Anyone else purge lately?

[cropjester]

I just got rid of 228 pounds of supplies!!! My home was robbed a year ago and the thieves destroyed my craft room. I couldn't deal with it so I just closed the door. Now I'm ready to scrap again. I had to start by making sense of all the rubber stamps, pens, papers, photos and embellishments scattered all over the floor...it took me two weeks to get through everything. I put the items I didn't want in to boxes and got the crazy idea to weigh them...WOW! I donated to some disadvantaged young ladies- along with my contact info if they wanted some help with projects. The smiles on their faces made it all worthwhile.

[sherelm]

OH MY GOSH!!!! So sorry for your loss - but hey, we are in the same "boat". September 7, 2011? I lost ALL my scrapbook stuff including pictures, finished albums, etc., due to the flood from Tropical Storm Lee in the Hershey PA area. I ALSO lost my clothes, furniture, home, EVERYTHING. FEMA came and wrote a check. The home was only five years old, and it was totaled. Now the insurance and FEMA paid me a whopping $31,000. That means I get to replace what was INSIDE but not the house. So I rent AND pay a mortgage on a house that doesn't exist. Nice, huh?

So we can join forces and scrap!!

[cropjester]

Sher - I can't even imagine what you've gone through. My computers, cameras and memory cards were taken...I now upload everything to the "Cloud". I'm curious, aside from the basic kit what supplies did you start over with?

[LyndaKay]

To the two ladies in this thread, this just breaks my heart! What a loss, but what strong women you are! Bless you both.

[oceanbreezes423]

I agree, this is unimaginable to me!!!! Here's to making new memories, one day at a time! (((((((hugs))))))

[blbabe1234]

OMG. Just reading ya's posts. I just want to cry for you and hug you both. But like Lynda said, y'all are both survivors and very strong women.

[1grandma]

I am so sorry for your loss. It seems to be completely devastating! I can not imagine. You are wonderful, strong women.

[Queen Mum]

I'm so sorry for both of you to have had such losses.

[MamaK321]

that is incredibly thoughtful of you! So sorry to hear that you'd been robbed but it is a silver lining that some good came of it. And purging supplies is always a good way to get a fresh start!
We moved a few months ago and I'm still unpacking boxes. I've found sooooo many boxes of supplies that I'd forgotten I'd had. I too have a couple boxes designated to get rid of and I like the idea of weighing them.

[Tena]

Cropjester & Sher, so sorry that this happen and agree that you're both strong. I have talked to my insurance on a couple of occasions about insuring my scrap supplies and they keep saying that only the big items/electronics, computers, printers etc could be insured. They said that the other supplies they had no way of putting a price on it.

[beachlover]

OMG. Just reading ya's posts. I just want to cry for you and hug you both. But like Lynda said, y'all are both survivors and very strong women.

true that! and out of every bad thing there seems to come something good because now you are here with us and ready to start scrapping again And I thank both of you for the "reminder" to constantly back up you data, etc in case of tragic losses!!!

[beachlover]

OMG. Just reading ya's posts. I just want to cry for you and hug you both. But like Lynda said, y'all are both survivors and very strong women.

true that! and out of every bad thing there seems to come something good because now you are here with us and ready to start scrapping again And I thank both of you for the "reminder" to constantly back up you data, etc in case of tragic losses!!!


as for purging lately... I was just thinking, I have Thanksgiving week off and that may be a good time to go through my stuff again and straighten up. It has been a while. I am fairly organized, but once or twice a year now I like to go through and straighten things up. And if I see embellies/papers that no longer interest me, I give them to my young niece, who loves to make everything! She started out with LO's but now likes doing homemade cards and place settings for the table.

[Ayla]

I have purged before, but never that much, and certainly not for such a stressful reason as both of you! I recently moved, and gave away probably 50 pounds of paper and various supplies. I give regularly to a scrapbook store that collects stuff and gives them to a teen girl's home...they scrap as part of their therapy. It's a great feeling, both to help someone else and get rid of stuff that I won't use.


Glad you're BOTH back to scrapping!

[sherelm]

OK. I have to admit, I was in denial until I could get back into my home. I pretended that it was going to be ok - and that I could get it all cleaned up (even called a carpet installer). Then when I went in, it was the scrapbook room that made me face reality. Not the dressers that were underwater with my clothes so long they buckled and collpased, not my refrigerator (a new side by side with ice maker and water - stainless steel) that was on it's backside because it had been buoyant. No. When I saw the scrapbooks, all my supplies (plastic containers were filled with water) and my two tables buckled, lettering all over the floor from floating. I cried. My son wanted me out of the room - the floor itself wasn't safe, it was warped. There had been four feet of water in it. I cried hard that day.


Then I went home and never cried again. I looked at my two little kitties that I got out and Scully, and said "The rest is JUST STUFF." I'll redo whatever I can, and save what I can. Then little miracles occured, too, my mom's photos from the 40s and before were found high in a closet I never put them in, and cannot remember putting them in.



As for what did I buy first? Well I had no less than 100 people give me cards to Michael's, ACMoore. So I bought tools there - my Sizzix, a friend bought me a Cricut mini, and I replaced all my tools. Because. . . . I had thank you cards to make!! For the generosity of so many people!! It was worth the flood - I mean this - to see how kind so many people were to me!! I loved them, just didn't know how much they loved me, and now I do!! And then I went with some of my mastercards, visas, and bought cardstock from ACOT. Some in every color - and they give you that great Bazzil discount on loose sheets. Then I bought Christmas. And the rest slowly took care of itself.

So I wouldn't be nearly as strong if not for the many many friends I had that came forth. And I had some I've to this day never met. Like the people in my sister's snack bar at work heard the gals asking her about me, and they donated a brand new - in the box- FINE knife set with steak knives, too, in a block. I never MET these people. One of the state senator's who my sister had given his daughter a job, gave me a comforter and a lamp. It was amazing where stuff came from. I'm actually VERY blessed. And oh, I bought furniture of course from FEMA. I decided if I had to put something in the living room - it was a ScrapBox. And if I had to put a dresser in the computer room - it was a Sewing Box (also from www.originalscrapbox.com )

I'm not strong - I was held up by friends.

[blbabe1234]

I have purged before, but never that much, and certainly not for such a stressful reason as both of you! I recently moved, and gave away probably 50 pounds of paper and various supplies. I give regularly to a scrapbook store that collects stuff and gives them to a teen girl's home...they scrap as part of their therapy. It's a great feeling, both to help someone else and get rid of stuff that I won't use.


Glad you're BOTH back to scrapping!

That's so awesome of you Nancy!

[letumom]

So, ladies, if there's something you need, let me know. I'll ship it to you. I do waaaaayyyyy more digi scrapping these days, and have lots of stuff!

[butterfly843]

Sending hugs to both of you ladies. I purged a bunch of stuff a few years ago because dh and I were going to combine his office and my scraproom since we were expecting. It felt good to get rid of stuff I had forever and never used. Unfortunately we lost our babies, so I didn't have to move my scraproom, but it made it easier to pack up when we moved to another house.

[pawprints]

Sending hugs to both of you ladies. I purged a bunch of stuff a few years ago because dh and I were going to combine his office and my scraproom since we were expecting. It felt good to get rid of stuff I had forever and never used. Unfortunately we lost our babies, so I didn't have to move my scraproom, but it made it easier to pack up when we moved to another house.

OMG Jenn how horrible. I am so sorry beyond words. ((Hugs))

[debamas]

Cropjester, It had to hard to open that door again and begin. So glad you did, though. There are so many new pps and even tools so I hope you enjoy your journey back into scrapland!

Sher..I cannot imagine losing everything like you did. You show such a positive attitude here on the board and one would never guess the hardships. Thankyou for that, for your example of dealing with life's stressors. What a wonderful story too of the goodness of others at your time of need. How blessed we all are even in times we don't feel like it.

[sherelm]

So, ladies, if there's something you need, let me know. I'll ship it to you. I do waaaaayyyyy more digi scrapping these days, and have lots of stuff!

You are so sweet, but really? I feel blessed in that I can afford to buy my own stuff. I'd rather you donate to someone who doesn't have that luxury. (((Hugs))) for asking though!!