Photos of my messy studio
7:45 PM Posted In storage issues , work spaces Edit This 0 Comments »
Yesterday I finally finished cleaning my studio. It was in really rough shape. For some reason my room is the place that everyone in the family uses as a dump when they are cleaning other rooms of the house. When someone comes across an item that they don't know how to put away, they put it in my studio. When somebody finds something that they don't want anymore, they put it in my studio. When the dog pulls something delectable out of the trash can, he carries it up to my studio. When we have company coming and don't have time to tidy everything nicely, everything gets shoved in my studio. Why is this?
This fall was so hectic that by Christmas time my studio looked like this.
There was much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth - not to mention shouting and tearing of hair in frustration as I attempted to work on gifts in the short time I had this season. In the end, if there was something I wanted, I had to step over piles of junk on the floor to get to needed supplies and drag them downstairs to work in the kitchen. It was very ineffective, time consuming and unhappy for everyone in the family. I'm committed to not allowing it to happen again.
In the process of cleaning, I stuffed three large garbage bags full of stuff to go away. I've been inspired by Sharon over at In a Minute Ago who just completed a reorganization and weigh in of her studio fabric stash. I did not weigh everything in my studio - there are just too many categories and too much crossover between categories to effectively "label" everything.
What did I end up throwing away?
- Several very old cheapo sewing projects that were begun when I was a sewing beginner. They were never going to be finished and weren't worth passing along to anyone to save.
- Several baggies of junk beads that I saved for my daughter to play with when she was small. She is no longer small enough to be interested in junk beads and I am getting rid of all baggies in my studio. (Come back in a few days to read about getting rid of studio "baggage")
- Lots of stuff that the dog dragged upstairs to chew on or lick out. His favorite in recent months has been empty cat food bags and fish sticks boxes. Sometimes he will steal a toy to hoard up there, too. I think the toys are a response to our 3 year old son who deliberately hides the dog's toys behind a large chair in the study so that the dog has nothing to play with.
- Lots of failed paper art and/or scrap paper, old handmade patterns that didn't make the cut, etc...
I also spent a great deal of time reorganizing various art supplies into small bins to be stored in a more accessible and logical manner. I've been guilty of keeping uncategorized things in cardboard boxes, the aforementioned plastic baggies, loose in drawers and in heaps for too long now. It has been a frustrating few days digging through the heaps and piles and clutter but it was so worthwhile!
Earlier today, I walked past my studio and saw the afternoon sun streaming in onto the clean (ugly - but clean!) carpet and felt drawn to the space instead of repelled by it. Last night my daughter complained that she wants a room with 3 windows and my husband admitted rather ruefully that I've got the best room in the whole house for my studio. It may be that all the stuff in there is going to have to start earning its keep this year or my family will start trying to encroach upon my creative territory!
Time to put a small person to bed and finish my bead reorganization project. I need to order some beads for a class I am teaching next Tuesday at the St.Lawrence County Arts Council and I need to get a good look at what I do and don't have enough of by tomorrow.
This fall was so hectic that by Christmas time my studio looked like this.
There was much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth - not to mention shouting and tearing of hair in frustration as I attempted to work on gifts in the short time I had this season. In the end, if there was something I wanted, I had to step over piles of junk on the floor to get to needed supplies and drag them downstairs to work in the kitchen. It was very ineffective, time consuming and unhappy for everyone in the family. I'm committed to not allowing it to happen again.
In the process of cleaning, I stuffed three large garbage bags full of stuff to go away. I've been inspired by Sharon over at In a Minute Ago who just completed a reorganization and weigh in of her studio fabric stash. I did not weigh everything in my studio - there are just too many categories and too much crossover between categories to effectively "label" everything.
What did I end up throwing away?
- Several very old cheapo sewing projects that were begun when I was a sewing beginner. They were never going to be finished and weren't worth passing along to anyone to save.
- Several baggies of junk beads that I saved for my daughter to play with when she was small. She is no longer small enough to be interested in junk beads and I am getting rid of all baggies in my studio. (Come back in a few days to read about getting rid of studio "baggage")
- Lots of stuff that the dog dragged upstairs to chew on or lick out. His favorite in recent months has been empty cat food bags and fish sticks boxes. Sometimes he will steal a toy to hoard up there, too. I think the toys are a response to our 3 year old son who deliberately hides the dog's toys behind a large chair in the study so that the dog has nothing to play with.
- Lots of failed paper art and/or scrap paper, old handmade patterns that didn't make the cut, etc...
I also spent a great deal of time reorganizing various art supplies into small bins to be stored in a more accessible and logical manner. I've been guilty of keeping uncategorized things in cardboard boxes, the aforementioned plastic baggies, loose in drawers and in heaps for too long now. It has been a frustrating few days digging through the heaps and piles and clutter but it was so worthwhile!
Earlier today, I walked past my studio and saw the afternoon sun streaming in onto the clean (ugly - but clean!) carpet and felt drawn to the space instead of repelled by it. Last night my daughter complained that she wants a room with 3 windows and my husband admitted rather ruefully that I've got the best room in the whole house for my studio. It may be that all the stuff in there is going to have to start earning its keep this year or my family will start trying to encroach upon my creative territory!
Time to put a small person to bed and finish my bead reorganization project. I need to order some beads for a class I am teaching next Tuesday at the St.Lawrence County Arts Council and I need to get a good look at what I do and don't have enough of by tomorrow.
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