(And Why It’s Okay to Let Some Go)
Ohhhh, this one’s a spicy topic. We love our stamps, right?
When it comes to stamps, we crafters tend to be collectors. We love collecting them, we love using them, and—let’s be really honest—we love buying them. We see a cute image, a beautiful sentiment, or a clever background, and suddenly it’s in our shopping cart. Then we end up with all these stamps… and somehow, we buy even more stamps because we “need” them. Where does it end?
Spoiler alert: it ends with frustrated stampers. There, I said it. It ends with stampers who are overwhelmed because they either can’t find what they want to use or have too many choices, so they can’t choose.
Do you have a stamp collection that’s grown into something more overwhelming than inspiring?
Today, we’re going to have an honest heart-to-heart about stamps: the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. No judgement here—just a bit of tough love and a few laughs as we reflect on our stamping stash.
Why We Buy (and Keep Buying) Stamps
If you’ve been following my series on clearing out your craft room, you might remember how I compared patterned paper to clothing—some we love, some we never wear, and some just sit there gathering dust. Well, the same goes for stamps.
With one major difference: you can actually use up paper. Stamps? They’re forever. And that’s part of the problem.
We buy stamps because they’re cute. We buy them because we see one project on Pinterest and suddenly we must have that set. We’ve all been there… right? Surely it’s not just me?
Story Time: My First Stampin’ Up! Experience
I was reintroduced to stamping as an adult in 2006 or 2007. Yep, I’ve been in this industry for a while. My first experience? A Stampin’ Up! party… hosted by my sister. You can imagine the pressure—show up, smile, buy something. No real choice! (Even if my sister said, “Oh, you don’t have to buy anything,” there’s still an obligation, right?)
I made my first card, took it home, and proudly showed it off… to my husband, who pretended to be impressed.
At the time, I was working long hours, juggling bills, private school fees, a difficult co-parenting situation, a house payment, and still found a way to spend money on card-making supplies. Don’t do the sums, trust me.
And yet… I was hooked. Stamps made me happy. They still do.
A Quick History Lesson (Because It Matters)
When it began, Stampin’ Up! was revolutionary because they sold stamps in sets. At the time, it was a game changer! Local craft stores sold stamps individually for $4 to $8 each. SU sets gave me multiple stamps that coordinated and worked together for under $30. A BIG win!
Then came acrylic stamps (hello, yellowing), followed by photopolymer (hello, longevity). Nowadays, stamps are built better… but they’re still not indestructible. Sunlight, heat, and time will wear them down.
But let’s get to the real issue: stamps tend to last longer than we need them.
How Long Should We Keep Our Stamps?
Let’s be honest:
- Some stamps get used once for a very specific project.
- Some look better in the catalogue than in our craft room.
- Some sets are bought for one image… and the rest just take up space.
- Some stamps are so outdated, you’d need a time machine to make them “on trend” again.
And that’s okay… Styles change. Seasons change. We change.
Rethinking Stamp “Sets”
Here’s something that might just change your whole approach: stamp companies decided to sell in sets… but that doesn’t mean you have to keep them that way!
You can absolutely make your own custom cases, mix and match your favourites, and organise your stamps in a way that works for YOU.
And yes—this applies to dies, too! You can pop the die that matches your favourite stamp into your “My Favourites” box and be done with the rest. Imagine opening your storage and seeing only the stamps and dies that make you smile. Total game-changer.
This is Where I Become Unpopular
Above, I mentioned we sometimes buy a stamp set for one image that we have to have. There is no shame in that if you are going to use it.
If the stamp set costs $25 for one image—that’s okay. It may not sound okay when I first say it, but let’s talk about it.
I may not know you, but I know you’ve more than likely spent \$25 in the last two months on something you didn’t use at all—or something you drank (like coffee) or ate (such as chocolate). So if that one image brings you card-making joy, go for it!
What you don’t have to do—hold on to your seat, take a deep breath… are you ready? You don’t have to keep the entire stamp set.
I know some of you just leaned into your screen to see if you read that correctly.
Yep. You don’t have to keep the whole set. What a revelation! Keep the one image and get rid of the rest.
Some sets have an ugly stamp or two in them. You know the ones, right?
Here Come the Buts
I can hear your objections
But Chrissy, it’s a SET!!! And sets are meant to stay together!!!*
Mmmm… WHY? Who says? Who made that rule? Who told you that and you “bought into it” as an absolute must-do? I certainly didn’t.
Let me be the one to give you a gentle reminder: you bought that stamp, so it’s yours to do whatever you want with it.
But Chrissy, what if I want to sell the set later, but I want to keep that one image?
It’s simple—keep the stamp and disclose that one is missing. A problem easily solved. Don’t overthink it!
But Chrissy, what if I need the one little image I didn’t know I needed five years ago when I bought the set, even though I’ve never used it?
You’ve gone five years without it and still managed to make cards. It’s okay to let it go.
But Chrissy, what if there’s just one ugly stamp?
Pull out that ugly stamp, put it on a sheet, and start a very small collection of ugly stamps. There are plenty of stampers who love those quirky, random images—trust me!
I don’t say any of this to be mean. I say it to remind you that YOU control your supplies, rather than your supplies controlling you.
You know you’ll want new things in the future, so it’s okay to let go of old things.
Something a Little More Controversial…
Yes I’m definitely challenging your thinking today!
Imagine this: You buy a “Christmas” stamp set to use for your upcoming Christmas cards. You make them. They are stunning and delightful!
That makes them a seasonal purchase. At the end of the season, you can be done with them.
I know… unpopular opinion, because these stamps can still work later.
But here’s what I know after teaching stamping for over 16 years… there will be more stamps released that you want to buy.
So yes, the stamps can still work—let them work in someone else’s craft room.
Next thing you know, I’ll be telling you that you can cut apart your sentiment stamps… Guess what: if that’s what you want to do, then absolutely you can!
What to Keep and What to Let Go
So, how do you know which stamps to keep and which to let go of? There are really 4 steps
Step 1: Be Honest About What You Use
Pull out your stamps and take a good look. Have you used them in the past year? Do they still suit your style? If you’re holding onto something “just in case,” ask yourself—realistically—when that “case” might actually happen.
Tip: when you use a stamp set, stick a post-it on it with the date you use it. It’s surprisingly helpful.
Step 2: Identify the Guilt Factor
If a stamp set makes you feel guilty rather than excited, it’s probably not serving you anymore. Maybe it was expensive, or you really thought you’d use it, but it’s been sitting untouched. Letting it go frees up space and removes that mental weight.
Step 3: Think About Versatility
A great stamp is one you can use in multiple ways, across different occasions. If it’s too niche, too seasonal, or too similar to something else you own, it might be time to pass it on.
Step 4: Keep Your Absolute Favourites
You know the ones—the stamps you reach for over and over. These deserve pride of place in your collection.
So Now What?
“Let it go,” or as one of my dear friends says, “bless and release.” Let it go mentally and physically. (And yes, you can even sing the song from *Frozen* if it helps.)
Those items you’ve never used are just like clothes in your wardrobe that still have tags on. Own the purchase decision and move forward.
Be kind to yourself about what you’ve purchased in the past.
Go through your stamps and really look at them. Ask yourself:
- Are they outdated?
- Have I used them too much?
- Have I even used them?
- Would someone else enjoy them more than I do right now?
For any stamps that meet those criteria, put them in a box. Take them off your shelves, out of your bins, out of your space. We’ll talk about what to do with them in another post.
For the ones where you only love a few images, pull those images out, put them on storage sheets, and label them “My Favourites.”
Buying new is great! Buying new and then feeling guilty because you already have unused stamps is NOT great.
it’s really important to choose what you’ll use, not what you feel guilty keeping because it came in a set.
These companies decided to sell in sets. That doesn’t mean you have to keep them in sets. You can make your own custom cases and mix and match to your heart’s content. And you can do this same thing with dies—put the die with the stamp image you like in your “My Favourites” box and you’re good to go.
Wrapping It Up
Look, I know this whole conversation feels uncomfortable. It might even feel wasteful or a little daunting.
But my goal is simple: I want you to have a craft space filled only with supplies you’ll actually *use*. That, to me, is a happy, functional, *joyful* craft space.
I’ll let you process that for a minute.
I have, on occasion, offered craft space organisation as part of my business. I work with artists and crafters in person—sorting, organising, letting go of supplies that don’t serve them anymore. (Contact me if you are interested in this service.)
Here’s what I’ve learned after helping dozens of crafters: there is almost always more in a craft room that won’t get used than what will.
It’s always a blast going through supplies one by one. At the end, people have a space they adore with solutions that work for them—and they never look back.
Every single time, happiness follows. Creativity follows. The joy of creating comes back.
This process *works*—and you deserve that feeling, too.
We’ll chat more in future posts about what to do with your extra supplies, how to handle the costs of buying new, and where to responsibly rehome your older stamps.
But for now, if your stamp stash makes you feel guilty, overwhelmed, or uninspired… reread this post as many times as you need. Remember: *you* get to decide what stays in your space.
Leave Me A Comment
On each of these posts, I am asking for comments. But what I haven’t done a good job of is saying that not only do the comments help me, they help you! Your comment could help someone. And someone else’s comment could help you. I’ve set aside about 20+ hours to write up all these tips and stories to help you in your space. This one has taken me over five hours to write and proof. I am okay with asking you to spend a few minutes leaving me a comment on where you are stuck, how this has helped, or any “aha” moments you’ve had as you’ve read this.
Until next time… Happy creating!
Chrissy xo
P.S. Next Up Tools
