Cathieinut

thank you so much for your post Mousie. you really were able to express some of my very own feelings and it's not just in my sewing room.
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it's amazing how we can rationalize keeping things because they are just too good to throw out or donate to someone else! I hope that in the next 3 to 5 months I'm going to be able to completely revamp a couple of areas in my house that tend to accumulate all kinds of things that I really really don't need or even want that much.
I have also seen that show Neat. I am impressed but the way she works with the participants to get them to see why they are accumulating things and not just convincing them to get rid of it without really thinking about what they're doing!
I will probably never be one of these kinds of people who buy things for the project and only just that no accumulating for some day or this could prove useful in the future! Lol
keep the suggestions up quilters I think they've been very useful so far

Floralfab

I am with you 100%. I decided to go thru my stash and get rid of some fabric. I had many piles made. Some for a thrift shop, some for my friends, some for my guild's sale table. Well hubby got sick and I couldn't do anything else for 3 weeks. When I went back down to begin de-stashing again I went thru the piles I had made and said to myself "I think I could use this piece and that piece" and started putting them back in the hoard. I said "this is sick" and stopped myself before there was no fabric to give away. Today I took 3 bags full to the thrift store. I know it won't last long there as someone will find a good use for it. Don't worry, I stall have quite a stash left!

Mousie

good for you Ffab! after I wrote my reply, I realized that the thread was mainly about our quilting/sewing stuff, but I'm working on that too.
I have a tote that I am tossing stuff in, and when I get it full and slap on that lid, I won't look in it again.
It's hard to let go of fabric, but I'm looking forward to all that I will have left.
I'm trying to be more realistic about what I can actually accomplish.
If I have a little bit of doubt about a piece, I'll cut a fat quarter from it for appliques.
They are my favorite type of quilt.
I'm going to sell some of it in bulk, when I figure out how to do that.
Either here or on Craigslist.
Somebody will get a nice deal.
I'm proud of both of us...this is a BIG thing to do

Floralfab

LOLOLO! When I have doubt about a fabric I too cut off a fat quarter to keep--just in case!!

I go To The Sea To Breathe

Lizzy, we must be sisters! You just described me to a T! So glad to know I have another person like me.

MissJMac

oh to have a portion of your patience and organizational skill Love the idea of getting rid of 2 yr stuff, just wish there was a way to get to that point without all the steps leading to the "get rid of it" LOL

Mousie

this is where it "might" come in handy to have a good quilty friend.
It depends on your personality.
If you can accept their help with organizing and maybe some destashing, that is a good thing.
If you are very guarded and need control of your stuff, it will only seem invasive.
Here's another suggestion: write it down.
What? - write yourself a step by step plan to downsize and just do one or two steps at a time.
I'm great at "giving" advice. Aren't we all?