While I was in wolly world yesterday shopping fabrics, a lady was telling me that she has so much fabric that her husband purchased 2 45' trailers (the ones that semi's pull an call vans) for her to put her stash in. One is already packed full an she is getting ready to start on the other. She was buying a bunch more for her stash.
So my question is when is enough enough?
Not that I wouldn't mind having a large stash close to that. But when do you say to yourself too stop buying?
Please let me know your opinions on this topic.

When there's so much you CAN'T look through it, by all means! When you start filling a trailer like that... there's no way you're displaying them so you can easily access your fabrics. Maybe this is only because I have a small stash... but it's important to me to be able to go through and look at what I have, to match with other things, to find that perfect starter piece for the next quilt, etc.

Currently most of my stash fits on a three shelf bookcase. Not even loose, but in bins assorted by type (asian, batik, Christmas, etc. and/or by project). The only things that don't fit are the scrap boxes (one for cotton, one for flannel) and my big bin of jean pockets for my back-pocket quilt.

For me, personally, I would have to stop collecting when they no longer fit in my limited sewing storage space.

Sounds like this lady really lives by 'She who dies with the most fabric wins'!

If you can't access it because it is packed in trailers then it is hording. And he is enabling.

If you don't have easy access or adequate storage, then it's too much.

Thank you ladygen. I wasn't sure if it was just me that thought this was a little extreme.
I also have limited space in my home. I have 3 plastic tubs with drawers and 1 book shelf an a cabinet that I keep my sewing supplies in. There is a little more than what I listed. I am afraid if i ever overloaded on farbic my husband might leave.

There's a tv show about Hoarding. Sounds like she could be in an upcoming episode! :-D

I have quite a bit of fabric IMO, two drawers which hold 120 yards each are mostly full and cabinets which have about another 100 yards right now. Yet, I'm sure my stash looks small compared to that of many of you. I wonder how many actually have tallied up the yardage in their collection? I would NEVER have guessed that I have that much yardage simply by looking at it. :shock:

That's not a stash, it's a quilt store. Well it's about 10 times as much as the rare quilt fabric counters we are lucky to find here.
And I thought my little hoard was bad - its nothing!

That would be hoarding. When you refuse to part with it, even to use it yourself, it's hoarding. When you collect beyond your capacity to store and access things, it's hoarding. When the things you treasure are destroyed because you have collected beyond your capacity to store and care for them, that's hoarding. I'll bet that lady's house is also full to near capacity and I'll bet that when she dies all that fabric goes straight to the dump because it'll be nasty with mold and mildew and maybe even mice.

Watch Hoarders on A&E. It's a real eye opener.

You also have a wonderful storage system, everything is beautifully organized, and you can access everything you have!

On another note, are you going to Sew Expo? I'd love to meet you! :)

All I can say is I can't wait to go to that garage sale when she passes on!!!