Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Organization ~ It's a Beautiful Thing!


I'm here to report that yesterday, I created absolutely nothing. I did however, get better organized.

We each have our own level of cleanliness including everything from slob to neat freak. I tend to come in more on the neat side. I don't think I'm quite freaky. If you visited me by surprise, you would find unmade beds, the evidence of boys in almost every space, and probably a few dishes in the sink. I do however, have a cleanliness quirk in my nature. You see, I become paralyzed creatively if I'm surrounded by clutter. I cannot work in a space unless it is clean and organized. I find any level of mess to be a distraction. It feels like a car alarm going off or a jackhammer; one of those disturbances that just can't be ignored.

My dye shelves were starting to feel like that. I have a custom dye request to fill, but yesterday I had to take time out to overhaul my pantry, and in the process, make a better situation for my dye stock and equipment. I simply could not dye one more ounce of wool until this was accomplished. Of the tasks I performed yesterday, the most life altering is the labeling of the lids on my dye stock jars. I may start to sound a little freaky after all, but this is major for me. For years, literally years, every time I need a certain color, I lift jar after jar until I find the right one. About a zillion times I have told myself that I need to label the tops of my jars. Finally, I've done just that. Not only did I label the lids, but I changed to using only one size jar for a more uniform appearance and I've organized them by hue. Now they are lined in rows in the color order of the rainbow. If I need a certain shade of green, I know about where to start looking.

Today, I will create something. I'll paint that rainbow roving for my customer and it will be a pleasure gathering my tools and my dye. I am no longer halted in my efforts by a noisy space. For me organization isn't just a beautiful thing, it's a necessary one!

3 comments:

Kelly said...

I also feel like I am unable to be creative with clutter :) I'm glad I am not alone! Hopefully now that your dyes are oganized, it will make more time for fun!

Lona said...

It looks awesome! Wow!

I'm the same way. With the result that nothing ever gets created.

Jenn said...

I didn't think I was alone, but it still feels good to have that confirmed! Sometimes I envy people who can work in any space. On the other hand, this little handicap of mine means that my house stays a lot cleaner.