unclutter | Craft Supplies, Good Bye

I'm bipolar II and I mention this to explain that when I say I get involved in hobbies and buy craft supplies for them when I'm manic it's very often true. I buy them, I use them intently for a few days (less than a week), and then they sit.

This has resulted in a large bin of craft supplies I simply do not use sitting in my dining room for well over a year. Closer to three years, actually, as I believe I put it all together and started trying to give it away before Covid hit. I know so many crafty people and none of them wanted sheets of felt and gold thread and a large box of sequins and multiple types of craft glue? How? What?

I'd previously been very stern with myself and gone through my art supplies, finally admitting that I don't actually paint much at all, haven't for years, and gave all my oil, acrylic, and watercolor paints and many brushes to a friend who DOES paint. I've kept my inks, smaller brushes, and dip pens. I don't use them that often but I -do- use them.

A friend of mine posted on facebook that she was looking for donations of art/craft supplies for a child care thing her community was doing. I lept into action, showing her photos of what I had with the caveat that SHE HAD TO TAKE THE ENTIRE THING.

She showed up, and she did take the entire thing.

She also took a box of child-interest magazines, sidewalk chalk, tempera paint and finger paint, and dry erase boards that I'd kept aside for someone else. I realized that I wasn't going to actually deliver it to that person any time soon so off it went.

I don't have a HUGE amount of extra space from getting rid of that bin and that box but emotionally it's a weight lifted. I don't have to think about them any more. I can put other things in their place. I don't have to look at them.

It's a relief. It's a small thing, but it's still a relief.