How Many Unfinished Craft Projects Do YOU Have?

One of the things I hear most often from our members and clients is that getting organized would finally give them some time to pursue their passions--usually having to do with arts and crafts, writing, and other creative endeavors.

What I have seen in person with clients is that those who like crafts often have many projects unfinished. (Some people refer to them as UFOs, “Un-Finished Objects!”) In our Clutter Diet® online organizing program, we talk about how organizing is a lot like losing weight, in that both efforts require Prevention, Reduction, and Maintenance. Let’s examine the “UFO” problem the same way.

Prevention

• Are you easily attracted to new crafts, always wanting to start a new project, and getting ideas all the time? Do you suddenly jump at “bright shiny objects” and distract yourself? Recognizing this trait is half the battle. This tendency probably will not go away, but now you can catch yourself and take a moment to think before jumping into something new.
• If you are into knitting and then decide to take up painting, hold on a minute before buying that easel and canvas. If you are really serious about learning the new craft, COMMIT. Sign up for a class and learn from an expert so you’ll know how to do it right, reducing the chances of more unfinished projects.
• You might also think of ways to borrow supplies and equipment instead of purchasing them yourself, preventing clutter from accumulating if you abandon the new interest, and you’ll also save some money.
• Stop and think about why the projects you have now are not finished—did you simply become bored with the project? Did you get stuck and not know how to complete it? Did you make a mistake that you didn’t know how to fix? Extract all the learning you can about why you didn’t finish these so you can look for ways to prevent that in the future.

Reduction

• The “UFOs” that you already have around need to be finished or otherwise resolved, especially before you start something new. One way to do it is to hire someone to finish the project for you! Local shops like bead and fabric stores are great places to find someone to help.  I have a client who did this with a quilt and was so happy to see it finished! It didn’t matter to her that she wasn’t the one to finish it—she was just glad to see her idea come to fruition. If you can’t find someone locally, you can try going to Etsy.com to post a custom request there.
• If your hobby is portable, put an unfinished project into a bag to take with you as you wait at the doctor’s office or sit through a ballet lesson. Keep it near where you put down your purse and keys so you’ll see it when you walk out the door, or you can also keep it in your car.
• Projects of all kinds get completed more quickly when there is a deadline. Could you create a deadline for some of your projects? One way is to decide that the project is a gift for someone else. The deadline of the birthday or holiday will be a push for you to get it done.
  
• If you have given up on a particular hobby, it’s time to make that decision final and find a new home for the equipment you collected. Craigslist is a great way to sell some of your supplies, as well as posting notices in popular craft stores with bulletin boards.

Maintenance

• As you move forward from resolving your Un-Finished Objects, create a set of project drawers in your craft area using an inexpensive plastic drawer cart that you can purchase at any discount store. Make this your limiting container for current projects. In other words, you can have everything you need for one project in each of the drawers, and when the drawers are full, that is your limit for what you’ll currently do. Make a rule for yourself that you can’t start any new projects until a drawer is available.
• If you find yourself stuck on a project, get to the root of why you’re stuck and take steps to get that resolved as soon as possible. If you don’t understand the instructions or have made a mistake, find someone who can help you. If you are bored with the project, find a way to give yourself a deadline, and don’t let those projects linger.

Making your passions more orderly may not sound quite right, but neither does letting your home be taken over by unfinished business that bothers you and tugs at your conscience. May your passions bring you nothing but positive challenges, fulfillment, and satisfaction of a job well done!

Do you have unfinished craft projects nagging at your conscience? Share in the comments!

(This is an edited version of the February article I wrote for Connections for Women, a great site that I contribute to monthly. Click here to read the full version on their site.)

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Comments

[Elaine Shannon]

Hello Lorie
Thanks for sharing this awesome information...it brought back some fond memories.
Craft project...I had a whole room full of UFO's. There was a time when the children were little and we were in total maintenance mode, the crafts gave me a way to express myself creatively and to do something that was just mine. The children are now at a different stage and so am I, the need to express myself creatively is in my business and not in UFO's. When I made the decision to move on and donate all the UFO's to a local charity a huge weight of guilt was lifted from me as I no longer felt bad for all the things I did not finish and the money I had invested in supplies. Knowing that an organization like the Boys and Girls club wanted these unfinished items made my heart soar.
Now I help my clients to let go of the past(unfinished projects) to make room for the possibilities of the future, and you can't do that if there is no room spacially or emotionally.

[Lorie Marrero]

Thanks, Elaine! Glad to know that Boys and Girls Club wanted to have the projects. I wonder if that is true for all locations?

- Lorie

[Luc]

Great article. I like the idea about limiting oneself to the drawers in a cart! I have spent the last year and a half working on my greatest UFO, a very detailed quilt dating back to the late 80s (gulp) and set myself the deadline of having sewing up of pieces done by June 2010 and I'm on target to get that done EARLY! I have recognised that "magpie" trait in myself years ago and have now limited myself to NO NEW CRAFTS until I finish or freecycle all the stuff I currently have stashed away.

[Mary Warren]

My trouble is that I enjoy crafts that are interrelated. I am a weaver, I enjoy knitting & crocheting, I embroider with ribbons, floss, beads, rayon and silk thread, and I am a quilter. I have multiple files and notebooks with inspirations and ideas for each of these crafts. I have many magazines in each of these categories, especially weaving. The others I do not subscribe to anymore. I know I would have to live until I was 100 (I'm 54 now) to use up my stash if even then! My stash is weighing me down and I can't seem to let go of any of it. I keep making excuses for hanging on to so much when I know I should let go of it-Maybe I feel like a failure because I have not used more of my stash. It is a vicious circle. I do have my stash somewhat organized in bins-all 28 of them! Can someone please help me!?

[All Women Stalker]

A lot of unfinished cross stitched projects... I always feel like I can finish it all every time I start doing something... but I never do

[Shannon Timothy]

Great article. I think we all have some unfinished craft projects around the house. This article helps in so many ways. You put things into perspective for me. I have 5 kids and any information on helping with projects for them is great!

Shannon
http://www.freedigitalrealestate.com

[Linda]

I have so many unfinished projects I could not get them all done before I die. So now I realize that I should really prioritize them. So then the ones that I really want to see get done first. I have a wall hanging that my father in law built the shelf for many years ago I owe it to him to get it done and SOON.

[Lynne Schwendeman]

I have received your Clutter Diet news for a very long time. There is so much I have to do to get organized but this particular problem follows me everywhere. I do feel like a failure because of the UFOs I own. I don't know how I can let go of any of them but the more I read the more I believe I can get this under control. Thanks Lorrie

[Karen]

I am a craft aholic. Every time I go to the store I come home with one or two craft projects. I feel if I just settle myself down I can finish them. I am very organized and can finish every thing else but my crafts. I am not at the point where I can give them away and I do feel bad about the number of undone projects. You pointed out a good idea in your article to have some one help me or to take further lessons. Thanks Karen