Hands up if you’re a hoarder?
Is your stockpile of craft supplies getting out of control, and do you sneak new purchases into the house and hide them under the spare bed as if they were a pair of designer shoes?
Whether your weakness is for fabulous fabrics, beautiful beads, tactile craft papers, or sumptuous trims and twiddly bits, don’t worry you are not alone: this magpie instinct is inherent in many of us, but it can become a bit of a problem if you no longer know what materials you own or how to find them.
The addiction can begin quite innocently if you tend to work on bespoke commissions. You can find yourself buying new materials every time you take an order, which leaves you with surplus stock to chuck on the pile or squeeze into the cupboard/drawers.
One crafter I was chatting to gave a different excuse for her mountain of material: “When I buy a fabric I have fallen in love with, I often can’t bear to make anything out of it because then I know I have to part with it! I save my favourites, but I’m not quite sure exactly what I’m saving them for. It’s like a fabric museum in my craft room.”
So why not see if you can turn your stash into some cash? Have a good rummage, and see what you could make and sell. It may have to be one-off or a limited edition, but that will only make it all the more desirable.
Hang on a minute – aren’t I always banging on about having a cohesive product collection? Yes, indeed, but I also like to see you making profit. Stock gathering dust is a big no-no in any business, but being creative and resourceful with the materials you have available, and turning them into cold hard cash, is very exciting.
Have a go – see what you can make from what you are already sitting on. Or here’s another idea – if you don’t feel inspired to create finished items, how about putting together some craft kits with cute instructions for your customers to have a go with? And here’s the payback: when the money starts rolling in, you can use it to invest in new stock!
Post below to let me know how you get on.
P.S. If you need to get organised, check out my mouthwatering pinterest board for creative craft storage ideas.
