HOARDING CRAFTS: WHEN IT HELPS, WHEN IT HURTS

When I hear the word hoarding, my mind is immediately flooded with horrifying pictures from the TV show Hoarders. I imagine stacks of papers to ceilings, rotting vegetables, and mounds of garbage in a living room.

The Google dictionary defines hoarding as:

:  a temporary board fence put about a building being erected or repaired —called also hoard

 Hoarding is a billboard.

Thanks, Google, for once again attempting to prove smarter than the human mind and revealing my inept ability in correctly speaking the English language.

It seems I should be researching  to hoard - let's try again.

Google defines hoard as:

1. 1. amass (money or valued objects) and hide or store away.

      "thousands of antiques hoarded by a compulsive collector"

Okay, that's pretty bad. But what if you find something and you swear you will use it in good time for a specific purpose?

If you come across a good deal on things you KNOW you will use, I think hoarding is completely acceptable. Here are some tips if you're thinking about hoarding some items for crafts.

First thing is to know what you have!

This is so important. I can't count the number of times I have gone out of my way to purchase something only to find that I DID have it all along. Nothing is worse than wasting time and money on what was never needed in the first place.

Before stockpiling for craft projects ask yourself:

       1. Do I have a plan for it?
       2. Do I have a place for it?
       3. Do I have a budget for it?
       4. Can it be used in multiple ways or multiple times?

If you answer NO to any of these questions, it is probably best to pass on bringing it home or keeping it. The point of appropriate hoarding is to have things on hand to make something. Ultimately, your goal should be to save money. If your purchase won't save money in the long run, don't buy it!

Another thing is to set a price ceiling.

Here are a few items I collect and the maximum price I will pay for them:

        1. Natural wood and antique frames - $1.00
        2. Ribbon - $3.00
        3. Tissue paper and gift bags (save from gifts) - $0.00  I only reuse!
        4. Baskets - Depends the size and quality.
        5. Wood trays $3.00
        6. Stuffing for pillows - $0.00 - I only reuse!

By setting these standards, which may seem unrealistic, I am forced to go to thrift stores, consignment shops, Good Will, Craigslist, Ebay, and tag sales for my all of my craft needs.
I also buy clearance at commercial craft stores like Michael's and A.C. Moore.

I also try to make sure my creations will create profit. If no one will buy what I am making, or if I won't use it myself, I often find myself re-thinking projects and going through my inventory.

What collecting shouldn't be is doing it out of compulsion, anxiety, paranoia, or just because you can.

My fortune teller and tea tag collage board is a perfect example of how I successfully utilized (and diminished - which is a plus!) my resources of cards, frames, and fortune cookie tellers and tea tags.


It's surprising how drastically a single project can deplete your stockpiles, so at times, more is better.

Keep your resources simple and try to DIY as often as possible!

Hopefully, your hoarding will HELP your projects. If it is hurting your space, wallet, time, and relationships, then deplete your resources and purchase as you need them. Not all of us find it easy to manage time and resources in advance of their use, and that's okay, too.

Stick to these tips and your aggravation should be spared no matter how you gather your craft ingredients.

Happy Hunting!