Side projects - how it is really important?

TLDR - Frontend Engineer with 5/6yr xp, overwhelmed about side projects and lack of motivation to finish side projects.

I’m a frontend engineer with sensitively 6yr of xp, and I’m really frustrated about side projects, I have a finished old one that I developed before first real world project, and since then I didn’t complete another one, I’ve started two (the first one I sent it to trash, and the other one are pending, 50% developed).

I’m with a new idea, a project with new stack and other exciting technologies.

The current project are boring because the features are very similar to features that I develop on my 9-5 (CRUD, e.g. lists, details pages, creation forms) and I’m really bad designing UX/UI and project are looking very ugly so it take down my motivation.

Problem: The old finished project on my github is working and is live but the code and architecture doesn’t match with my current knowledge and doesn’t make me proud.

So I feel that I need to renew my portfolio, but I’m confusing about what is really important in my situation.

Should I invest time on current project that is my stack and will enforce my portfolio? Should I change and start the new idea to refresh and give some fresh air to my career and portfolio? It’s not important anymore because I’m inside the market?