{Today you can read or listen to the post!}

Each of us is as unique a the artistic mess we create

Keeping that truth at the forefront of our tidy it up movement will keep all that I share in days ahead in the proper perspective. Are most things in your area organized and clutter free? If so there will be days you can skip and just add to your inspirational Pinterest board. Has your dreamy refuge become a place of angst over the clutter and you can't imagine it getting better? For you: deep breaths and keep your chin up. It may not be perfect by the end of April, but it will be better! 

We aren't competing, we are improving.

We aren't judging, we are improving.

We aren't perfect, we are improving.

 

Today we give ourselves some breathing room to make all that magical improvement happen. Here's how:

Set aside 25 minutes

Gather:

  • some medium or larger boxes or containers, perhaps laundry baskets
  • a timer
  • upbeat music (I can share my playlist ;)
  • dust rag & cleaning agent of choice

Plan:

Remember this is my plan, for my space that needs Spring cleaning and you should modify it

  1. Press play for your music and set the timer to 8 minutes and begin
  2. Look around to see what is not in the right place
    • yarn and fiber you pulled out of stash to consider for a project & forgot to put back
    • books & magazines
    • needles, needles, needles
    • laundry you were folding in this room and for some reason set it down & never picked it up
  3. Items out of place get put into the box or laundry basket 
  4. **With the exception of your wallet or keys** Simply pluck whatever you see in the wrong spot and stick it in the box. DO NOT HESITATE, DO NOT PUT IT AWAY  Just grab and box- grab and box!
  5. Work until timer sounds

With your back to the boxes, look over your space. 

I sighed. 

I had several things on my desk, which is a huge 6 foot desk, and my bookshelf right beside it. Having most of the out of place items off the desk and shelves made me feel good!

Today isn't over though.

Grab some water real quick and repeat the exercise once more, perhaps focusing on a different corner of your studio or nook. Set the timer for 5 minutes this time and move fast!

When you are done:

  1. Smile
  2. For the bold participant, dance around the room a bit. Dancing makes your body happy
  3. Set timer 3 minutes and prepare to hustle
  4. Grab the dust rag and wipe down any flat surface until the timer dings but don't turn off the annoying buzz of the timer..not until you finish the next step
  5. Slide the baskets & boxes if possible* to the most obnoxiously inconvenient spot in the room without blocking the entrance or exit of the room (for me it was the dead center of the room) 
  6. Leave them there 

Final Activity

  1. Set timer for 4 minutes & make yourself the promise to end on time!
  2. Pull up your Pinterest page (if you are Pinterest free use my board HERE to look over & be encouraged)
  3. Make a Creative Spaces board and being very selective add 3 or 4 spaces you love 
    • DON'T WORRY! we will be adding a bit more every so often to this board, so be picky about adding to it! Pick only ones that really make you get lost in them--- and FYI I started with looking at Villas as inspiration so BE CREATIVE! BE YOU! BE FAST! You only have 4 minutes!

All done? Snap a picture of a neat and tidy spot! Even if it is a 2 inch by 2 inch dusted corner of a shelf THAT IS RECLAIMED SPACE! Keep it on your phone to look back on to remind yourself that small starts are worth acknowledging. BRAVER? then post your pic on IG, twitter, FB---wherever! and tag me in it so I can see. Use our hashtag #MakingSpaceForCreativity.

That is it for today! 

See you tomorrow for a bit of fun and continued improvement!

Do Let Me Know YOU Are Here! I would love to encourage you! So, catch me up below! Also, check in and encourage one another below!

 

 

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