoes. I might wear out all the rest one day and need them..."
Me: "All those suits you don't wear now you work from home so only need one to wear out to visits and stuff?"
Me: "Might move into an office/ change jobs/ wear out current suit choice and need back up/ get bored..."
Me (sighing heavily): "That roll of wallpaper you picked up years ago to use in a vintage 70s dolls house roombox which has never been built?"
Me: "Might get around to it and be pissed off I threw out the perfect wallpaper..."
Me (starting to look very frustrated): "Big pile of empty boxes in the garage?"
Me: "Might get thrown out of flat and need to move..."
Me (with steam escaping out ears): "Pile of videos you've watched? Books you've read? Games you hardly ever play?
Me (looking supercilious): Might want to watch them again/ read them again/ play them again!
Me (Banging head against wall): ARGGGGHHHHH!
In:
* 5 magazines
* 25 videos (A gift from someone in our Sydney office who offered them to me when she discovered that *gasp!* I still used a video player. How could I say no to a lovely selection of Ab Fab, Red Dwarf, Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister, none of which I've seen yet? I justified the acquisition by deciding I'll pass them on when I've watched them)
* 1 black zipfront hoodie (boy's size 12. Fits perfectly. Mwhahaha!)
* 1 Space Explorer apron for repurposing
and 1 vintage French DMC cross stitch book (I thought I *ahem* might be tempted back to cross stitch this year.) 
My total frugalling spend this week: $1.50 for both. (We won't talk about what I picked up for Taph just yet...)
* 7 orphan cream knitting needles from Taph. Two of which found matches in my orphan needle collection.
Total In this week: 40
Out:
* 4 washcloths, 1 knitted cupcake, 1 book: gifts
* 34 Avant cards that have been hanging round for ever and I know I'll never use (because I still have a heap I like that I'd use instead): recycling. * 20 duplicate photos. Remember the old days when it was cheaper to just get the whole film printed twice than go back for reprints? What I want to know is why I still have the extra prints over 10 years later and after a trans Tasman shift: recycling
Total Out this week: 60
I have to admit this was a tough week with the arrival of that box of videos. I'd been focussing my attention more on finishing stuff off for Finish it off Friday - which, in the long term, will result in more outs (34 knitted cupcakes, anyone?) but doesn't help the figures much.
So I pulled the old Avant card clearout out from up my sleeve where I'd been saving it for just such an occassion and used it to obtain the emergency number boost I needed. Sort of like my Get out of jail free card. So the numbers are fine but if I look at the net bulk of stuff coming into and out of the house this week it's not good...
Shake-it-all-about:
* See Finish it off Friday
Net items out so far during Seven Things Spring: 269
I've been thinking about the slump this week, partly due to lots of creative energy going into actual creation. Is this a preview of what life will be like when there's no more excess stuff to maintain. Full on creative energy? Bring it on!
ReplyDeleteOK. We're crafters. Ergo you're completely deluded if you think we'll ever get to a stage of having "no more excess stuff to maintain".
ReplyDeleteIt's like believing that a reader might get to the stage where they've read all their books. Or a baker might have tried all the recipes they've collected.
As crafters we'll always have excess stuff, it's just a matter of how much we have and how well we can get to it when we need to use it!
At least you were in the positive - something I didn't manage this week. I am hosting a dinner this week for the bandits (people with gastric bands), and I have a heap of clothes to give away - which will either be taken today, or go to the Gungahlin Vinnies when they open.
ReplyDeleteNow I will have a LOCAL store to give my stuff to ;) Not to say collect stuff from.
I am afraid I agree with the always having excess stuff when being a crafter - it is just that.... maybe I may come to the end of what I am prepared to part with! Have to remember I did the MASSIVE clean out 2 years ago when we moved to Canberra. I was supposed to only come with things I REALLY wanted! Now, forget about the amount I have accumulated int he mean time!
Where did you find the spinning wheel for Taph. I have seen a couple in shops around - and looked at them twice (only twice though)
I bought a couple of Dolls and Bears magazines this morning - there was three in the price for one. There are some lovely dolls clothes patterns in there, very tempting for the collection.
Janet McK
Space Explorer apron - every home should have one.
ReplyDeleteyeah - I am a big one for 'i might fit into that again'.
ReplyDeleteI just try to remember that I am not on the breadline, and if I lose a stack of weight I will be so excited I'll want to buy new stuff anyway.
I still have a fair stash of 1-2 sizes too small stuff though.
Stash isn't stuff - well yarn stash isn't. At least not yet. Stash is what I'm creative with and if being creative is "maintaining" stash then, that's all the maintenance I want to do.
ReplyDeleteyou're still letting more out than in and thinking about it. That Space Explorer apron rocks!
ReplyDeleteCasp - you're quite right. Although I feel like I'm a lot closer to the breadline than I'm used to be(earning 60% of what you used to (and spending 50% of each week's pay on rent)does that!)I chose to spend my spare cash on travel. If I need new clothes I can always divert that cash in another direction for a while...
ReplyDeleteJanet - the wheel came from Salvos Belconnen.