Clutter

I am having a really difficult time managing the clutter that is involved with crafting. I have been leaning very heavily towards getting out of the business side of things, and much of that is due to the clutter.

I don't want 20 rolls of vinyl hanging from my wall, a printer that's the size of a microwave, huge craft machines, thousands of plastic bags (for craft fairs), 40 bubble mailer envelopes, boxes, stacks and stacks of paper taking up space in my home. The problem is that I truly love to craft and create. I love that I can make all of Cooper's decorations for his birthday party. I love that I just made Greg a shirt to wear tomorrow. I guess I have to find that balance and figure out if all of the clutter is worth it.

This is the same problem I ran into last year with Halloween. The magnitude, both financial and physical storage strain of being an overly enthusiastic Halloween decorator hit me like a ton of bricks the night of Halloween. I wondered if it was worth it. My decorations sat outside on the back patio for months.

I'm wavering in terms of whether or not either one of those ventures are right for me anymore. I have no regrets about trying the business side of the craft world, but I just don't see it working out. Even if financial success does start to emerge from it, I just don't see how the time away from my family or the complete chaos that a craft business entails is worth the financial gain.

Oh, and Halloween? Even if my yard isn't decked out I will absolutely continue to celebrate the season. There are still pumpkin patches, apple orchards, haunted houses (maybe not mine!), Halloween camping, and so many other ways to celebrate it. I just feel like both crafting and Halloween cultivate a constant sense of "need to buy more things." It's something I am trying desperately to get away from. I want to experience more, not acquire more.