Many of you let me know that your three main concerns about your paper crafting is:
1. Time
2. Money
3. Storage
I thought I would suggest some practical ideas that may help you with finding time to craft this week. As with anything that is important, you need to make time because extra time won't just appear.
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Divide your time - it's unlikely you will be able to do everything all at one sitting. Have separate time slots for: coming up with an idea, planning how to do it, getting the supplies together and prepped, creating the project and cleaning up. Do each of these steps in increments and it will feel a lot less overwhelming and doable.
2. Schedule crafting time - just like we need to schedule time to exercise, doctor's appointments, food shopping, teacher conferences, etc, it really helps to schedule crafting time. It's too easy to get busy with other things and put crafting aside. If it's scheduled and on your calendar, you are much more likely to do it.
Schedule an appointment with yourself!
3. Turn crafting into a routine - just like taking a shower, eating breakfast, watching your favorite show - if it becomes a routine, the easier it will be to always do it at the same time each day/week and not be put aside.
4. Create an "ideas for later" folder - sometimes the biggest time suck is looking for ideas on social media. We get lost in all the ideas and don't realize how much time has gone by (you could have been crafting instead of searching). If you see an idea, take a screen shot and drag it to a folder to look at later. If you are really organized, you can create
multiple folders for categories - cards, treats, decor, technique, videos, etc. Then, when you are ready to start a project, you already have a limited bunch you like to look at.
5. Find a friend and challenge each other to get projects done - create a deadline to show each other what you have been working on. Having accountability partners really works - who says accountability partners are only for work?? Set up weekly Zoom calls for show & tell or actual crafting time. Zoom is free for 40 minute meetings - that may be the perfect
amount of time to do weekly check ins.
I would love to hear if these strategies work for you. Give any one of them a try and see if you find time to do something you love.
Crafting & creativity is important for our mental health - be sure to fit it in your schedules.
