Spring Prep

Photo by Cottonbro Studio

There are a few different ways artisans can prepare for spring. The warmer weather helps us feel motivated to clean and get creative. To better prepare, here are some tips and ways to get ready for the spring season.

When prepping for spring, there can be leftover supplies from previous months and years. It might be challenging to find a place for these supplies and organize them before beginning another project. A great way to cultivate organizational habits is to repurpose and recycle containers you already have at home. If you have bought a new pair of shoes, don’t throw away the box! By being creative, that box can become the home for yarn, paint supplies, or artisan tools. Decorating the outside of the box with acrylic paint or adhering craft paper to it can be a quick way to restyle the container and make it fit in better with the new space.

Browsing your kitchen can be helpful for finding organizational tools as well. A plastic container for leftovers that doesn’t have a lid is now perfect for storing supplies inside a drawer. The bottom line is, don’t hesitate to think outside the box when repurposing containers. You’ll never know when something old becomes something new!

Another part of spring prep is taking an inventory of stock. While it might not be as interesting, taking inventory is a vital step for planning ahead and saving money. It can be frustrating to start a brand-new project and realize mid brushstroke that you’ve run out of ultramarine blue paint. By taking stock, it helps to consider which colours you use the most with each project. Creating a sheet with your current supply amounts can save you in the long run too, by preventing you from accidentally buying thread you already had back in your studio and storage. If making a spreadsheet isn’t your style, having a note in your phone or in a journal can work too!

Buying supplies doesn’t need to be as expensive either. We can get creative by thrifting! Local consignment stores and thrift stores within the community can help you get the stock you may need at a discounted price. They may not have the specific item you’re searching for, but there might be some stationery that catches your eye or some beads that look unique. Rather than buying at the full cost, thrifting means that you get to create something and repurpose an old item into a new one, which is better for the environment and your wallet.

Spring prep doesn’t have to be boring, especially when it means that we’re better prepared for the future projects we create. Prepping means saving money and time, leaving more space for our creative hobbies and livelihoods.