Stash reduction

Well, this is my stash in its entirety- yarn, fibre and all. The fabric (for all the sewing that I never do) is in a different vacuum bag upstairs under the bed, apart from the piece of vintage Laura Ashley that I scored at my beloved local charity shop for 50p today. But I digress. The easy way of shrinking your stash, of course, is to suck all the air out of it so it looks less impressive, and that is what I did.
I then tidied our small room at the front of the house, the one which used to be my father-in-laws bedroom. Can you see the stash in there? Hiding behing the black boxes under the table?  Cunning, huh. 
No wonder our house is such a mess, though- even the dog prefers to sprawl in the middle of the floor, rather than her basket.
I cast on for Sylph using the black alpaca the other day, and I have to say, I HATE it. The yarn isn't showing up the pattern and the pattern is a really frustrating knit- you have to concentrate, but it doesn't actually go anywhere. It will be frogged, though I have no idea what to make instead. Ideas for 1500m of black DK alpaca are extremely welcome?