Studio makeover all over, so let the work commence

The new look TIDY studio

I promise this will be my last post about tidying my studio because.... IT’S FINISHED!!!!  Okay, you still can’t access the shower in the spare bedroom, but no-one needs to for another three weeks, so that’s fine.

Part of my bookcase, with organised books

I am writing this at one of my lovely new desks, sitting on a very comfortable new swivel seat, surrounded by all my things, which are in all the right places, apart from what is currently being used.  I am definitely having that post tidy up problem of not being able to find anything as I reorganised where most things went, but at least I had the foresight to stick ugly labels besides everything to remind myself.

Useful window ledge

Tidying and cleaning are not talents I’ve ever shone at and having reached the ripe old age of 40+something, I have decided to live with it rather than get upset at the mess and my inability to deal with it.  But... having got it this tidy and with teaching from my home, I’m looking forward to the minimum standard of tidiness and cleanliness being significantly higher than over the last five years.  Fingers crossed anyway.

Very ugly labeling

One delight of tidying up (and it has been this way for me, ever since my teens), is rediscovering lost books, or even, books I had forgotten I even owned.  This time was no exception and I was thrilled to see these two resurface.

Rediscovered book 1

Rediscovered book 2

Right.  Tidying - done.  Notes written for first class on Friday – done.  Time to get back to the fun stuff of creating!

Neatly organised threads

Groundhog Day Studio

My studio reorganisation - ongoing...

I would love to be showing you photos of my latest pieces of work and how I am developing the next stage of Unsung Muses. Unfortunately I'm still stuck in studio reorganisation Groundhog Day.  Apparently to keep me positive I'm meant to focus on what I've accomplished. 

The tables and chairs before I emptied the cupboards.  Going to look good

The tables and chairs have all been constructed and are in the room, on top of the beautifully repainted floor. New shelves are up. I've worked out where the ironing board can go. 

More mess

I've also emptied out lots of cupboards so I can reorganise where things are stored, so I can now no longer see my beautiful new tables and chairs!  

Usefully sharpened pencils

Oh I have sharpened lots of my pencils. A very useful thing to do!

But it feels like an insurmountable mountain just now – never ending and I just want to make some artwork – draw or stitch or something.  I was trying to hold off to make sure I got the tidying done, but this morning I finally gave in, cleared a bit of a desk, got out my sketchbook and pastels and started this drawing. 

The start of a drawing

I couldn't take it any longer - I needed to create something other than mess and reorganisation!  This drawing still needs a number of hours of attention, however, I think I am going to have to get on with tidying... again!

Painful progress: setting up my new studio

There are two things in life with which I struggle: tidying (and cleaning) and admin.  The last week has been full of them both.

Furniture waiting to be made for Gillian Cooper Studio

I desperately want to start making again now my exhibition is up, but before I am allowing myself to do that, I need to get my studio organised for teaching.  In the abstract this is really exciting.  In reality, it is a bit of a nightmare because I need to tidy, organise and do the admin.  The teaching bit will be fun as is designing the classes, but removing all my stuff from the studio and working out what goes where – not really in my skill set!  I did start last week with good intentions and I was making slow progress, but on Saturday, I was ordered by R to stop pfaffing about, take everything out and start from an empty shell adding in only what was required.  This was a nice idea, but of course, where do we store everything in the meantime?  So we got as far as removing everything that was on the floor.  The playroom now has an extra table, the hall the embroidery thread unit, the kitchen the comfy chair and the spare bedroom and its en-suite bathroom are full of sewing machines, boxes of fabric and dyeing stuff.  What R has forgotten is last time he suggested this approach was when we had the studio built four years ago and I’m still emptying my stuff out of the old room I used as a studio.  This has become urgent as it is being turned into a kids bedroom (why does everything happen at once?!), so goodness knows when I will see any of these rooms again!

One of the less flattering photos ever of me!

At least it has meant that I got the floor in the studio repainted on Sunday.  I was fired up to get all the new furniture in, but I can’t for at least 72 hours.  So come tomorrow evening, hopefully the studio will look like a new teaching one, even if all the tidying and sorting needs to continue.  Any good tidying tips anyone?  Please do not suggest not buying in the first place or binning everything.  I know that and it is not pretty to watch a grown woman cry!

Just to prove I did the floor myself

In my studio: spot the difference - the big tidy up

After

Before

The studio was beginning to get on top of me – literally.  I’m not tidy but nature and there is always something more interesting to do, but ... even I need to tidy up every three years or so.

So began my studio reorganisation.  I moved my desk to a better location and started to slowly work through the mounds of stuff.  Then I got bored and started working again.  The big clean up hadn’t stopped entirely; it just went slower, especially with my trip to France.

Before

After

And then this week I had an email from Sheena Kitchin of Craft Scotland wondering if she could bring round Kathy Brassill of Handcrafted Holidays.  I had to move up a tidying gear.  I think the studio is a lot better now.  I can see enough of the floor to work on larger pieces.  Hurrah!  The desk and sewing machine are now in a place where I can get the cupboards open and I have the threads right besides me.  I think both Kathy and Sheena liked the studio.

Now for the confession... I ran out of time.  The studio may be tidy, but this is settee in the kitchen and then there is the stuff under the stairs too!  

Oh dear

As the photos are complete, I’ll have to move the stuff back and have a think about where it can be stored.  And the answer isn’t the bin!