My Organizing Journey

This weekend I had the urge to organize my studio - as in open up every file folder and magazine that I own and throw things out or catalog the information - organize. I don't quite know what came over me, except that I hope it sticks around for a little while till my studio is complete, as well as create new habits that will help me keep on track and not drown in inspiration.

First, I realized that I had a 2 foot stack of magazines that I had purchased over the past few months - not counting the ones I subscribe to (yes I am addicted to pretty inspirational images, I admit it!). Which then led my eyes to the magazine file's that are stuffed with my back issues of HOW magazine...and when I looked at the dates, and saw '2002', I knew it was time to adios them and make room for something more relevant. 2002? Yes, really! BUT I can't just recycle a perfectly healthy magazine full of inspiration without pulling out the pages I love, now can I? NooooOOooo! So my Friday night turned into a night of tearing out inspiring tidbits of design information, which left me inspired in the process!

I re-discovered artists' work that I love, such as Illustrators Jess Volinski, Katie Daisy, Ann Field, Nate Williams, and Susan Black who sells her work at her Etsy shop 29 Black Street. Also PopMats from PubliqueSHOP which are unique paper place mats that feature stylish scenes that pop off the table. And the list goes on and on and on!

Once I tore the pages out, I 3-hole punched them and put them into a binder labeled 'Design Inspiration'. What's quite fulfilling at the end of this little inspiration-tear-out-and-organize journey, is that now I have a 2" binder full of things that I love instead of a 2 foot stack.

While going through an old Real Simple magazine, I came across this quote about de-cluttering and organizing, "If you don't know what to do with it, or where to put it, or why you ever bought it in the first place, or if looking at it depresses you, throw it out. Never keep anything that makes you feel heavy or weighs you down". So, may that be my motto! The article went on to say to throw out 50 things (and 50 magazines actually count as ONE thing). By golly, I think I'm going to do this! I've already thrown out and recycled things that I've had laying around to "someday fix", or things I just "didn't know how or where to put them", and feel so fabulous about it!

In addition, since I was discovering so much inspiration, I started adding my inspirational bookmarks to Delicious so I can track them from my laptop and my desktop, as well as share them with you. I have added them to the right side of my blog.

I hope you enjoy and they allow you to discover new things to inspire you as well!