Welcome to Day 11 of the 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess Challenge! Today we’re focusing on decluttering craft supplies so you can breathe easier and enjoy a neater, more functional home. If this is your first time with the challenge, look for the beginning of the series on the blog to get caught up. (Affiliate links noted where applicable.)
This post might surprise you: I no longer keep a huge stash of craft supplies lying around. I used to, though. I’d pick up broken home items, thrift-store finds, and little craft kits because I imagined a future project. A lamp base for a dollar, a pack of pretty pom-poms, half a sealed bag of beads—every “someday” item lived in my house until it started to feel like clutter instead of inspiration.
I love a good repurposing project, and I’m all for using things you already have. But not when those supplies are preventing you from opening a closet, walking into a room, or enjoying your space. If the craft stash is stressing you out, it’s time to act. Keeping every possible crafting scrap for a future that never arrives steals mental energy and limits how you use your home.
5 Craft Supplies to Throw Away Today
Donating is a great alternative to tossing items—thrift stores, schools, community centers, and craft groups can often put supplies to good use. Either way, clear the clutter and make room for projects you actually want to do.
1. Yard sale or thrift-store impulse buys
That $1 lamp base looked amazing in the moment and you pictured a DIY masterpiece. Two years later it still sits in a corner. If the item hasn’t been transformed after a season or two, let it go. Someone else will likely enjoy that lamp base or transform it quickly into something beautiful. Holding onto impulse finds because of a fleeting idea only creates more stuff to manage.
2. Broken items you hope to turn into projects
There’s a difference between a repair you plan to do this month and a permanent “maybe someday” pile. If an item is genuinely fixable and you intend to repair it soon, keep it with a clear action plan. If it’s been sitting in a bin for years, donate the usable parts or recycle the rest. Free yourself from the guilt of keeping things out of obligation—replacement is often easier than endless tinkering.
3. Half-used, old supplies and random leftovers
Old glue that’s dried up, paints that have separated and won’t mix back, or a handful of mismatched pom-poms from multiple projects—these are the items that quietly take up space. Sort supplies into: usable (clearly labeled), donate, and trash/recycle. If you don’t have a clear use for a leftover piece and it’s not likely to match future projects, let it go. The time and energy spent keeping and evaluating these odds-and-ends isn’t worth the clutter they create.
4. Half-finished projects
We all start projects and discover they aren’t working or our tastes have changed. A beaded “chandelier” or sewn pillow that never met expectations can sit in a box for years. If you’re not committed to finishing something within a reasonable timeframe, donate the materials so someone else can finish or repurpose them. You’ll free space and likely feel lighter mentally.
5. Fancy supplies that have never been used
Maybe you bought a stamp set or specialty kit with great intentions, then never picked up the hobby. If it hasn’t been used and you realistically don’t plan to learn that craft in the near future, pass it along. Donate to a school, youth group, or craft swap. If someday you start that hobby, buy what you need then—fresh supplies are often better than items stored for years.
Quick decision rules to help you purge: if it hasn’t moved in two years, get rid of it; if it’s broken beyond easy repair, recycle or trash it; if it’s dried out or expired (paints, adhesives, markers), toss it safely; if you have duplicates and don’t use them, donate extras. Pull everything out, make three piles—keep, donate, trash—and follow through immediately. Putting items back “for later” usually means never.
I feel so much lighter after clearing out half-done projects and unused craft supplies. Donating or recycling those items has opened space in my home and in my head, and now I only keep materials for projects I’m actually planning to start soon.
The Messy Work: Pull all your craft supplies out and sort them into three piles: keep, donate, and trash. Then act—deliver the donations and bin the trash. A “someday” pile is just clutter that steals time and peace.
In the mess with you, Laura
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