Creativity Tip: Clean Your Workspace
(I think I am organized, but looking at this photo I see what my husband sees......A LOT of stuff. This is just a portion.)In ECT TV Episode 2, I gave a tip to clean up your workspace when you're feeling creatively blocked.By workspace I mean anywhere you work, whether you have a full studio, a drawer stashed with beads or anything in between.I think the two main reasons this works are:#1 You will get your mind off of creativity. This will actually help you come up with ideas. My very best ideas happen when I’m doing something else.#2 You will see your supplies. You might find things you forgot about or lost and get ideas of what to do with those supplies.Get your mind off of being creative.Sometimes it's our tendency to want to "come up with ideas" or really push ourselves when we have creative blocks. Instead I find it helpful to do something -- almost anything -- else.For instance, cleaning your workspace, taking a shower, cleaning your house, doing the dishes, basically doing something that takes your mind of of creativity, but something you don't have to think about too hard. Maybe reading a fun novel or magazine would work for you.Finding supplies.Do you remember that feeling when you're at the supply store (or online even) and you find a great bead, clasp, etc. that you can't wait to use?Sometimes when you get home you don't get straight to work. Then life calls and you've moved on. The beads get stashed on your worktable or in a box or wherever and you forget about them.This happens to everyone.When you organize your supplies, you will see them again. It's like when you got them the first time! Woo hoo! Now you're excited to use them again.I find this to be the case even with leftover beads from other projects. I'll be like, "Yay! I still have a few of these beads!" And start coming up with an idea.What you can do right now:Even if you have very little time to do a whole big reorganization, you can set a timer and see how far you get.Try:
- Putting away beads leftover from a project.
- Putting away your tools.
- Just picking out the scrap wire to recycle.
- Just picking out any trash that accumulated.
- Separating your mess into piles of like items (i.e. a pile of wire, a pile of beads, a pile of tools, a pile of findings)
- Make a list of things you need to get at the store to complete your organization (i.e. bins, bead containers, etc.)
As you can see, even if you don't have hours to devote, you can just set a timer for 5 minutes and take one step. Even that will help.Have fun! Wish me luck as I try to pare down my craft supplies to about 50% of what I have now.
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