Un- hoarding Post Quarantine

Like so many, I had grand plans of spending the quarantine on self-improvement and self-care. I was going to make art and fill the space I was stuck in with beautiful items I had made. The reality never quite met this goal. While I made lots of art and craft, my heart away from my home is more filled with stuff than art.

I spent more than I should have on materials for projects I intended to do during quarantine. Most of my art supplies and crafting materials were in storage in America, and for some reason, it’s cheaper to buy large kits than just the two or three items I needed.

Of course, it’s hard to craft or work on art while you’re in a constant state of heightened stress. My ADHD told me that the solution to this was to start something new. So my flat is filled with half-finished projects.

The result of all this is that I am overwhelmed by all the things I’ve bought and projects I’ve started. I feel like a hoarder, though, because my mind keeps telling me to hold on to these things for “one day.” One day I’ll get to them.

I always said you could tell my mental health status by the state of my flat. If it’s clean and organised, I’m doing great. If it’s not, then I probably need a bit of help. Currently, my flat is a reflection of the dark chaos that I am trying to move on from. So I’m going to fix it. I am going to bring my flat back to a state where I feel like I can breathe.

I am going to un-hoard my stash.

I say un-hoarding rather than decluttering because most of these materials were purchased with something very specific in mind. Something I intended to work on or up-cycle or make that I really wanted. They have value to me, but they are also weighing me down. So I’m going to reduce it in two ways. I’m going to actually use the items to finish the projects I bought them for, and I am going to let what is left go on to someone who will use it. If I will still use the item in the future, I’ll keep it (no sense buying the same things twice), but other than that, they have to go.

Thus far, I have made my way through two projects. It’s incredible how many materials and bulky things went into some seasonal decor. Each of the two projects took up a large Amazon box when they were works in progress. But now that they are done, they would barely fill a shoebox combined.

I’ve already gotten rid of the supplies that remained. I used an app called OLIO to find someone who wanted them. It’s amazing how knowing they are going to someone who will use them lets me let go. (It’s also nice to know that the money and resources are just going to a landfill)

Each time I’ve gotten rid of something, it’s like I’m letting a little piece of trauma from the past two years go.

I still have a long way off, but I’m enjoying the healing process and reclaiming my space.