It's seems rather insensitive and trite to post anything as trivial as my messy office in light of all the recent tragedies. I write my posts ahead of time and schedule them to publish so this was written before the senselessness in Las Vegas. I thought about postponing it but good lord if I held off posting because of all the astounding crap going on lately I would never blog. I seriously would like to get through a day without shaking my head in mute disbelief.
So in the spirit of providing distraction, however brief, I'm just going to carry on posting.
"We're all just walking each other home." ~Ram Dass
I showed a few pictures of my office in the house tour but I thought I would show a few before and afters because I spent the better part of Sunday cleaning it up.
My space can best be described as semi-controlled chaos. My space is used for whatever artful whim I am feeling at that moment. And, truth be told, there might be several going on at once. I'm also not a tidy as you go type – just ask my husband who cleans up after me as I cook.
So most days my office is a disaster. I'm going to show the pretty pictures first and then, just for giggles and a dose of reality, I'll show you what it REALLY looks like. You've been warned. Before=95% of the time. After=5%.
Yeah – I did that rainbow things with my books. I was so derisive when the trend showed up, what? Five years ago or so? Pfft! Everyone knows books should be arranged by HEIGHT. Show me a bandwagon and I'll hop on eventually.
I am very fortunate to have a dedicated space that I can call my own. I normally go into an actual office for work but I do work from home a couple days a week so it is used both as a proper office and as a craft room. I always refer to the space as my office rather than a craft room or studio. My personal particularity – craft room brings to my mind tempera paints, popsicle sticks and potholder looms. Studio sounds too lofty for what actually goes on here.
No avoiding that cat pan.
I have had the Ikea Expedit bookcase since 2010 and it has served me well. I had the square baskets/bins that Ikea sells in the bottom cubbies but swapped them out about a year ago for drawer units. Game changer. So much easier to find things now.
I have labels on each drawer; tapes, glues, paints, sparkly things…(it will surprise most of you that I only need one drawer in this category…)
I seemed to have forgotten to tidy my linens. I'm always rifling through the stacks to find a particular piece. I have eight million vintage hankies. I've counted. Last year I sent everyone I know a hankie. They must multiply when I'm not looking.
We've seen the good – now for the bad and ugly.
There are the remnants of about five projects going on in the above picture.
Even the unfinished dollhouse is a disaster.
To be honest it's hard to be productive at this desk when it is out of hand like this.
Tea mug build up.
Okay enough of that. I have to say I think, for me at least, a creative mind needs a bit of clutter and chaos. I really struggle with the hyper organized part of me and the creative part of me. I love nothing more than a perfectly organized space but at the same time, when I'm in that creative mind space, I can't be bothered to clean as I go or follow any kind of routine. The balance I've found it to have an organized house with the exception of this office. Then every few months I have a go at it and clean it up.
