TIDY DESK, TIDY MIND

I have blogged before about the process of a cathartic declutter in my studio and lately I had been feeling like something similar was brewing.  My studio was the visual representation of how my head has been feeling recently – messy and chaotic.

I am in the hugely fortunate position to use a room in the shared studio of my parent's house; both creatives, they set up the basement studio space when they moved in 14 years ago. 

Recently, the scale of my prints and the different areas and way I work has changed.  I felt like my studio and I had grown apart – I wasn’t working efficiently or effectively.  It was time for a change, time to find a new studio.  I admit to feeling a little anxious about not wanting to seem ungrateful when talking to my Folks about the change, but they were brilliant and rather than moving studio they were willing for me to update my part of the studio space in order for it to work better for me and the way I work now.

The first change I needed to make was to get a plan chest to store large prints away – giving me more table top space, but also making it easier to keep the prints organised, clean and safe [these were previously taking up a large amount of space on my worktop, being shunted about from surface to surface in order to work around them].  I looked for second-hand chests and couldn’t find anything that would work in my space, so I decided to build one into an alcove.  My husband helped me to construct a framework for drawers to slot into – this was tricky as the alcove walls were far from square or straight!  I then set about constructing drawers and shelves.  I purchased new storage crates that would fit into the shelf unit we had created.  I have to say I am delighted with results.

The dismantling and construction process

My second issue was work space and a  lack of permanent storage, rather than items stored in plastic boxes, then stowed under my desk.  I acquired upright shelf units and storage boxes which took up less floor space.  The desktop that I had been using was brilliantly ‘multi-use’; office space/printing bench/jewellery making station/mounting and framing surface, I felt it was time to compartmentalise these different areas of my work so I removed the large built-in desk and created a separate office.  I purchased two extendable tables so that I could have as much or as little work surface depending on the requirements of my current project, but also meaning I can have two separate projects on the go [as is often the way].

My studio before the big reshuffle

My studio after the alterations

Lastly, I made the decision to include an armchair into my new work environment – not as you might think for tea breaks [though this is a bonus], but actually a fair amount of my work I make on my knee in the comfort of my sofa at home in the evenings and it struck me that this simple addition to my studio might help me alter my perspective on saving the less 'heavy-weight' work for my ‘down time’ and treat it as equally significant to the running of my business as other areas of my work.  Embracing the work that encourages me to nestle down rather than only valuing the work that means I'm hurtling around feeling like I'm 'getting things done'.   Now that the chair is in and the desk has been taken out from below the window I can now sit in good daylight to work on stitching, making and writing.  I love it!

A few of my favourite corners: new desk, colourful plan chest, arm chair and a shelfy!

So now the reshuffle has happened my head feels calmer and clearer [and I know where everything is!].  The space feels like mine.  No excuses now to get on with some work……!