February 11, 2008

too much stuff


Do you ever want to throw everything away and start over?

the top of the refrigerator
is the only calm place in the house right now


I've been re-arranging furniture and every time I do that, I end up with a pile of little things that I don't have room for. In a house as tiny as mine, I find I constantly have to re-adjust the flow in order to keep things running smoothly. Working at home requires space to function in an organized way. There's the bead table - the production area - and all the attendant sorting and storage issues. The 'office' - desk, file cabinet, computer, office supplies, printer, scanner, which all take up way too much room. Now I have a small table top area for packaging and shipping with bags, boxes, mailers, labels, etc.
(Yes, supplies from Highwood Studio are actually selling on Etsy).
That leaves the kitchen counter for taking pictures. Thank goodness the camera is tiny and that I get plenty of light in my little house because I have no room at all for a light-box. The closet is stuffed with display gear for summer craft shows. The only 'me' space in the whole house is a book case, an easy chair, and my bed!

When I get into one of these re-arranging frenzies, I also want to dump the blog, the Etsy shop, half the files and folders and the mile-long list of bookmarks on my computer and 90% of the clutter filling up my head.

It's ALL just taking up too much space.

Zen Habits says that re-arranging systems is just a form of avoidance. Makes sense to me since I spend an inordinate amount of time organizing stuff. If only I wasn't so OCD and could be okay with some clutter and just a little bit of confusion. I know people who manage to function very well in the midst of what, to me, looks like the debris of years of creative chaos. It just doesn't bother them.

I'm really missing the days when this jewelry thing was just a hobby.
No computer to keep track of inventory, supplies, pricing, billing, bookkeeping, taxes. No need for (my current) 137 strands of assorted beads, not to mention a hundred small containers of loose beads, and 13 boxes (with 16 compartments each) of silver spacers, caps, pins, charms, clasps, chain, wire. And drawers filled with finished jewelry, tags, bags, earring cards, tools.

I've never wanted to use my blog as a place to rant, but do you ever just want to throw everything away and start over?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

:) I have a small apartment right now, so I know exactly how you feel!
Let it all out!

pussman and co said...

do not dump the blog space, this isn't taking up real physical space is it! Only on your work list and in your head. Just leave it for a while (I do it all the time) I enjoy reading yours because we always seem to be somewhat on the same level & that comforts me. Right now I am in some sort off crisis with my work. I have to illustrate this book and it is so dull written, you can not imagine. I fall asleep reading it, Today I wrote a letter to the publisher that I would prefer not to do it, but she didn't reply yet. Maybe tomorrow!

take care and stag on the blog space!!

The Downtown Boutique said...

YES! We have a small apartment and I have a love for MANY different crafts. It's a good thing hubby is so patient with me!

sulu-design said...

When I commented most recently on your blog, I had somehow missed this post - we are FAR more in sync than I'd realized. I mean, my goodness... the rearranging, the photo of stacks of kitchen items, the thoughts about scrapping it all. Wow. We are so on the same page. Here's hoping for a little clarity for both of us!