I'm finishing up the year with reflections on my creative journey in 2023. I hope this will help you take an easier path toward a more creative life, but it probably won't. It seems humans are wired to learn the hard way. Maybe we learn better the hard way? Doesn't matter. Keep reading. You're bound to pick up something, if only a chuckle at my missteps.
When it comes to creativity, messiness beats perfection every time. But when messiness becomes a disorganized state of being, that's not helpful to the creative process. It's a distraction and a time-suck. Here are my recommendations and reminders for staying organized. And if you ever have a chance to visit my creative space, do as I say, not as I do.
Analog space
My workspaces are mostly in the dining room. (A positive result of the pandemic where both Bob and I are remote workers now. He gets the official office designed to be an office, I get to spread out in a repurposed room we never used as intended anyway.) In one corner is my 9-to-5 job workspace with a desk, a laptop, a couple of monitors, and essentials like Silly Putty to give my hands something to do during endless virtual meetings. The dining table is where my personal laptop, monitor, and art supplies live. Oh, and books. Books are everywhere.
Tips to stay organized:
Tidy up once a week. With a regular habit, it shouldn’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes.
Keep like things together—markers with markers, paints with paints, paper with paper, fabric with fabric, etc. Use containers to, well, contain things but also to give your space a style you like. (Old coffee mugs, glass mason jars, wicker baskets, whatever makes you feel good.) Shop the thrift stores before The Container Store or IKEA.
Keep frequently used books within arm’s reach. Put other books you love on shelves or organized stacks where you can admire them and be inspired by them.
Mind your hoarder mentality. Throw things away (or recycle) once-in-a-while. It’ll be okay.
Digital space
It is easy for digital file collections to grow out of control. I am guilty of file hoarding, keeping those how-to documents that I think I’ll use someday but never actually do. It takes good habits and discipline to keep folders and files organized, findable when you need them, and limited to what’s truly valuable.
Tips to stay organized:
Tidy up once a week. Again, with a regular habit, it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
Keep your personal files (like taxes or family photos) separate from your artistic and/or creative business files (like business expenses, product images, or source files of your writing, designs, etc.)
Name your file folders so that it’s clear what’s inside. For example, use “Surface Pattern Designs” or “T-Shirt Designs” instead of just “Designs.” Use folders named “Archive” for files that you don’t need to use but may need to refer to someday. Don't abuse the Archive folder.
Name your files so that it’s clear what they are. For example, “Book_HowToStayOrganized” instead of “Book.” Create a naming convention and follow it. I try to avoid spaces in file names and capitalize all words so it’s easier to read. Never name a file “Final” because it never is.
If you’re using a platform that allows you to add tags to your files, do it. Tags are one-word descriptions of what the file is about. Tags make it easier to search for and find what you need when you need it.
Make use of cloud storage like iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Get files off your desktop and hard drive. This will save you a lot of heartache when your computer crashes, which it will.
Use an app like OneNote or Evernote to save information, links, notes, etc. Be thoughtful and intentional about how you organize it, just as you are with naming digital files and folders.
Email is a blessing and a curse. It makes communication easy, with friends and strangers. I have seven different email accounts, three that I use consistently. I don’t know how many email newsletters that I get, but it’s far more than I read (and definitely more than I remember subscribing to). The number of emails in my inboxes varies between 50 and 500. Again, do as I say, not as I do to tame the email dragon.
Tips to stay organized:
Tidy up daily. Take a few minutes to delete the emails you don’t want or need. Save information that you do want, either moving the email to a dedicated email folder, copying the information into a notes app (like OneNote or Evernote), or saving it as a file in your well-named digital folder.
If your email inbox is bloated like mine is, set a daily goal to reduce it by at least 20. It's oddly satisfying to watch the number diminish. And it's easier to do than you think.
Unsubscribe from the email newsletters that you don’t read. Even the one from Pondering Acres if it’s not serving you. (By the way, if you do want to sign up for my weekly newsletter, you can link to it here.)
There you have it, my best recommendations for staying organized, based on my experiences in 2023. If you want a true organization expert’s recommendations, read Marie Kando’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying (paid link). The title might be a little misleading but it's a good read, nonetheless.
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