The Art of Clutter, by a Very Successful Clutterer

My desk as of this morning.

"Clutter is stuck energy.  The word 'clutter' derives from the Middle English word 'clotter,' which means to coagulate--and that's about as stuck as you can get."
               ---Karen Kingston

YIKES!  

Yes, this is what I saw as I entered my office this morning.  HOW did it get this bad?  And, why did I just now realize it?

Well, I have a good idea about that.  

Now that the party's over (see "eARTh--One AMAZING Art Exhibit" - http://TobyBakerSparklingStories.blogspot.com) I finally have a moment to take a look around me--something there was simply no time to do for the last several months.  To get all my new artwork done and delivered I needed every hour of daylight (and some at night, too!), all the record-breaking unseasonably warm February days in the 50s, 60s and even 70s!, and a single-minded focus to not get lead astray by things that could be put off--like, say my desk.

My basket of receipts waits for me on my kitchen desk.

I tend to keep a fairly organized desk most of the time.  At least I can find what I need, even if I have to dig.

But, early in the summer I remember stacking receipts and thinking I'll get these posted when I have time.

THAT is the kiss of hello to CLUTTER!


"LATER is the best friend of clutter."
                                          --Peter Walsh


Sure enough.  There was NO TIME during the summer, fall or winter.  In fact, nearly ALL of 2016!!

Meanwhile, that stack of receipts got buried under mounds of new work, new receipts, rough drafts, pertinent information, forgotten files and misdirected odds and ends.

"Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions."
                           --Barbara Hemphill

My bookcases are works of art in layering!

Now that my artwork is completed and on display for a month and I am overwhelmed with the job of organizing, cleaning, sorting and purging that awaits me, I was tempted to be misguided by this comforting thought:

"I want to be lead by the Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter."
                              --Freddie Mercury

Yes!  I have WONDERFUL clutter!! Meaningful clutter!  Clutter with history, personality and potential!  And, I argued, remember this helpful insight:

"Creative clutter is better than idle neatness."
                                          --Anonymous

Boxes tower over my garage desk.

Then I went out to my studio in the garage and stood transfixed by the tower of cardboard precariously perched over one of my work desks.

Seems I was going to "break these boxes down" at one point--maybe last February?--but I reminded myself that I "might need a good box" as I was delivering and picking up art from several galleries.  One never knows when one might need a good box, right?


"Clutter causes stress, and clutter is one of the main barriers of productivity."
                    --Charisse Ward

My painting cubicle fills with "stuff I meant to put away."

As I stood in the garage, carefully trying not to touch anything lest it topple a stack of something, I glanced with fresh frightened eyes to my painting cubicle, literally boxed in with "STUFF I MEANT TO PUT AWAY."

I was in a hurry, I rationalized.  I needed it NOW and fully intended to put it all away--and, still do!  

Of course, by now, some of these emergency supplies have been stacked with even more urgent emergency supplies and topped with gotta have it right this minute supplies.  No wonder I couldn't find everything when needed. 

Art supplies have a way of attracting more art supplies.  I wonder if I can actually remember where I stored all these art supplies so I can find them again when they become yet again "emergency supplies."

FENG SHUI TIP:

CLUTTER IS ANYTHING UNFINISHED, UNUSED, UNRESOLVED OR DISORGANIZED.  WHEN YOU CLEAR YOUR CLUTTER YOU CREATE SPACE FOR NEW THINGS AND YOUR ENERGY AND CREATIVITY WILL INCREASE.

So, now you know what I'll be doing until my next post in March--organizing, cleaning, sorting, purging--oh, and getting tax stuff ready for our accountant with those receipts buried deeply on this desk somewhere.

Gee, March is going to be an interesting month.

Realizing that I'd better get a jump into this if I'm going to be able to show you AFTER photos of my amazing success in these endeavors, I'll leave you with this:

"Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor--it's anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living."
                                                    --Peter Walsh