A photograph of a smiling woman, guest Tracy, wearing a stripy top and a measuring tape around her neck and a sewing machine and material on the table in front of her
Episode 149 – Creating Sentimental Keepsakes with guest Tracy

In this episode, Ingrid chats to Tracy, from Tracy’s Treasured Keepsakes. She creates keepsakes from clothes so the items can be seen every day and enjoyed. Some of the incredible items she can make include stuffed animals, blankets and cushions.
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Transcript of this podcast episode
Ingrid  0:07  
Welcome to today's episode of The Declutter Hub Podcast, your channel for super easy, no nonsense advice on how to declutter and organise your home. Please welcome your hosts professional organisers, Ingrid Johnson and Lesley Spellman.

Hello, and welcome listeners to Episode 149 of the declutter hub Podcast. I'm Ingrid. In today's episode, I'm talking to Tracy from Tracy she treasured keepsakes. Tracy creates keepsakes from close so the items can be seen every day and be enjoyed. Tracy, I cannot tell you how excited I am to record this podcast. So a very warm welcome. Hello, welcome. Thank

Tracy  0:59  
Thank you for having me.

Ingrid  1:01  
You know what we connected months ago, didn't we? 

Tracy  1:05  
We did. Yeah.

Ingrid  1:06  
So we connected months ago. And I was like, Oh, I love what you do. Can you please come on the podcast, but it's going to be a just before we're gonna be able to record but can you already? Please say yes now. So we get you booked in?

Tracy  1:19  
I felt very hounded No, I didn't really?

Ingrid  1:24  
So you are a busy lady, aren't you? 

Tracy  1:28  
Yes, yes, very busy. But I can't complain. I get to see some wonderful clothes. I get to help lots and lots of people. So yeah, I absolutely love what I do. Yeah,

Ingrid  1:40  
so tell me so you. I mean, I've got loads of questions for you. But just to clarify, you create keepsakes from close so people can enjoy them. So what kind of things do you then create? What how? What can I What can I imagine that you exactly do.

Tracy  1:59  
So I see quite a lot of people have clothes hidden away in a cupboard, whether it be their little ones outgrown baby clothes, or something that belong to a relative that they've sadly lost. Sometimes they just can't bear to part with those clothes. And so I help to bring them out into the open, have them on display, I can make bears and various different animals from them. So I'll lovingly cut them up and sew them back together to make their animal and do cushions or do quilted blankets. Just something that you can be able to save space because we all know that those all of those clothes take up lots of lots of space. And we'll probably never get them out of that cupboard. Again, we like to think we would but chances are life gets in the way and they will just stay there. And it's just a nice way to be able to get snippets of those clothes and together into a keepsake such as a bear that you can have sitting on your bed or on your chair or on a shelf somewhere so that you can see it every day. And clothes hold so many lovely memories. It's odd to think that by looking at a floral print or a check shirt that it makes you think of what moment in time it was when they go for that item of clothing. So yeah, it's a nice way to walk down memory lane as well without intentionally going, I'm gonna go and do that today. It's it just happens, which I think lovely.

Ingrid  3:30  
Yeah, yeah. And, and for those of you I will definitely put the show notes, Tracy's details, because on her Facebook group, she's got an amazing Facebook group. And she shows a lot of the things that she's creating. And honestly, I pop in every once in a while and just admire your work Tracy because they look absolutely amazing.

Tracy  3:49  
Thank you. Thank you. I love it. I absolutely love I love what I do so and hopefully that that shows through in through in my work so and I just love sharing with everyone and giving people ideas as to what they can actually do. Because like say you probably wouldn't have met some people have never heard of this before. So it's just it gives them a bit of inspiration as well as to see what they could do with the clothes that they're keeping. Hold off.

Ingrid  4:16  
Yeah, yeah. And you said you do bears, mostly bears. But there are other animals that you do as well though, just saw I think I saw an elephant. Yes. What was what else do you create?

Tracy  4:28  
Yeah, so my most popular ones are probably the bears and the elephants. But I can do a whole array of animals so there's bunnies foxes, cats, dogs, a slough. Unicorns they're quite popular with with the baby clothes lions. Cute is weird. I've got a whole list of animals. I can't think off the top of my head. But yeah, yeah, penguins. I think I've said bunnies. Lovely Lovely array of ones to like suit different. So if the baby clothes ones, for example, if there was a certain theme to the nursery, you more than likely you can pick an animal that would fit in with that theme. So it ties in another another little memory for you as well.

Ingrid  5:17  
Oh, nice. Nice. So because you do cushions and blankets, well, that's kind of I mean, of course, the idea is the same, but it's completely different. It's more material you can use like a bear or an animal. It's more of kind of, for show but a cushion or quilted blanket you could actually use in a room or put on a sofa or something.

Tracy  5:39  
Oh, yeah, most definitely. It tends to be, the more I do is more the bears and the animals. But you're right, the cushions, or even the blankets have a bit more of a use to them. And you can Yeah, you can you can cuddle your bear and your cushion. But listen, just nice to wrap a blanket around you as well. So it's got a bit more of a second use to it. Whereas the bears, they are literally they sit there they display and you pick them up and hold them every now and then. And then they go back. So yeah, the cushions and the blankets have had another use. Way to recycle.

Ingrid  6:13  
Yeah, yeah, definitely. So I have far more questions about how this all works, and how many clothes and all those things. But I just want to know first How did you get started? Have you been like started sewing for your whole life? Or if you got like, Have you done this special course how the standard this all came about that you started doing this?

Tracy  6:35  
I suppose so in kind of come from school. And during that time. I'd obviously done GCSE isn't it and I've had a sewing machine since I haven't done any courses or anything like that. Other than that, but I've just literally I've always used my sewing machine, but it was more for the creative side of things. So it was like creating fancy dress costumes for like for me for going to parties, or as my little ones come along having fancy dress costumes for them. And there was always like a bit of a creative Cypher and I didn't go out and do alterations on clothes or anything like that. But yeah, it was just something the sewing machines always just sat there and I always used it. Yeah. But it was more how it all started was before I think I've had my eldest Elizabeth and I was at this fair, and I'd seen this woman next to me actually, she was doing all these amazing animals and bears. What were they they look like? You look like you've used baby clothes. For those she's like, Well, that's exactly what it is. I sort of made a mental note that I'm going to have something like that done once I'd have my next child because I was hoping I'd have girls who didn't have to buy loads more clothes again. And I was like, make a mental note. That's what I'm gonna do once I'm finished with my baby clothes. And then the time come Harriet, come along, I'm stressing her and all of Elizabeth's clothes and I was like, they're not your clothes, they insisted they didn't have the same the same meaning to them whatsoever. So it was like now's the time to look into it. But I couldn't find ones that I liked. And the ones that I did like are quite a lot of money. And being on maternity leave. My haircut was only eight weeks old at this point. Being on maternity leave, as I can't justify spending a lot of money on a bear. I've got sewing machines sitting there, he'll just go nuts. If I just go hey, I've just sent my clothes off for someone for something that I could probably do myself. So I ordered a pattern and gave it a go to see how how it worked out. And yeah, I love I love the result of it. And in my head. I was just thinking right and now ready to move on to Elizabeth spare that I'm gonna make for her and my husband saw it and he was like, that is absolutely amazing. You should do this as a business. He's like my biggest supporter ever. Wasn't all you did? Why no. So it kind of started from there. Really? I put a post out on Facebook. So my friends go in, hey, this is what I've done. What do you think? And literally, requests start coming in. It was absolutely crazy. I can't believe that before I even started a business. I had so many people messaging me saying can you make this for me? That's kind of how it all started really. But I only had baby clothes in my head. Because I had a little one. That's all I was thinking of. And then it wasn't until a woman contacted me who had lost a son. And that was where the passion for the memorial keepsakes came in. And I was like How did I not even think about it's like the most beautiful thing that I could have, in fact, to someone It's my gift to someone during their grieving process that I can give a little bit of hope and comfort here. So that's it kind of went even bigger from there and that Yeah, absolutely adore what I do.

Ingrid  9:53  
Yeah. So you started out as kind of creating baby keepsakes, but then at some point somebody came with another request. You're like, oh yeah, I can do that too.

Tracy  10:01  
Yeah. Well, I couldn't see why why I couldn't. I've seen before that some people have done it. And ultimately the the process is still the same doesn't matter what clothes you use for them, the process is still exactly the same, you might just have to do a few different true different things if the clothing is different. So to to a shirt to a piece of knitwear, for example. But other than that, it's it's still the same. So I was like, Oh, I can't see why not. She knew I was only just starting out anyway, which I loved that she trusted me right from from the start to see yes. And then it kind of just handing back those ones to her. I think she made she placed a very large order with me. And I remember thinking, Oh, how am I going to do all of this? The imposter syndrome kicked in and what knew what I'm doing with a sewing machine. But when I handed them back to her, I could just see how much they meant to her. And yeah, it made me feel warm and gooey. Yeah, I love that feeling. It's not gone. I have it on every single one that I give back to someone. Yeah.

Ingrid  11:09  
So people must reach out to you with lots of different kinds of stories and reasons why. So if you have to think back kind of since you started, are there any special ones? I mean, of course, this was a very special this first one when she said I've lost my son, can you create something? Are there other reasons why people contacted you?

Tracy  11:28  
I suppose it's different from tape. There's lots of different reasons why people want it but you've got some who just couldn't bear to part with their little ones baby clothes, but had absolutely no idea what they were going to do with them. So you've obviously got your fat, nice happy side of it. Sadly, we have had a few where they've they've lost their baby during birth or a little bit further on. And they've just kept hold of those guys have had had one woman recently actually who she'd been keeping hold of the clothes for 10 years, had absolutely no idea what she was going to do with them. And she stumbled across my my Facebook group. I knew instantly, that's what she wanted to do. I didn't have there was a particular animal that she wanted. So she wanted a dragon, and they live in Wales. So it obviously has that kind of connection. But they also laid laid her son to rest in a dragon outfit as well, like you had little dragon motifs on it. So she said she wanted that kind of connection. So I went out and I got that pattern for her so that we could make it that little bit extra special. But then when it comes to adults clothing, some are trying to see like work uniforms. I've got someone at the moment who's wanting to get an RAF jacket from when she was in the RAF. And it's just been sitting in the wardrobe she no longer with them, so she wanted to have keepsake made out of that. Or then you've just suddenly got people that have lost their relatives and they just have no idea what to do with their clothes. They don't want to take them to a charity shop. They don't want to give them away because of the thought of parting with them. This is just too too heartbreaking. So they just keep coming to me and have been little keepsakes made out of them. I think they must be running up close even though because they so many for them. But yeah, if that if that's what's gonna bring them comfort and joy. That's all that matters at the end of the day. Yeah,

Ingrid  13:29  
yeah. Did I see something with a piece of a wedding dress a little while back as well?

Tracy  13:34  
Yes. Yes. So recent last. That's my newest one that I'm I'm venturing into is yes. And wedding dress ones. I've got quite a few. I've got a few booked in over the coming months. So I'm going to be showing quite a few pictures of them on my Facebook group. I've got an exciting one that I've just finished. So hopefully she'll be coming to collected soon. And I can share some some pictures because I never share photos until the recipients got them because I don't think it's fair. I think they should be the first person to see it. Yeah. And yeah, so wedding dresses, because we keep hold of them. We spend all this money on these dresses. And then we put them in storage. And we never get them out again. We think maybe our daughters will wear them when they're older and they're getting married but things out date don't name and they just I really liked it. My mom had that thought of her wedding dress and I remember looking at a guy or no way.

Ingrid  14:30  
Well, it's funny you say that because I don't know how my daughter and I got talking about it recently. So my wedding dress was forever in my mom's cupboard, but my mom downsized last year. So she was like, right. Do you want to keep them like, I'm very. I'm a Declutter. So I was I can't declutter wedding dress. It was like the best day of my life. The wedding dress stage like okay, well then it has to go to your house because I can't have it in my two bedroom flat when I come from a family home like right that's Fine. So it got here. And then I showed it to my daughter. And she was like, I'm gonna wear that on my wedding day. And I'm like, That's really nice. And I'm going to, I'm going to keep it anyway. But I don't want you to feel the pressure that you think I think that you should wear this, if you want to wear it when the time is right. And you want to do that. That's up to you. But don't feel that I think that you have had to do that. Because no, no, no, no, I know that mommy, but I really I love your wedding dresses. Beautiful. And I'm going to do that. I'm like, Well, you think that now but yeah, design we'll see. And if you still want it, then we can talk about it. But if I don't want you to have that pressure for the next 20 years thinking that that is something that I want you to do. Well, this is something that you've decided for yourself. Yeah. Because it's a personal thing, isn't it? Like it's it's

Tracy  15:46  
yeah, you have in your head? What kind of dress that you want. And yeah, and sadly, I've people have been sending me pictures of their dresses, they've had it in storage for years. Never got it out. And then actually when they they got it out. But if it's not stored correctly, it's going to have some damage to them. And ultimately, the decision is then where they've been going. I'm not sure if I want it. I like the idea of having it cut up because it's quite a big thing like yeah, this beautiful dress, and you're gonna hand it over to someone to take some scissors to it. It's a scary, scary scenario. But then sometimes they put it out and then they've gone. You know what, it's ruined now effectively anyway, I can't give it to someone. They never get clean. At least if I make a bear or Cushing or something from it. I can take there's plenty of dresses, material to the dresses that I can I can work with it and keep the stains off. So you still see that nice pristine dress. Yeah, I've seen some they've literally she got it out to send a photo to me. And then was like, I've no idea what this is. This wasn't like it when I packed it away. But yeah, I've Googled a lot. And yeah, if you're not storing them correctly, any little stain that maybe it was on the wedding day, whether it be your perfume, or a drink that maybe got spilt on you that you didn't know if you didn't get get it cleaned. Over time, you're gonna get some nice brown splotches on your beautiful dress. Yeah,

Ingrid  17:19  
yeah. And am I thinking like, good, for example, if somebody like keeps, like memory T shirts or something so for when they went on a trip abroad? Or could you use like a T shirt to make a memory blankets or use it for a bear or anything like that?

Tracy  17:37  
Oh, most definitely, you could probably use it for either of them, really, I mean, the T shirts, because usually they've got like the big logos on the front of them haven't been there, then a really good idea to use them on the blanket because the blanket, I've got a nice big patch that I can use, I can make the patches bigger if need be to be able to fit in those big logos to see as much of it as you can. And it's a nice way of having that blanket that you can literally see everything all in one place. Whereas with a fair, it's it's a smaller area. But sometimes you can see that little bit of the logo that you know exactly what that T shirt is. So it just depends on how much you want to keep. Oh, yeah. Of that Ison really?

Ingrid  18:22  
Yeah, I just loving. I mean, I love the idea about the RAF jacket as well. People must have loads of like uniform or school T shirts. Or maybe when they're fans of the scouts or the brownies. I mean, I'm like, brainstorming away here behind my desk going, there's loads of stuff now what's that you can do?

Tracy  18:40  
Yeah, and that's what I think is crazy about it all from the start that I in my head, I had baby clothes. That's all I'm gonna be working with. But actually, when you sit down and think about it, there are so many different things that you can use, like you say that you school uniform. If they leave in secondary school, you've got their first primary school outfits that you might want to keep hold on some people like if they've got the secondary school outfit, and they can have nice, posh looking bear with a tie on, for example, to replicate the uniform. And then again, yeah, you've got Army uniforms and police uniforms and pilots. There's so many different things. It doesn't have to be just the baby clothes. And just for someone who's who sadly passed away, you've got all the little fun bits in between as well which is what I love is that there's so many different ideas out there and it might be that you've it's not something that they fought so so what I say to people is to reach out to me, tell me what it is you've got and we can have a discussion about what it is that I can do with them and give you a few ideas

Ingrid  19:46  
that will make it specialist the treasurer when you talk to the clients and you hear the stories of the of the clothing and the garments and why it's so special to them. I mean, that's that's I think the icing on the cake. Isn't it? Oh, yeah.

Tracy  20:01  
And it's like some people don't don't share anything with me. They just say they're just sending me the clothes. And that's it. But then I do have people send me. They send me photos so I can see who the clothes belong to. Or they share a reasoning behind why they want a particular detail on the bear. Yeah, the one at the moment is making little Corvettes. And it's because it was his favourite combat and he always wore one. So it was she said, I knew it had to be on the bear somehow. That's, you see that? And I just think of my dad. So yes, it's Yeah, some people share locks, some people don't. But sometimes it just, it's nice to just bring it to life. I love I love seeing them in their own homes as well. So once they finished, some people like to share photos with me of where they've displayed them in their homes. And I like to see that in their own environments. Yeah, I know that. Yeah, they return home.

Ingrid  20:57  
Right. So all right, so let's, let's become then a little bit practical. So how does this work? So somebody's listening and thinking, Okay, I want to do this. So do they contact you? Do they pick them? which one they want? Do they then send the close? How does that go?

Tracy  21:14  
Yeah, so I say that the first point would be to maybe have have a little look as to what what design you might want, whether that be that you look at my website, my Facebook group, or whether you have a consultation call with me. And we can have a discussion about what it is that you're after. I work on a waiting list basis. So I would let you know when my next available date is. And then I would just ask for a deposit to secure your space. And then it's kind of it's you almost get that time to choose the right items of clothing that you want to use. Sometimes you just have like this snap judgement and you go, I want to use this shirt, for example. But actually, the more you think about it, you go this one has a little bit more meaning to it. So you've got little bit of time to have a think about it and have a look at all the different examples of work that I do. Yeah, and actually pick out the right items. And then what happens is as your data approaches, I would get in contact with you and ask you to send a photo to me. So they're staying with you as long as possible. And they're not stalking in my storage, at least they're with you. Because obviously they're they're your special items. And then I will literally I will update you as I go along. So you will know when I'm designing your keepsake. When I've actually started the cutting process scary word things. When I'm stuffing and when it's when it's finished and iterated to come home to you. So you'll you'll know where I am with it. That was one of the things that I I fought on for very early on that if they were my special items, and I sent them off to someone, I would want to know what was happening. I wouldn't want to have radio silence so that's why I've come up with with just a little little video update. So you don't necessarily see see the bear or the cushion is just literally just a little video with some text. And but if you wanted to have some sneak peeks that's absolutely fine as well. I am very sneaky with them. So I give you a little I can give you a little snippet but not given the whole game away because it's nice to have that that surprise and then yeah, it's just wait until it is it's returned to you. So it's quite simple and it's just as long as you you've chosen what you want to have made and secure space on the waiting list and obviously choosing the right items clothing.

Ingrid  23:42  
So Can Can people send basically any type of clothing can they even send things like knitwear or Oh is it like no knitwear is not practical? It has to be t shirt or more fabric or or can it basically send anything to you?

Tracy  23:59  
They I can work with most items to be okay so say for example the baby clothes ones made most people tend to think the sleepsuits like the baby grows but I can I can work with the sleepsuits bests trousers jeans T shirts, their baby blankets as long as they're not hand knitted items because obviously as soon as I cut them up then they can just unravel so your hand knitted items are are a no no. But other knitted like the shop brought knitwear is absolutely fine. Okay, the weaves a little bit tighter and then a hand knitted one. I've had some like a little nappy covers like the little nappy pants. Yeah, they've been sent to me and towels. So anything so baby clothes, but the memory ones or the uniform again, it's the same concepts, anything, whether it be shirts, T shirts, jeans, trousers, suits, dressing gowns, amazing amazing thing you can think of.

Ingrid  25:01  
Yeah. And so how many types? How many things need people to send in when they wanted something created? Can you? Do you say, Okay, you need to send in 10 items, or no three items is enough? Or do you kind of receive boxes full of stuff? Or is it like no, no, just send me three or four pieces. And that's what I'm going to work with.

Tracy  25:24  
So I tend to tell them how many is at a minimum that I would need. Yeah, so the baby tends to, for a bear, for example, be about five to seven items. And it just depends the number of items depends on what size clothes they are, and what items you sent me effectively. But anything that isn't used is then sent back to you. The ones that I tend to get more clothes and for are the memorial items. They only if you were to have a beer, for example, again, is only one item of clothing that I need. But you can include as many items as you want. They had there's so many different panels to do there or a patchwork cushion. I can Yeah, I can incorporate. You want. See, I do get some people that go. I know you only need one item. Here's a big bag. I had a customer who literally said I haven't I couldn't bring myself to look through the bag. So here's the bag of clothes, just pick what you think would work. Well. For some people that go, I want this shirt on this arm and I want this on the body. And I get little diagrams sometimes. Which is absolutely fine as well. Yeah. And if I ever think that there's it may be wouldn't work, I would always Yeah, yeah. But ultimately, it's their keepsake and it has to be perfect for them. I get some that give me no guidance whatsoever. And absolutely trust what I'm doing to then wonder what detailed drawing probably better drawing than mine sometimes.

Ingrid  26:54  
Amazing. So just out of curiosity, how much would it cost? If I want to have a bear or a cushion? Or a quilt? What What kind of price range are we talking about here?

Tracy  27:04  
So for the for the bears and the animals, they're 50 pounds plus the postage? There are a couple that are a little bit more, but that's just because of there's little extra work that's involved. So I do an owl and I think it's the unicorn as well, that's just a little bit more Yeah, you can, you can have them weighted to the baby's birth weight as well. Okay, so depending on their weight, you get a price depending on on how much they weighed the cushions, for example, they started 35 pounds. And again, depending on which style you have the price changes depending on that. And then you've got the blankets that start at 95 pounds, up to 240. Obviously, there's the various different there's a few different sizes that I do different back in fabrics. So that's how Sophie spoke to you that I have I have a guide as to what it would be. And usually it's a set price. If you want to have any extra little bits included, then I can I can give you a quote as to how much it is before you decide to go ahead.

Ingrid  28:09  
Got it. Got it. And you do something special as well, don't you because I was having a little snooping around your website. And I saw something about something really special that you do.

Tracy  28:20  
You're talking about the sound recorders. Yeah, so I obviously the keepsakes all already can be special to you anyway, but it's a nice little way of being able to add a little bit more sentiment to them. So I can pop in a little recorder inside the baby keepsakes, and whether it would be a heartbeat recording from your antenatal appointment some people are lucky enough that their midwives allow them to record it. I don't think my my midwives did. But some people do have those recordings. So I can pop that onto. It's like a little tiny, tiny heart button that I just literally pop inside the tummy so that when you squeeze the bear, you can hear the heartbeat. But then on the flip side of that is you can you've got a voice recording of a relative, then you can you can have the voice recording popped inside the bear as well. So when you squeeze your bear, you can hear their voice. Just bring back Yeah, a little. It's just another little extra extra touch to make it even more special to you and bring it to life a bit more. Yeah.

Ingrid  29:23  
I love how bespoke it is. You know, I love how bespoke It is you. People can pick the animal that they want. They pick the fabrics, they can have little extras added and it really is going to be then something that fits with them and that they want, isn't it?

Tracy  29:38  
Oh yes. The thing that I'm creating here is it's very bespoke to you know, no two bears are the same. Yeah, obviously they're handmade by me. I'm never gonna I'm not a machine that's gonna literally get you out. If you have them exactly the same pose exactly the same setup, you are going to have something that's slightly different And yeah, but that I think that's what makes it more special is that your one bear isn't going to be the same as your sisters bear. And it's going to have different quirks to it or different pattern layout. But yeah, it's just, it's nice that I can offer like little add on extra bits just to make it have a bit more of a meaning to you and make it that little bit more special.

Ingrid  30:21  
Yeah, you know what I'm sitting here thinking because we've got a sentimental horse in our membership. And of course, one of the topics is clothing. And I'm now thinking here going, everybody who's listening, then I probably think I need to find some clothes. I'm going to do this is sounds amazing. So how long does it take you to make a bear it should like one bear a day or how to work.

Tracy  30:45  
So I, I like to the way I work if it if I can do one bear a day, but because of how I work, and I like to make sure that I'm not getting too drilled, sometimes it can be quite overwhelming working on different pieces of work. So I tend to stagger it a little bit as to what I'm doing each week on there, just so that I can give it the time and attention that it needs. I'm focusing too much on something that's where things can go wrong. So I like to do little, a little bit, put it away and move on to something else and give it a fresh pair of eyes. And so if for example, he was to have a band aid, you'd be looking at about four to five weeks for it to be completed and sent back to you. It can be done sooner, but I'm quite busy at the moment. And this way I can get I can fit more people in and help more people at the same time. Whereas if I just did one bear at a time, I don't think I'd be able to help as many. Yeah. And that's my problem is I don't like to say no to people. Especially when they tell me stories. I'm just I'm just oh, okay, I can let me see what I can do.

Ingrid  31:56  
We aim to please, we aim to please. So you have a waiting list, you have become so popular and because people adore your work. You have a waiting list, don't you?

Tracy  32:09  
Id ID. So currently at the moment, I am booking for 2022 Sounds a really weird number to say doesn't explain to you to entertain. Yeah, I will literally I'm so honoured to have so many people trust me with their clothes that I have a waiting list. This big, that's with me booking 15 keepsakes a week. So it's not even as if I'm just doing a couple and then moving on to the next week, then and literally I can I can put an update in my group as to where I'm looking for. And those spaces are literally snapped up. I don't know if it's a fear of missing out, or, I mean, obviously people tell me that they they adore my work and show the humble side of me thinking okay, that's fine. I know. Well,

Ingrid  33:01  
congratulations, Tracy. I mean, I do I have to admit your work is top notch. So but of course you're here in the UK. So what do people do if they're listening in Australia? or Canada or the US or somewhere in Europe? Do you know of other people that do this? Is there an association of keepsake people? Do we Google what what do we do? Because we could hardly send you stuff from from all over the world that you're going to be booked up to 2030? This is not going to happen? Is it?

Tracy  33:31  
No I think that might be a little bit of a crazy waiting. This really wasn't it? So obviously I cover the UK and see the cover is if I'm the only one. There are so many keepsake makers out there. There are a lot of us. So if you wanted I mean a lot of people send close to me. But some people like to have someone local so that they can drop the clothes off because they don't want to put them in the post. So there are there are loads of keepsake makers across the UK. And I know there are some worldwide as well. So yeah, the best thing to do is like say you can either Google keepsake bear makers near me that's usually a good one to pull it up. You can even probably do that on Facebook as well. And it will it will pull up whatever Facebook wants to show you at that time. That may not necessarily be local ones. I do sometimes get requests for people to join who do live in Australia or America. And but I'm yeah, I'm quite picky as to who comes into my group because I don't want people to set their heart and having something made if I can't help them ultimately, but yeah, there are there. There's loads of us around if you can find one that suits what you're looking for as well. And then it might be that I'm a little bit out of your budget. There are other people out there all I would say is to have a look at their work and have a look at their reviews.

Ingrid  34:52  
True. True. listeners. Are you feeling inspired after hearing Tracy talk about all The creative things you can do with clothes. I mean, I'm now how I'm thinking. Now I've got indeed a couple of bits up in the loft in a box with some keepsakes that I'm keeping for my children, maybe I need to have a little think about what I'm going to make. But I just love the whole idea. And when we saw you, I think we came across your Facebook group and like this is so interesting. And so many people have closed that they want to do something with. So thank you, Tracy, for being on the show and, and telling us all about your fantastic business and congratulations on your success.

Tracy  35:35  
Thank you, thank you and say thank you for letting me talk about it. I don't get to talk to many people, I just tend to sit behind my sewing machine. So it was nice to talk to someone.

Ingrid  35:46  
Well, thank you for sharing, and we'll definitely put all the details in the show notes. If you have a look at declutter hub.com forward slash 149. That is this podcast, then you can find all the details of Tracy. And we'll include some other podcasts as well that might be interesting for you if you're having a think about your sentimental items. So that's it for this episode. We hope you've all enjoyed listening and are inspired to take action because that's what we're all about. With the declutter hub. Now, I wanted to give a special shout out because next week is podcast 150. Can you believe it? 150 podcasts that Leslie not have been doing. We're nearly now three years in before we started and we thought, yeah, let's just do a podcast. Let's do some chatting. Three years down the line. We're recording podcasts 150. So it's going to be a special one. So make sure you're listening next week. And if you've enjoyed this podcast, don't forget to share it with others. Like I said on the show notes. On the podcast page, you can find all the sharing buttons. And if you'd like to have more handy tips and advice from Leslie now you can find this in lots of places. We've got a Facebook group, the declutter hub community, we are on Instagram, we've got a Facebook page two, and you can find this on YouTube as well. And if you'd like to know more about our membership, have a look at members dot declutter hub.com To find out more. If you don't want to miss our next podcast, which I really hope you won't, please subscribe to the digital hub podcast and it will pop into your notifications each Friday. So thanks so much for listening, and we'll see you next time.

Outro  37:33  
Thanks for listening to this week's episode of the declutter hub podcast. Check out declutterhub.com for more inspiration, and don't forget to tune in next week.
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Episode 389 – Overcoming mobility challenges when decluttering with member Rory

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Episode 386 – 10 Tell-Tale Signs that you need to Declutter your House

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Judie Roberts says:

7 August 2021 at 8:08 PM

What an interesting concept for a business. I would love to have a few specialty crafted memories.

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1. Lesley Spellman says:
  
  8 August 2021 at 8:08 PM
  
  There has to be a US equivalent. Go for it!
  
  Reply
Episode 149 – Creating Sentimental Keepsakes with guest Tracy

Episode 389 – Overcoming mobility challenges when decluttering with member Rory

Episode 388 – Start as you mean to go on – plan 2026 for decluttering success

Episode 387 – Our 2025 year in review – the big Declutter Hub round-up

Episode 386 – 10 Tell-Tale Signs that you need to Declutter your House

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