2021 Maker Stash-Down

Well we finally made it to the end of 2020 and I’m glad to see it go! I started the Maker Stash-Down last year and I really feel like I need a do-over. My stash really didn’t go down, but increased and my maker mojo seemed to peter out about half way through the year. This year, I’m determined to decrease my whole stash by at least half. Wishful thinking? We shall see!

I did a Maker Finish-Along in 2019 with monthly challenges and for the Maker Stash-Down last year I shared monthly goals & what I did. Well, kinda monthly goals because things really fell off about September. Ahem.

This year I’m going to sorta, kinda combine those two things. I’m going to do a monthly post with goals for the month and what I actually achieved the month before. Plus I want to throw out some challenges in the Facebook group each month. Here’s a little bullet point list for what’s gonna happen {hopefully!}:

• Monthly blog posts with my goals & makes – Last Friday of the month {that means 2 blog posts for January}
• 2 to 3 challenges in the Facebook group each month – These will be simple and fun and hopefully help you keep your maker mojo going!
• Monthly live in the Facebook group – I plan on doing this on the last Friday as well at about 7 p.m. EST. Just want to hang out with my maker friends!

So, that’s basically what’s happening each month. What do y’all need to do to participate? Just share your goals and makes each month in the Facebook group – it’s really that simple! Share with the group and let us all see how you’re stashing down this year. Then you’ll be put in the drawing for a $20 Amazon gift card each month. Pretty awesome, right? : D

Now, let’s take a look at what I’m working on this month!

Clean and….

For those that are new, welcome to my maker space! This is an extra bedroom in my house that’s bursting at the seams currently. There may be overflow in my son’s old room…what can I say? Makers gotta make and sometimes things get messy y’all!

I have been working on reorganizing some things and trying to start clearing out clutter this past week. This wall as to the right of the doorway, which I was standing in when taking the above picture. It’s yarny stuff, but I really need something better for hanging project bags.

The boxes in front of the shelves are the start of my crafty clear out. Continuing to the right past the hallway door, there’s my main fabric shelf. Those bins on top are quilt WIPs I need to finish and I’d really like to match fabric to patterns. I think this will help me par it down more.

The shelves at the top of the walls hold various DIY “stuff”. This is my sewing corner which I think I need to rearrange a bit. I did clear up several things that were hanging on my sewing rack.

Declutter

Swinging on around my drafting table, you’ll see my tool rack and another fabric shelf. This one is mostly fabric and such for bags for my Etsy shop. The top two shelves hold more quilt WIPS. : P

This corner holds more yarn, paper crafts, paint, jewelry making stuff, etc. I really need to reorganize this whole area! And no, that’s not all my yarn. Most of it’s in my son’s old room in bins, haha!

This corner holds my thinking chair and filing cabinet plus a furry friend! That’s a closet door he’s in front of which is full of stuff that has to be moved. Hopefully that happens soon and I’ll be able to utilize the space.

I need a better stool because the one I have is very hard and not at all comfortable. Sounds like a project brewing! : )

The last wall has a clothes drying rack holding zippers above another shelf. That’s where I moved all my scrap bins, which are currently overflowing!

January Goals

This month I’m going to focus on clearing up clutter, like projects I’m not going to finish, maker supplies I’m not going to use, and generally streamline my space. Here’s another list for ya:

• Match fabric and yarn to patterns – I think this will help me let go of things I’m just not going to use and focus on what I really want to do
• Finish or clear out WIPs – Time to see what makes the cut and what needs to move on. No more UFOs floating around!
• Make a plan of action – I want to be sure to set aside time each week to work on personal projects. Most of my making this year was for the shop, which I love, but I need flex my maker muscles in other ways.

I’ve already started trying to clear up some crafty clutter. The top 3 pics are projects that were hanging on my sewing rack. The bottom one is a quilt top in progress using up some of my leftovers from the bag club in my shop.

I’m looking forward to lightening the load and really getting some making done this year. I hope y’all will join the Maker Stash-Down and have fun connecting with other makers in the group. It’s really fun to see what everyone’s making and you never know what you might see. All makers are welcome so, if you know a maker, invite them to join in the fun!