Toting things around...a giveaway

Isn't everyone's dining room used to store stuff???
No?

Our house is not large but it should be large enough for two humans and a poodle.

One of us, I'm not saying who, is a "collector" 
A collector is different from a hoarder. I don't know how but it feels better to me. Yep, it's me, I'm the collector. I suspect crafters have the collector genes. 
One of the things I love is a tote bag. 

We are trying to pare down in anticipation of moving house soon. If we knew where to move we'd be gone already, so in lieu of knowing , we're getting ready. One day I decided to bring all the tote bags out in one staging area to see what I had. By "all" I mean the ones not in use and that I could see.

Hence the first photo.

In an effort to sort them, I created categories.
Self made totes of fabric
plastic such as Houston Quilt show edition bags
quilt show advert bags like Handiquilter of mesh
Embassy Hop collector bags from DC trips to embassies
Tote's given me by friends
Advertising totes given at trade shows
Totes won on shop hops for visiting each shop
book bags given to dh at symposiums

I made piles of each in the dining room, piling them on top of "goliath" the bookcase from IKEA. I thought I was buying one like the others in the studio, but after dh put it together I realized it's a foot taller and wouldn't fit. I had to relocate it into the family room to hold excess books. (have I mentioned I'm a collector??)

I admit to having more than one bag from the book fest which leads to a giveaway!! 

I will share. It's hard for me, being a collector and all, to let anything go. I already sent some to Eliza who loves to read and uses tote bags til they fall apart. I learned it's okay to let go if they go to someone you like! 

So I am willing to let a few more go to a couple people. Yep. I'm going to. Let. Go. (a little)
The book festival used to be marvelous. On the mall in front of the Smithsonian, there was a city of tents, each one hosting a steady stream of authors talking about their books. Heaven! I heard and met so many people I admire, and felt so energized after.

We got tote bags.

Any day when I receive a free tote bag is a good day.
When I visited Houston Quilt show, vendors gave out tote bags too. Since they gave me one each day, I am willing to share them with you. Of course I'm keeping some, heh heh.

They are handy to store projects in, to carry your projects in the car, to store quilts, to use on shopping sprees.

My collecting doesn't stop at mesh bags... I also love the plastic zip bags blankets come in for holding WIPS
and fabric collections...

and have a selection of plastic bins to use in an effort to stash supplies

One of my handiquilter bags is holding those, kind of.

Two memento totes from embassy hops... Keeping these!! Memories of touring the embassy are good.
My memory of Argentina was watching dancers doing the tango to a quartet of musicians so good we bought their cds. We ate smelly fish in Finland, drank beer and ate chocolate in Belgium, danced to music from the Bahamas.

some of my hand made totes. I use them. I pretty much use these totes instead of a purse now, so one's always in use. Storage is a problem however. They kind of defy storing.

So that's kind of my Confession  sharing of a system. It's not perfect but each bag holds a memory of an event I attended. It takes up more space than a digital image, but it's useful.

I'm willing to share. I want to share with you, the friends I've gotten to know as quilters and readers.
The people who seek to organize and need to carry or store their stuff too.
I know you can relate to me.

Please, tell my husband it could be worse!
now it's your turn... to win entertain me with a story of what you'd tote/store in the bags and I'll choose winners and send them out.
  Would you prefer book festival or quilting??

These need re-homing. 
I need to stop collecting them..... Bwaaaaahahahahahahahaha!
 
We'll be connected in a way. I'll know they went to a good home.