Time for an intervention....

I've sat down and had a chat with myself.
Self, I said, you've got too much stuff.  Too much stuff to clean, too much stuff to organize, too much stuff to keep track of.

So, I'm putting a halt to a bunch.  Declaring 2014 the year of declutter.

What does this mean?

Well, I'll be making some lists.  I've got a few goals I want to put into play for myself for 2014.

1.  I'm joining Jess on her Fabriholics Anonymous pledge.

I'm on a stash holding pattern from Jan 1 until at least June.  I may make an exception on this, notably the Stash Bash in April.  But that will be my one exception.  Yes, I can buy backings if it means I cannot otherwise finish a project, but that should be (given my current supplies) about all I need.

Part of it is motivated by the fact that (sad face) I think I'm going to have to resell my ticket to the Fat Quarterly retreat in London.  I was super excited about going.  It was going to be my 40th bday celebration, but family expenses (including having to go to at least one summer wedding this summer, car issues) are going to eat my budget.  Even if I could go on my own, I don't feel right going and not being able to bring my hubs along, too.  So, I'm waiting until the end of January to see if some miracle occurs (hello, universe, lottery win?) before I give up the ticket but, as of right now, I just don't think I can pull it off.  One of my friends suggested selling some of my quilts, but I don't want to try hinging it all on that.  I'm going to try to put my savings from 2014 toward a possible run at the FQ retreat in 2015.

2.  I'm making a list of books to read.  I've not been reading enough books this past year.  I love books.  I need them back in my life.  (Well, technically, they are there...sitting in piles and on shelves, languishing unread.)  Going to start low, with a list of 25 for the first part of the year.

3.  I need to clear out some UFOs, both sewing and knitting.  There are too many bins in my house.  I need to knit sock pairings for singles hanging out in drawers.

4.  Cleaning out the bellydance gear.  I'm going to get back into the routine of dancing again in 2014.  That said, I still have too much gear.  I'm not looking for restaurant gigs.  I need to find a newer dancer looking for costumes.  I have a closet that is full of stuff.  That needs to end.

5.  Losing some weight (yeah, that's a kind of emotional clutter.)  I lost a bunch last year, and I need to get back on track.  I got a Fitbit as an early Xmas present.  Anyone else in blogland use one?

6.  Clean out my closets.  I actually splurged and bought a bunch of new shirts this year.  I need to clear out stuff that doesn't fit and/or modify gear to actually fit/get rid of stuff I won't use.

7.  Make a summer for me.  That may be my present to myself for my 40th.  If I can't go to FQ retreat, I want to carve out learning time for me.  That means designing some of my own challenges for the summer.  While I love doing QAL and trying new things, I really really want to design my own sampler.  Maybe not with the intention of leading a QAL (although that could be fun), but to try my hand out at my own designing.  I had a rather long, interesting conversation with one of my best friends (who is an artist) and my husband about my work.  I don't see myself as an artist.  (The corollary of that is that I write an hour long play every year, and I don't see myself as a writer either.)  I got called out.  I also got called out on not being able to part with my work (other than gifting it) because I don't see it as perfect enough for people to buy.  As a result, I have stacks of quilts around my house.  Some of them are gorgeous.  I literally cannot rotate them fast enough to use them all.  I need to find a place of balance.  Maybe some venue to sell some quilts.  (Ack, just saying that is triggering a crapload of "they're not/I'm not good enough to sell them" internal dialog.  Blarg.)

This is going to demand some kind of schedule.  I haven't figured out what it looks like yet.  That's on tap after I finish writing that class play.  (Two scenes down, a WHOLE bunch left to still develop....deadline Jan 1.)

So, I'm putting it out into the universe.  I've said it out loud.  Now I just have to do it.  Anyone want to join me?