You Gotta Get Organized!

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This was my work table yesterday. Obviously, it’s pretty… unacceptable. (Trashed? Distressing? Unorganized isn’t a strong enough word.)

This is pretty common for me after I’ve had a mad rush of creating before an event. Usually less outside of that but I can get kind of lax sometimes.

That’s why Sunday morning is generally clean up day (I was tired this week), and I encourage others to also have a day dedicated to tidying the studio. Maybe you put everything away and work on one project at a time… but that’s not my style (or what I’ve seen from others in their studios).

Figuring out how you work is an important part of running your business. Here are some things to think about for setting up your work area and creating.

Put some thought into which tools/supplies should be kept in easy reach and which can take some work to get to. If you often need a certain pair of scissors and you decide they should be kept in a specific bin and that bin is under three others… you’re going to frustrate yourself. Also possibly misplace the scissors because you never put them back.

Know what time of day you do your best work and try to work then. Don’t force yourself in the studio first thing if you need time to wake up, or stay there late if your creativity goes downhill. And if you need a break, allow it… and remember to eat! (I’m pretty bad about that, so have learned to set alarms.)

I’ve got TWO work table areas. I know I’m spoiled. But it also came to be since leather often requires wetting and drying and that takes up space. So to be more productive, I will work with wire in those drying times. The first week I ~really~ worked in the studio I was super unhappy with results since I had those productivity gaps. I hadn’t realized before since I couldn’t just focus!

Related to drive and focus, know things that motivate you and use them to your advantage. Lists work great for me, but I found out digital lists don’t work. Crossing things off is my reward. So I got a whiteboard.

I lose track of my accomplishments easily and it was making me feel I never complete anything… so my friend Hope started a message board where I can see how far I’ve come.

Really study yourself and your surroundings to get things working for you instead of against.

I moved my picture taking spot because the distance between it and my computer was making me hesitant to re-take shots. You aren’t going to get everything perfectly set up the first time and your style will change over time.

Just realize when something frustrates you, think about it, and it could maybe be avoided in the future by getting yourself organized!

What’s working for you? Or working ~against~ you that others might have ideas about?

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