Get in Clean Out Mode

Hello there fellow thrifters! Abby here! I’m not sure about you all, but I’m still in the new year, clean out mode – by the time the holidays are over, I’m ready to put all the decorations and new things away, and clean out what we don’t need (and donate those things that are still in good condition).

I can’t remember if I’ve shared here, but I’ve been struggling with severe crafter’s block (is that a thing? Like writer’s block, but for crafter’s). Call it a lack of inspiration (or time), but I’ve been struggling trying to come up with fun ideas to share with you all here.

So for today’s post, I thought I’d take a different approach by sharing some of the ways I use to get re-inspired:

Clean up

Whenever I feel uninspired, cleaning makes me feel better (in fact, I thought of the premise of this post while I was doing the nightly sweep of our kitchen to clean it up for the next day). I’m lucky to have a dedicated space in our house for all my craft supplies with some crafting space (this is where I write all of these blog posts). Unfortunately, with space, comes clutter, at least that’s what I’ve found to happen. With the new year, I made an effort to do a quick sweep of all of my craft supplies to see what I would realistically use for upcoming projects. Having reduced time for projects makes this such a crucial step. Once I determined what I didn’t need anymore or wouldn’t have time to get to, I found ways to repurpose, reuse or recycle these items. I sent a box full of scrapbooking goodies to a friend. I donated a box full of supplies to the Crafty Mart Craft Closet –https://www.facebook.com/akroncraftymart/. I recycled the rest. Believe it or not, the below photo is after I cleaned up – I still have some work to do .

Take Inventory

Once you’ve cleaned up your space, take inventory of what you have and what you might need to finish that project that’s been sitting around forever. Once you know what you need, head to your local Goodwill. You never know what you may find. I visited the Waterloo store and found lots and lots of yarn and knitting materials. Pom-poms for life! I’ve also found that while I’ve been taking inventory of what I do have, I get distracted and start to craft on the spot with something I’ve found. Win, Win!

Go for a walk (outside or around a thrift store)

While you are at your local Goodwill looking for specific items you may need, feel free to wander around and see what else there is. I love to go to a thrift store with no plan in mind, wander for a while, and let the inventory inspire me. You never know what you might find. Some of my best Halloween costumes have come about this way.

Let your mind wander

If you can’t get to a Goodwill to be inspired, go online, meditate, get outside. Obviously, Pinterest is a never-ending rabbit hole of inspiration, but what about just wandering around your neighborhood or the Farmer’s market?

When all else fails, take a nap (no, seriously).

How do you get yourself out of a funk and inspired again? Share with us on social @goodwillakron or @bottesdeleanor.

Good luck!

-Abby