Collecting or Hoarding?

Over the past two weeks I posted about two of my collections (coffee mugs and coasters). A couple of your comments got me thinking... how do you collect and still have a simplified and organized life?

I'll admit, I watch Hoarders and it makes me want to clean and have a yard sale. I also find it hard to leave a thrift store without some small treasure, and I'm always looking for potential in second-hand or odd objects. What about those beautifully packed and eclectic houses you see in magazines? Where's the line? How do you keep a desire for a life surrounded by pretty things under control?

(image from Design* Sponge)

The truth is, I'm not 100% sure of where the line is, but I do know how I stay clear of it...

1. Collect useful or small things. You'll probably run into problems with your collection if it's of big things like... couches or something. Stick to tiny treasures (say... brass animals) and you'll have a long way to go before you run into trouble. Want even more leeway? Collect something that you use on a daily basis. I collect coffee mugs because they're cute and because I know I use them every day - no guilt there!

2. Do you have a place for it? I always ask myself this question before a purchase. If the answer is yes, then you're one step closer to making a guilt-free purchase (yay!). If the answer is no... walk away my friend. Chances are you'll forget about it in a day or two. If the thing keeps nagging you, spend some time thinking of how you can make space for it. Once you've got the room, bring 'er on in.

3. Make sure it's special. This is a good partner question for "Do you have a place for it." Is this really special or am I just trying to "catch them all" (to use a Pokemon reference - oh my gosh, yes I just did that... no I'm not deleting it)? For example, when I go to a thrift store I can 100% guarantee you they will have 40 different mugs I've never seen, but I don't need a random #1 Dad mug. I'll save space for the crazy boob mug instead (true story).

4. Upgrade instead of collecting. This is a really really good strategy if I do say so myself. Instead of endlessly adding more to your collection, cap it off at say... 15. "I will not collect more than 15 coffee mugs." Once you've hit your 15, you'll probably still find new mugs you like. Not to worry! Then, you'll just decide if you like the new mug better than one of your other 15. Replace your least favorite mug with the new one. The beauty of this method is your collection keeps getting cooler and cooler without taking up any more space!

5. Embrace Spring Cleaning. The truth is, we all accumulate random things. Maybe it's a trinket from an office party or clothes you don't fit in to anymore - jump on the spring cleaning bandwagon! Whenever you have one of those seasonal changes, moves, or neighborhood yard sales go for the chance to pare down on all of that stuff you've been collecting. Donate it, craigslist it, yard sale it, recycle it, just take a hard look at your stuff and carve out that organized life for yourself!

Did I miss anything? What are your tips for a simplified lifestyle?

DIY Journal: ready to start a little journey

Maybe it's the start of the new year, but I'm feeling incredibly inspired, hopeful, and full of excited energy lately. I'm taking a few steps in my life to protect and prolong these warm and fuzzy feelings. 

1. Keep a close watch on my schedule - no overloading myself!

2. Take time to be vulnerable and grateful every day. (Check out this video by Brene Brown that inspired me. 20 minutes. Oh my gosh so good.)

3. Keep active creatively in new and challenging ways.

Numbers 1 & 2 just take a good amount of focus and possibly finger crossing. So far, so good! Number 3 is great because I can take some concrete steps to make it happen! The first one I've taken is to start crocheting again. More on that later. The second one is really exciting: I signed up for an ecourse on Art Journaling by Elsie Larson and Rachel Denbow from A Beautiful Mess!

I am beyond pumped for this. Seriously. I've never been a feelings journaler (just not for me somehow), but I think I could be totally in to art journaling! 

So of course I started by making my own journal. 

I grabbed 2 wooden frames for $1 each from Michaels and a set of 2 metal clasp rings (I think they're used for embroidery thread.) Side note: As a Photoshop test (I've only had it installed for about a week now), I took these pictures at night in the yellow light of my hallway. Now, they definitely aren't perfect, but dang! I'm impressed.)

1. Tape your frames together so you can be sure the holes you drill will line up.

2. Drill holes for your metal rings. Mine ended up being 3/8" wide.

3. Spread out all of your crafty supplies and go to town!

Here's how mine turned out...

I used wrapping paper, felt, chalkboard paint, white buttons, a sharpie, lace, thread, a little paint, and a whole lot of glue! Now to fill it with crafty glee!

Do you journal or have happy crafty go tos? 

Another Obsession: Coasters

Last week I shared my addictive collection of coffee mugs with you. Get it? Addictive? Coffee? Caffeine? Sorry. Well, I have a second small obsession that's related... coasters.

Think about it. The table is set. Oh what beautiful dishes, silverware, and cups or coffee mugs! Coasters don't get any cred. - thankless workers in the table scape world.

People, coasters are super cute. I love them. 

Want your own cuties? Here are my sources... The set above was from an estate sale I went to last weekend - only $2! Love. They join my felt coasters (gifted by Tim from Abodeon), sandwich coasters (gifted by my Mom from Urban Outfitters), record coasters (sorry I can't remember where I got them), and cork teacup coasters (from Magpie). If you're ever in Cambridge, MA, definitely head to Abodeon and Magpie for some adorable shopping.

Right now I'm at 27-ish coasters so Tim has cut me off from buying any more (in a good way). From now on coasters have to leave the house for new ones to come in :)

How do you keep collections under control?

DIY Magnets

First of all you need to know how easy this is. Then you should know that I'm 100% sure you could have figured out all of these steps on your own, but I thought I would share the process because sometimes it's just nice to follow along with how someone else did it.

Anywho...

Did you get a lot of cards from friends and family this past holiday season? I know I did. Tim and I love them all, but our refrigerator was getting pretty full. Time for a crafty solution. We decided to turn our Christmas cards into magnets!

Here's how you do it. First, gather all of the cards you'd like to make into magnets and buy some magnetic sheets that are sticky on one side. I used the super cute note I got from Berkley Illustration when I ordered a shark portrait from them, and I grabbed my magnets from Michaels.

Cut out the image you want to use for your magnet.

Cut out a similarly sized piece of magnetic sheet. It's easiest to cut the magnet separately from the image because together they're really thick and might give your scissors a hard time.

 Stick your image to the magnet then trim away the excess magnet to get the perfect shape! (Here's where the exacto knife might come in really handy.)

Tim and I did a bunch of them. It was a ton of fun!! Do you have some pictures or cards you'd like to turn into magnets?

Housekeeping

It may have taken me a while, but I've finally done it! insideways officially has an About and a Contact page!! I don't know why it's taken me so long to get my navigation in order... all I can say is thank you for sticking with me while I work out the kinks. Clearly you are patient, kind, and probably the nicest person in your neighborhood.

Well, what are you waiting for? Go check them out up there on the top right. Yep, right there - you got it. Oh, if you're reading this in a reader you should click on over to insideways.com to see them (worth it, I promise).

Please pretty please thank you a million times in advance, let me know if you see any typos or if you can think of improvements I might want to make. Just shoot me an email at jen [at] insideways [dot] com or a tweet @jeneralisation.

Special thanks to some amazing bloggers/readers/friendlies people ever who helped me with a few questions I had when I was trying to set this all up. You should definitely check them out...

Linda from My Crafty Home Life

Sarah from Renewed Upon a Dream

Amanda from Colorful Goth
Katie from Scribbles & Such

and Tim, that's my Tim who helps me with this blog :)