This is a before and after story.
So—here it is. My 'before' picture. It's embarrassing but it's real. And you get to see it.
My studio has been a cluttered mess for many months now. I've only hinted that I need to tidy up often on instagram. And because I keep trying to work around the clutter, starting something new at every turn, the piles have gotten deeper and the clutter is piled everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! Can you relate to this? I envy people who are always able to keep things tidy. If only they could come and live with me!
There are boxes on the floor filled with fun treasures meant to list on my vintage Etsy shop. That's a big project. Moving them back to the basement (which also needs re-organizing!) is another big project. I have stacks of papers—paid bills and receipts and school forms on the floor. I have to step around them to get to my printer. They are near the filing cabinet but I cannot be bothered to spend the hour or two it will take to file them. There are more piles on the printer table. . .
And PAINTINGS! There are paintings leaning or stacked all over the place. All in various stages of completion. Some are complete—many are not. My painting table is covered with tubes and brushes and tools and an unfinished painting is there... waiting for me. My recently purchased, HUGE easel is in the middle of the room with an unfinished painting... waiting for me.
When things get to this critical point, I can't even think of painting. It's just too overwhelming. But, I told some artist friends that I am going to do some journal/sketchbookl pages, and then I'm going to speed clean that room. The goal: to be able to move without stepping over or scooting around things. And to have space cleared off for work that I need and want to do. But—I'm just going to dive in and do the sketchbook exercise when it's done. A reward of sorts.
Here is how I will do it:
1) File those papers. 😣
2) Move boxes to basement. (tackle basement later.)
3) Clean up the painting table.
4) Remove all things that have found their way into and don't belong in my studio and put them where they go.
5) Organize paintings—and while I'm at it I'll have a look at all the ones that are unfinished all together. And I'll group the ones that are ready to release onto the website store—ready them for photographing, naming and uploading.
6) Clean the tables. Clean the floor.
7) Take some pictures of my clean space!
8) Have a cup of tea.
9) Share my 'after' pics with you! ❤️
Here we go. . .wish me luck!
and stay tuned! :)