It’s a scrapbooker’s right to own and use all the latest and greatest products available. However, the problem is, when you buy all these great gadgets, gizmo’s and supplies, are you really using them all?
What happens to a lot of scrapbookers, is that a few months or years down the road, we have an accumulation of supplies and products that we might never use again. As I’ve said before, my philosophy is that if you purchase a product, for every dollar spent, one layout has to be completed. Again, that means if I spend $15.00 on a fastener, I need to be sure I use that fastener on 15 layouts to make it worth the purchase.
Honestly, if you stick to that philosophy you will feel better about your purchases down the line, when that item or product doesn’t seem “popular” anymore.
But what do you do when you haven’t followed that philosophy and you find yourself inundated with too much stuff. Of course you can donate it, or pitch it. But you don’t always have to go to that extreme.
Remember that a homemade card is a really personal way to stay in touch with someone. Use up some of those old “Hot Off The Press” papers, you know – the ones with all those busy patterns that wouldn’t dare enter your albums anymore? They are great for themed cards and cards for kids. You can save up some papers and use them for birthdays and Christmas to either wrap a small gift, or use as a hang tag.
If you have a plethora of punches like I do, let the kids play with them. Or lend them to your child’s classroom at the beginning of the year, or just give them to the teacher to have.
And lastly, the best thing to do when you have committed one of the Biggest Scrapbooking Mistakes – Buying Too Much – is to sell it. Have a garage sale, use Ebay and even Amazon for books and such. You can earn some money to purchase some new stuff. Purge every year and you’ll have all the latest and greatest.
Don’t forget to check out my blog for new ways to use some of the old supplies you’ve accumulated. There are many articles scattered around on various topics from punches to decorative scissors.