Making v Minimalism – I love my stuff, and also it turns out, I routinely need fewer things than I think I will.

(This is maybe the second cleanest, a desk of mine has ever been.)

I lived out of a suitcase for months, and never touched two of the dresses I packed.

I packed a suitcase for 10 weeks of traveling, and ended up living out of it for 8 months.

I did start to add more clothes to that suitcase sized wardrobe, and it turned out I didn’t need to.

As it turns out, I routinely need fewer things than I think I will.

It’s taken me about two months to finally unpack and sort through everything I had in storage during the 8 months I was living out of a carry-on suitcase (and a purse).

The sorting has left in its wake, about two garbage bags to get donated. And I get the sense there’s more to come.

I’ve never desired that my space, and my things look minimalist-Insta-perfect. Not even Insta-crafter-perfect.

First of all, I have too many books to fit on a single bookcase. Let alone a single bookcase that has books, plants, PLUS chachkes.

Secondly, I make things. I make things, that are made out of stuff.

I make things out of stuff. And in order to make things, you first need the stuff.

Stuff: yarn, fabric, needles, thread, bead, paper, etc. etc.

Things: clothes, accessories, costumes, blankets, decoration, and anything else I damn well please.

So, I need stuff (and I love it) to make things.

And at the same time, it turns out, that I routinely need less than I think I will.

Maybe it’s time to plant a thought seed of possibility in my yarn, fabric & fiber stashes.

Maybe I don’t need to hold on to yarn (or fabric, or fiber, or buttons, or shoes, or clothes) “just in case…” or because “it could become…”

Maybe being a maker (who needs stuff to make things) and letting stuff go are not mutually exclusive.

Thought-seed planted.

…

I know many of you who read are makers, I’d love to hear your approach to keeping the balance between having “stuff” (materials, tools, etc.) and not being overwhelmed by having “stuff.”