A place to create....

Reading a recent Studio Mojo, helped me to overcome the OVERWHELMED inertia I felt about setting up my new studio. It had become the very big unpacking too hard basket and I quite literally cried and swore sometimes when I opened the door. (I will 'fess up....there's been a good bit of crying and swearing lately!)Cynthia wrote about a book called The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (which was reviewed by Heather Powers here.)  A swearing, crying, unpacking woman does not have time to read a book but one phrase from Cynthia's summary hit home: put everything (everything!) out in one category and go through touching each item. If it sparks joy, you keep it. If it doesn't and you are keeping it because you feel you may need it someday or you feel guilty about throwing it away - it's time to let it go.Obviously a mixed media artist will need things someday but I really thought more deeply about this. What did I want to use rather than what could I use? What had I held onto (over many years and carried to many homes) because one day I might use it?  The simple step of sorting a pile of stuff into what bought joy and what didn't was somewhere to begin.  (Disclaimer: I did have a Stuff that didn't bring joy but needed to be kept box....I knew I would need those papers at tax time.)Marie Kondo, the book's author, encourages people to store and classify using what they already have rather than rushing out to...IKEA say....and buying more. For years I have been saving two old printers' drawers and I decided that instead of keeping them in bubble wrap until I did whatever I was waiting to do with them, I could use them for storage in a way that would inspire me and bring joy.I did buy a few things.  I cheated a bit because being the nation's capital, Canberra does have a great ex Govt. Furntiure disposal store and I could not go past this old office locker/ post cupboard for storage!  Or the old drafting chair!!There's still away to go, and good golly won't it be good when I spend more time creating, but for now, thanks Cynthia for getting me started.