Decluttering mailing and office supplies

Because of two group swaps. One is for RAKS only USA, SEPT<and GIFT faith sister, SEPT. (You can see both groups in my profile if you are interested) It was time to tackle another mess.

Both of the partners I was to send to in SEPT, wanted big and small note cards and letters sets and stickers. Time to clean out the bins. I have one labeled note cards, one labeled envelopes and one labeled Misc. more like thinking of you and thank you notes.

I also had 3 containers in my cupboard. I was able to organize enough to dispose of one cardboard box. I sent two stuffed Flat rate padded priority envelopes, one to each partner. (You can get these flat rate padded envelopes free from USPS.com). Each one cost $8 with my printable postage. It is a tiny bit more if you don't use printable postage. I use paypal.

What I found:

1. I have too much, I sure belong here in the Craft Hoarders group

2. I have odd greeting cards that I wont use. Father's day cards, New baby card, and just odd cards. I made a pile of them, and plan to give them away. envelopes included.

3. I have cards without matching envelopes and a box of envelopes to match up, but don't look like they will fit the oddball cards.

4. I plan to post RAKS here, and over on the group Raks only USA, the rest will go back to the thrift store, where I probably got some of them In a bag of stuff, anyway.

I have posted a RAK in the group forum for those who sign up. 4 sets of cards to give away.

https://www.swap-bot.com/forums/topic/158846

Rak closes SEPT 13th like this swap.

I decided to purge the black hole of darkness. My studio is a converted 2 1/2 car garage. In one corner by the steps, the previous owner installed a shower stall. Not a full bathroom, not a room with a shower, but just a fully plumbed working shower in the corner. When I moved in, I put a board across the top edge so I could use 4 feet high space above for storage, and I also filled the shower with my packing supplies. As I run a business from the studio as well as my swapping and other crafting projects...I buy shipping envelopes in bulk cases, so I have them all stacked up in there, I often toss smaller boxes onto the shelf to be used later and I keep odd bits of bubble wrap for shipping. I pulled everyhing outh, when I say everything, I mean I haven't seen the back of the shower in 10 years. I condensed my enveloped into fewer boxes, I discovered 3 boxes of inventory for my shop that I had forgotten about (like all brand new in the packages), I pull all of that out for photographing, I bagged up all of the odd pieces of bubble wrap, I flattened about 20 boxes and put them in a larger box and offered them for free on our buy nothing site. I also offered my old label printed for free and got rid of that. I was able to fit all of my shipping envelopes into 3 fewer boxes, I was able to get the bubble wrap into a single bag, and put the poly mailers into a small bin. Everything fit back in there with room to spare and I was able to donate two things that were taking up space. I also reorganized my shipping station, where I weigh and print labels. I got a new cart to hold my tower and it has the perfect shelf for the label printer and scale, this enabled me to get rid of the old shelf that they were on, because it had too much space and just collected odds and ends. I tossed or donated the old hard drive, the random sample postage supplies, the old photo paper, the random cd's and other odds and ends that migrated there. I am feeling so much more efficient! And I have all that inventory to photograph for my shop! :o)

Ah, so up for this challenge! I tend to hoard shipping materials and they get out of control, especially now that I am sending fewer packages. I went through my entire pile of padded mailers I have kept, thinking I would reuse them - and I saved just 10 out of the 40+ I had shoved into a cabinet. I gave a few of them to a friend who can use them for her online store, and I did recycle a bunch of the plastic ones from Amazon. Next I tackled my stash of cardboard boxes! What is it about cardboard boxes that gift me a thrill. Almost any box - I work in a store and there are always the best shipping cartons or product packaging boxes that are too nice to throw away and I take them all home and throw them into the back of my front hall closet, hidden by the coats. Only now, I took out all the coats to get at the boxes and they just spilled out everywhere. Over 60 boxes of different shapes and sizes that i am never going to use. I kept just 8 of them! I am so proud of myself. The rest I tied up and left for recycling! I'm not saying I won't stash more, but I will really be better about it. I decided I liked a clean closet and have moved them all out of there and into a small space in my craft room. The only surprises I found was just how much dust can get in the back of a closed closet and the joy of a sense of accomplishment from clearing it out! Even my hubby was impressed!

Great to read about your experiences, @rabbitfreedom and @Christopherpines Your stories remind me that I am not alone in my mess.

@rabbitfreedom I have similar problem with my tupperware cupboard, the stuff falls out in my head, and dang if I have not matched up the lids with the bottoms. Hence my hosting of the kitchen clean up swap. I should do it soon.