I have heard some people say that buying yarn is a different hobby than using it. Going to the craft store is dangerous for my wallet; I never leave with only what I planned on buying. I justify my spending by saying, “I have such a good coupon!” or “I have the perfect project in mind for this yarn!” or even “I have always wanted to try _____ (insert novelty yarn/trendy new yarn/yarn brand I’ve have been eyeing for a while)!”
But.
Craft stores almost always have good coupons. How many projects do you feasibly make within a given time frame? And most novelty and trendy yarns die quickly because they are just that- a fad that disappears almost as soon as it started. More than once I have bought fun, fashionable yarn only to see it go out of style before I actually make something with it.
My Current Stash Situation
As I looked at all the yarn I have accumulated since I was nine years old, I realized that I have a whole lot of opportunities that I started but never followed through. I have yarn given to me when my taste was very different than today, yarn offloaded onto me by a loving grandmother who decluttered her own stash, yarn snagged from the clearance section because it was only X dollars, yarn purchased for unmade projects, yarn bought in bulk that I have yet to use up, crochet thread acquired for when I learn to make lace, a pile of cotton yarn found at the thrift store for a ridiculously low price, beautiful handmade yarns that are too precious to use up on just any project… You get the picture. I have A LOT of yarn. I have always intended to use it all for my craft, but here we are.
My yarn stash is just too big for the space we have right now. We recently moved, and with any move you find that you can’t put things where they used to be in your last home; it just doesn’t fit the same in your new space. At the moment, our spare bedroom is a tool shed, exercise space, craft room, office, and storage for seasonal decorations. But that will not work long because we need space for visitors and potentially a nursery in the future. We need space to pull the exercise bench out and actually use it. I need a clean enough space to film and take pictures for my small business.
A Minimalist Ideal
I have always been interested in the minimalist mindset: live intentionally with only what you need to have greater purpose in your life. To me, minimalism is living a life without distraction from clutter (physical or mental) and making room and time for things that add value to your life. I’m not extreme by any means, but I think there is merit in styling your life to house only what really matters to you. Minimalists tend to also leave a more positive environmental impact since they cycle through fewer items, invest in quality products that last a long time, and avoid purchasing things that will be discarded quickly.
The collision of these two ideals, living a more minimal lifestyle and clearing out some of my yarn hoard, leads to this 2020 goal of mine: Attacking my Stash.
My 2020 Yarn Goal
I hate the idea of throwing out my yarn to make more room. I hate almost as much the idea of donating it all to a thrift store; there is no guarantee that someone will purchase and use it. I also know that I can’t offload my stash onto my mother and grandma because they both have enough yarn to deal with. All those options feel like giving up to me, as though I am just pushing the problem out of my life rather than working through it. Instead, I want to change my mindset to be more content with what I already have and really use it to its fullest. I want to be more economical (thumbs-up for saving money) and eco-friendly (thumbs-up for saving the planet). I am going to use up as much of my stash as I can during the year 2020.
My Rules to Live By
Like I said, I’m no super minimalist with one cup in my cupboard. In order for this goal to be manageable, I need to set some boundaries and guidelines:
– I need to inventory my yarn (all of it!) so that I can use it up appropriately. I recently bought more yarn because I thought I ran out for a project. Guess what? I hadn’t run out, I just lost track of a skein. I need to organize my stash so that I can work through it effectively.
– I need to plan out what projects I want to make and for what purpose (to sell, to give as gifts, to donate to charitable organizations, etc.). A lot of my yarn was purchased with a project in mind, so I should make that project to complete my vision! I also need to figure out what to do with the yarn that I was gifted or leftover yarn from a previous project so that I can still use it.
– I need to know when I can let myself buy more yarn. I have an Etsy shop, take custom orders from friends and family, and participate as a vendor at craft markets. All those things allow me to make a little money for this craft that I love, so I want to keep doing those things. For my lifestyle (and happiness and sanity), it is unrealistic to demand that I spend absolutely no money on yarn until I use up my whole stash. If I need to make something for an order, I will only purchase yarn if I do not have anything appropriate. For my markets, I will make a plan for how many items I want to make of each type and only purchase the amount of yarn I need to make those items. I do actually have a lot of projects in my queue that I have been meaning to make for my markets, so I may not even need to buy yarn for that.
– I also need to give myself a free pass every once in a while. I LOVE yarn. Like I said, yarn shopping is kind of its own hobby. For my overall happiness and freedom, I am going to allow myself a small budget each month to spend on yarn, if I so choose. I may be doing a pattern test, wanting to try out a new skill, or simply needing a break from my stash. I want to give myself the flexibility to purchase yarn unbegrudgingly so that this challenge can be fun and productive, rather than limiting.
– If I do need to buy yarn, I will start by looking at the thrift store. It is much more eco-friendly to buy yarn secondhand since the cost on the environment has already occurred and you are not contributing to the demand for greater production of that item. I also want to support small businesses with my purchases if I can.
– I will turn off notifications for the craft store apps on my phone. I will only look for coupons if I have exhausted all other options for yarn that I might need over the course of this year. This means no impulse yarn buying.
Tracking my Progress
I am going to keep track of how much yarn I purchase this year and from what sources. I am also planning on doing some research about more small business and eco-friendly yarn companies so that I can support the work they do when I buy more yarn. I also will keep track of how much of my yarn stash I use up. I currently have maybe 8 bins worth of yarn to use. I don’t think it is realistic to use up all of my yarn, but how much do you think I should try to use up this year?
Follow my journey as I work though my yarn this year on my blog or Instagram at my account @crowchetcreations or through the hashtag #attackmystash2020. If you are inspired to use up some of your yarn hoard, tag me so I can see your success! I would also love any ideas you have for stash busting. Cheers to 2020 being a year being content with what you have, finishing some unfinished business, and decluttering!
XO, Emily
