Cluttered, messy work space

My office was a mess. Cluttered and disorganized, entropy seemed to rule.

The few photos on the walls were haphazardly hung wherever there happened to be nails. Test prints were propped here and there or laying in piles on the table. My photography equipment was piled on desk, tables, floor and bookshelves.

Getting packing materials for Etsy orders out of my closet was an exercise in frustration.

While I could still find everything I needed, my work space was no longer a joyful place to be.

“The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.”
― Marie Kondō, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

I decided to do a thorough de-clutter, reorganize, and re-arrange effort on my office. Initially I looked at different organizing and office products that might make it easier to organize all my stuff. But after careful thinking I made a conscious decision to get rid of stuff and to not bring in any new stuff to replace it.

I felt this was important because true simplification does not require new furniture or storage baskets or shelves. It requires having fewer things.

This was my goal—to keep only what was useful and had meaning.

“The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own, identifying those that have fulfilled their purpose, expressing your gratitude, and bidding them farewell, is really about examining your inner self, a rite of passage to a new life.”
― Marie Kondō, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

The first step of the process was getting rid of things I no longer used or wanted. That took a couple of days of effort—emptying out file drawers and shelves in the closet, sorting through stacks of cardboard and packing materials that I might use some day.

I found an old portable CD player, once the niftiest portable music option in town, a mini-cassette recorder, a computer microphone, and other misc. electronics equipment that had been sitting in a drawer for at least 10 years

I got rid of old embroidery projects started 30 years ago, threw away stacks of papers and training materials from my software engineering days, donated stacks of software and management related books I no longer used, recycled a stack of cardboard (that might be useful someday), and threw away a bunch of old test prints and other items that had no purpose.

“Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle.”
― Marie Kondō, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Once I had cleared out the stuff I no longer needed or wanted it was much easier re-organizing photo paper, packing materials, and framing supplies along with some watercolor painting supplies and yarn in my closet.

But the most fun was deciding what art and photographs I wanted to hang on the walls and where. I bought no new frames and printed no new photographs. Instead I worked with photos I had already printed, frames that I had used in shows or received as gifts.

The end result is a space I love to be in. It gives me…

Breathing Room

And Joy.

Where do you need Breathing Room and Joy in your life? Is it time to simplify and get rid of stuff that no longer serves you?

May you walk in beauty.

Breathing Room – a work space that makes me happy