Old Kits - toss or keep - what do you do?

[hollydolly70]

I have accumulated sooooo many kits - and have so many CD's/DVD's... I NEED to do a major clean-up.... but - I can't bring myself to toss the ones I don't use and have no intention of ever using....
What does everyone else do?

Holly

[shastahun]

I'm a pack rat and keep them all. LOL. If they are old kits that I know I haven't used in a while I'll re-zip into a compressed folder and keep it that way. Takes up a little bit less space.

[seatrout]

I keep EVERYTHING !!!!

[heathergw]

I toss... It took me a really long time for me to be comfortable with it though... I only keep really themey kits now... Now ask me about my alpha folder . I know I need to go through that folder because it's out of hand but I'm always afraid I'll regret it

[hollydolly70]

Originally Posted by heathergw

I toss... It took me a really long time for me to be comfortable with it though... I only keep really themey kits now... Now ask me about my alpha folder . I know I need to go through that folder because it's out of hand but I'm always afraid I'll regret it

I too seem to be really into scrapping with themed kits now - however - there is the odd time I need, say - some stitching or a button.. and I know exactly what kit it is in...
Soooo - I think I may make a little folder with some odds and ends - and then start hitting the DELETE button...
I'm scared.... ROFL
Holly

[hollydolly70]

Originally Posted by shastahun

I'm a pack rat and keep them all. LOL. If they are old kits that I know I haven't used in a while I'll re-zip into a compressed folder and keep it that way. Takes up a little bit less space.

Good idea to zip them!

[seatrout]

Originally Posted by hollydolly70

I too seem to be really into scrapping with themed kits now - however - there is the odd time I need, say - some stitching or a button.. and I know exactly what kit it is in...
Soooo - I think I may make a little folder with some odds and ends - and then start hitting the DELETE button...
I'm scared.... ROFL
Holly

If you can do it - you're a braver woman than me

[Stacey42]

I moved everything from 2005-2009 into a folder & left it there for 3 months in 2010. I did pull out a few alphas. If I used something I took it out. At the end of 3 months I deleted the folder without opening it to look.

Back in November I did something similar with the remaining 09 & 10 kits, plus I purged my alphas. Everything is still sitting in the folder. Waiting for the end of this month. I think I pulled one alpha out of it in all that time. On Feb 1 all 21.3GB get deleted sight unseen.

I find it's easier to drop things in an 'old' folder and then just wait awhile & delete without looking. That way I've already got the "oh it's so pretty" and "Oh I might use that someday" out of the way in the past.

The only thing I hold onto are Christmas kits & really, it's past time to purge them. At least 20007-2009

[heathergw]

Yes, I have a misc. elements folder for things like that... I put a copy of it in that folder and then delete the kit

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by hollydolly70

Good idea to zip them!

I'd be careful about storing the zip files. Zip files tend to be less stable (they can become corrupted over time) and because most of the items in kits, they don't compress all that well so the space you save is nominal. Of course if you aren't planning to use the files again maybe it doesn't matter.

I'm big on deleting stuff. CT stuff, purchased stuff, free stuff, doesn't matter, it's all fair game. I go through my entire stash at least once a year and if my first thought when looking at something is "I'm never going to use that," into the trash it goes. Do not over think it or else you will talk yourself out of it, haha.

It can be scary at first but I view it the same way I view my clothes closet. I'm just making room for new and better stuff.

[misfitinmn]

I delete. If it's something I bought years ago, haven't used in years, and know I won't use (because I'm busy buying all kinds of new pretties!) - then I delete it. I just deleted 18gb of stuff last week actually.

I totally agree with Lynnette - I LOVE my old kits but I am making room for new & better. It's amazing the difference in quality of the kits over the years - the old kits were amazing, but as the designers grow & learn, the new stuff is PHENOMENAL!

[hollydolly70]

Originally Posted by seatrout

If you can do it - you're a braver woman than me

ROFL!! I think I can - I think I can... LOL

[hollydolly70]

Originally Posted by misfitinmn

I delete. If it's something I bought years ago, haven't used in years, and know I won't use (because I'm busy buying all kinds of new pretties!) - then I delete it. I just deleted 18gb of stuff last week actually.

I totally agree with Lynnette - I LOVE my old kits but I am making room for new & better. It's amazing the difference in quality of the kits over the years - the old kits were amazing, but as the designers grow & learn, the new stuff is PHENOMENAL!

I totally agree about the designer quality over the years. I could seriously buy each and every kit here - they are all soooo YUMMY!! I do know I will be treating myself once I get this "house-cleaning" done!! LOL

[Gemma]

I delete, it took my a while to be brave enough but now I go through things every 6 months or so.

I'm getting a new EHD next week, I'm going to put everything on there and I have a feeling lots of stuff will be dumped, I rarely use a kit more than once but I like to keep some of my favourites 'just in case'

[kristijoy]

I have all my old stuff...but I've only been doing DIGI for a couple years. I suspect I'll be able to do that for another year and then it will be time to say Bye-Bye!

[SeattleSheri]

I move them to an EHD, but if it fails, at least I know they've already been used.

[tanyiadeskins]

I am a tosser ... you it twice, delete. I am a tosser in off the PC too! My dh hates it lol

[Lyd]

Originally Posted by SeattleSheri

I move them to an EHD, but if it fails, at least I know they've already been used.

I do this too - but it's actually a network drive on our server. I move them there when I first buy and organize, just to have a backup copy in case something happens to my lappy. But, then, I can delete from my lappy without hesitation because I know I have another copy of it on the server. There HAVE been a few times when I've gone back and pulled up a kit or alpha or whatever from the server, but not very many. One of these days, I'm going to go do a purge of the server, cause I know there is a lot of old stuff that I downloaded when I very first started that I won't care about having anymore - at all.

[emmasmommy]

i toss em, usually because things get so much better (quality wise). granted, i do have a few oldy, moldies.

[Darcy Baldwin]

Toss.

[kelley]

I keep most of mine, but I haven't been scrapping long. I've tossed out a bunch of older CT kits that I scrapped with that I knew I wouldn't use again though. If I throw things out, I always check the ellies folder first to see if there is anything super unique, like a very unusual ellie or something that I may want in the future. I have no doubt I'll toss more as I accumulate more though - I haven't even used tons of the kits I've bought, so it just makes sense to get rid of ones I've used a few times already or I won't be able to justify keep buying new ones, lol!

[Amber1279]

Hi my name is Amber and I hoard digital scrapbooking kits.

Seriously, the best I have been able to do is burn to DVD's. I can't delete, I just can't. I don't care if they are old, antiques become collectible and are valuable again, right???

I have kits from Traci from ScrapMommies (and if you know that name you are old like me LOL)

[iScrap]

I toss my old stuff, too. I toss new stuff if I look at it and think, "what in the world was I thinking downloading that?" lolol Makes room for all the new goodies, which bring me so much more joy!

[AmberK]

I toss old stuff especially if its no longer my style. Have no regrets at all.

[hollydolly70]

THANK YOU everyone for your input!
Holly

[LJSDesigns]

This thread just may give me the courage to do a little house cleaning of my own.

[NeverendingJen]

toss. religiously..

[mummytothree]

I back up about every month...month and a half....but it's not because I want to keep the stuff forever...it's really just a safety net for if my computer/HD fails with say a 6 month period. I'm a deleter....I keep a "To Delete" folder in my scrapping fold and I add to it weekly. Then at the end of 6 months if I haven't used it....I delete the whole folder!! Then I start over for another 6 months. I've never regretted deleting ANYTHING and I think in the 6 years I have been scrapping I've had to grab something from those back ups like once or twice!!

My tastes and the pretty thing available change so often that I can always find something to replenish my stash with!!!

[Lindsay]

I've got an Odds and Ends & Basics folders. The odds and ends are things from kits that are unique. I tend to keep more alphas than anything and that folder is a mess.

[MamaBee]

I organize by theme - since I'm a theme scrapper... so if it's a kit I'm on the fence about keeping, I'll pull out elements that I like and put them into the theme folder... and pull out the alpha into the alpha folder... and then toss rest of the kit. I have a hard time delete things, too... both digitally and in real life - my basement is a testament to that!!

[ayaandjudah]

I plan to do a purge soon!

[Tracie Stroud]

I"m another tosser.

[mrshobbes]

I do the same as Lynnette Matter of fact, I'm due to do my yearly purge! My only exceptions are some kits from a retired designer because I just loved her style.

[jessica31876]

I have so much that I know I will never use but I try to use everything I buy. If it is defenitely something I will not use or is so out of date I delete it no problem.

[sm3wkl]

I'm a tosser. If I look at an old kit and still don't love it I achieve it. I only want the stuff I love in view.

[kim21673]

I have to say that after I read this thread....I DID IT! I deleted 60+ GB of old stuff off my first EHD! It felt GREAT!!!

[jessica31876]

Also wanted to add I have an EHD and an online backup so if I ever do really need those things I tossed they are backed up. Thing is I have never went to my EHD to get something. Its like out of sight out of mind for most kits.

[LJSDesigns]

I've decided to clean out a EHD too. I've discovered that one of the reasons I can never seem to get a page done in a timely manner is I spend way too much time looking at what I have for the perfect element, paper, etc... I've been trying very hard these days to scrap with one entire kit and not go looking for something in my stash unless it is necessary. It's made a big difference. I finished more pages this month than I did in six months last year and I love it! I don't think my pages have suffered because I didn't spend an hour looking for a button, so I am going to rid myself of some baggage and hopefully scrap even more! Thanks Ladies.

[Keely~B]

I delete a lot. I also pick apart kits and just keep bits and pieces.

[nun69]

I delete to an extent I like to do 2 pagers and sometimes I do a whole themed book, so there are some kits out there that I go back to more than once. But I did delete alot of old stuff last month and it felt good I also deleted alot of my TIFF files for my pages!

[TheHybridMess]

I toss... regularly! I do keep versatile items in a seperate folder, though

[hollyxann]

I'm a digi hoarder. I keep EVERYTHING.

Well unless I haven't ever used it and I know there is absolutely no way I'm going to use it. Then I'll delete it.

[nun69]

thanks to this thread, I just deleted a bunch of kits and totally didn't feel guilty I also cleaned up my alpha folder

[LJSDesigns]

I did some cleaning too. I thought it would be hard to get rid of kits I paid for, but I looked at it much like I do when I clean the closet; if I haven't used them in a year and they no longer "fit" me, out they go. What a freeing experience!

[Megan Turnidge]

I'm a purger. I do it a couple times a year. I never feel bad for deleting, even if I bought it!

[hollydolly70]

Lots of in-put to this thread I started!! I have now finished tossing - and - wow - it feels GOOD to have things tidied up!! Now - off to treat myself to some new YUMMINESS from the store!! LOL
Holly

[Leah]

I'm a keeper. I have everything that I've ever bought from back in 2007. I have them backed up to CD's, DVD's, EHD....

Not for any particular reason, I've just never thought of deleting before.

Maybe it's time to do a clean sweep?

[julia]

I did a big clean up a while ago and got rid of mostly freebies I had collected when I first started out and some kits I just didn't see myself using again. But yeah, it's been a while and now I really can't see myself throwing out some of these older kits, because I bought them and I really like them!

[junebug]

just deleted a bunch of stuff. except for SSD stuff lol. i don't usually delete those hence, the hugeness of my SSD folder

[aballen]

Originally Posted by Loriebug66

This thread just may give me the courage to do a little house cleaning of my own.

That's what I was thinking LOL