Monday, November 19, 2007

More Tactics in the Energy Front

I haven't written about the energy effort in a few days (or more than a week), but I want to keep sharing the steps I'm taking.

Likewise, I'm starting to consider that I may actually start properly writing this blog, which includes editing and perhaps cohesiveness. These considerings have been slowing me down in post creations, but I haven't jumped on the "yes i will edit this before i post bandwagon" yet.

Energy. The next fighting step: CLEARING THE CLUTTER.

I've always been a bit of a clutterbug. Paper seems to be magnetically pulled towards me from all directions. Things pile up. And then get overwhelming. And it seems so much easier to just put it all in a box and tackle it later and then boxes pile up. In addition, there are hundreds of CDs. So many little bits of memorabilia. Mail. Books. Magazines. Things I will craft with later. Things I will wear later. Things I will play with later. Things I will... you get the picture.

This weekend I began to tackle it. It's my (not original) thought that clutter slows us down. Bogs us down. Slugs us down. Keeps us down.

I spent all day on Saturday tackling one section (just one). And while I didn't complete it, I made great headway. Am nearly complete. Will be complete after the Thanksgiving holiday and that has already filled me with space. More space. More energy.

Quick note of internal controversy: all the CDs (about 500 of them)? They are going into storage. I'm not ready to make a decision about them and I don't have a decent way to store/keep handy in the apartment. So, they are getting the boot to storage. This makes me a little nervous.

5 comments:

.5 of babygrand said...

OOooooo....we were simul-de-clutter-casting on these two coasts as it turns out....

...Saturday...well, Saturday unearthed the bags/boxes of "craft /file later" from the hiding spots in the studio and unjunked the kitchen junk drawer...but it wasn't until Sunday that the studio floor and kitchen counter got the next layer of treatment.

Dealing with it all at once is so taxing....I'm trying to retrain my brain to contemplate now as an option.

Baby steps + pickle breaks!

emdot said...

Yum = pickles. :)

Bean -- wondering how you manage to have craft space in Manhattan square footage. Any tips or tricks?

Kim said...

pickles and bean(tz) all in the same note. Yum.

Here's a thought: Put yer cds in a big folder and the cases in storage. Folders are small and tidy on a shelf.

hi m.
lots of love,
kb

.5 of babygrand said...

well....it's ongoing, this refining of the mojo...

Most important first sort was realizing what sort of things I actually do....

1) I actually do sketchbooky things...and can have one bag/folder/box of thingies, but need to sort toss stuff that hasn't been used (cause it never will be)
* most of my craft/art storage for this is contained in 4 handsome smallish tins within easy access and labeled "pens + sharps" "glues," "paints," "stamps" next to my tape shelf. There's always about a half dozen magazines I rotate in a pile next to my chair with the thought that I'm going to collage them....ahem....that honesty brokering w/ yourself is the hardest and most important point. Mostly I can be honest after a month or two of something sitting w/o use.

...I actually do sew...though less frequently. I know i have too much for how frequently I sew....materials are stored in clear tupperware at the top of my closet. Small sewing tin for everyday repairs on shelf in main room.

Any other project will need exact items purchased or scavenged at the time they happen.

Periodic purging...esp. when supplies outgrow their tins/boxes/tupperware is key....esp w/ a clutter-prone person like me sharing a 440 sf apt w/ clutterfree man + cat.

I hope helps? I hope you find a cute storage system that makes you happy.

emdot said...

hey bikle -- thanks for the tips! and bean -- thanks for the insight. :)

xo to both of you and happy thanksgiving. :)