We're used to outgrowing clothes, but did you ever think about outgrowing a craft or hobby? Maybe you're no longer interested, your tastes have changed, or maybe you don't have the time anymore. Whatever the reason, chances are you have some unused crafting supplies sitting in your closet, garage or basement.
Eye of the Tiger
Last year I went through my beads and bundled up ones that I knew I'd never use, such as one of my first purchases, 8mm tiger eye rounds that I bought in bulk. I felt guilty every time I saw them in my stash. I kept thinking of how I had wasted my money on them. They were perfectly good beads, but not my taste. So I packaged them up, along with some other old beads, and sent them to the group A Little Something in Denver, Colorado. The group helps refugee women achieve self-sufficiency by teaching them to craft items to sell. It felt great to share items that I knew would be appreciated, plus I made more space for new beads. (Funny how quickly the empty space has filled up!)
12 Places to Donate Craft Materials
If you're planning on organizing your craft area next year, the first step is to get rid of anything you no longer need or want. Toss anything that's no longer usable and box up the rest. Here are some places that might want your craft items:
- Beads of Courage, an arts-in-medicine program for children with serious illness
- Charitable craft organizations that make items for people in need.
- Fabric for quilting projects: Quilting for Peace lists a number of worthy organizations.
- Yarn for knitting/crochet projects: Check the book Knitting for Peace, as well as the extensive lists on websites such as Craftster and LionBrand.
- Churches
- Day care centers and schools
- Hospitals
- Libraries, especially school or public libraries with craft programs for children
- Recycle/resell specialty stores such as The Scrap Box (Ann Arbor, MI), Scrap Exchange (Durham, NC), and Scrap (San Francisco, CA)
- Senior citizen centers and nursing homes
- Theater groups
- Thrift stores
- Women's organizations like A Little Something
- Youth organizations (such as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs)
Not every place will be interested in your craft supplies. Some might only want part of your collection. For example, some of the charitable knitting organizations only take 100% cotton or wool yarn because of the special populations (such as preemies or people living in cold climates) that they serve. Don't give up if the first organization says "no." Ask your local specialty craft store (quilt shop, knitting shop, bead shop) for suggestions or look online at craigslist or one of the many craft forums. You'll be glad you did.