I am organizationally challenged. Just ask my mom, who cleans off my bead table every time she comes to visit. Of course, we won't mention that she picks her favorite Humblebeads that are on the desk and squirrels them away. After all, finders keepers...
You may see the photo above and think, well Heather you look pretty organized to me. And with this little corner of my studio I am! I organize my stones by color. Pearls, wood, crystal, Czech glass and each of my metals get their own boxes. I have 2 boxes of art beads from other artists and then my inventory is stored in another part of the studio. I do have each box labeled and in theory the label is suppose to be easily read when I glance down at my shelf. Theories, folks, theories.
This shelf is under my work desk and offers easy access while I'm creating.
Now onto the problem:
Did I mention things that are good in theory? I have two tables in my studio covered in beads. The future dig sits. One day I am going to make an archaeologist very happy.
Combine a shortage of time with ample work space and no motivation to pick things up and that is what you get. I'm showing you in hopes that I will change my evil 'I-don't-put-my-beads-way' ways. But let's face it, I would rather sit down and make a necklace for an hour than dig my way out.
Do you pick up as you finish a project or am I alone in my wonderland of a bead table mess?
25 comments:
You make me laugh! I am the same way. I did dig out this weekend though. I think it had been about 8 months since the last dig. I hate putting beads away. I would rather look at them and create.
Your work table looks pretty good to me. I can still see table top. No I don't clean up after each project. Mostly because I have another project already started. But I do have a goal to be super organized and tidy, .... someday.
that was funny about your mom..
you are not alone ..this could be a photo of my own table.
the question keeps coming up as to Why everything seems to build up around me..i've tried different storage containers and still,all of a sudden ,it's the leaning tower of beading supplies on my table with the actual work space being a tiny little clear spot in the center.
I am totally the same way...My actual bead table looks very similar to your picture. I just bought a new shelf to organize some of my boxes though, so trying to clean up :)
Definitely not alone. My desks look similar to yours. The only thing that has even kinda sorta worked was writing, in stone, a 15 minute clean up each day no matter WHAT deadlines there are. No matter what.
And at the end of the week I try to scrape most of the tables down to the table top before I empty out.
Since I hate putting tiny little beads back, I tend to sweep those into bowls and trays of bead soup. Sometimes the big ones of those get sorted back out and put away later. The seed beads tend to stay in the soup bowl though.
Looks like a BTW post a few days early! :-) My table looks like yours so now I have moved to working on the floor! And my floor looks like the table....it goes on and on. I keep saying I'll tackle it and clean up!
Creative chaos! We all need a little of that. My criteria are: Does it get in the way of my working? and Does it make me crazy? I think there's a level at which it's no longer "creative" and just "chaos" and then I clean up. I do try to limit my messy space to one table (I, too, have lots of space to spread out in my studio). I also try to spend a few hours once a week "tidying up" because I find that meditative and good for the soul. Turn the music up and sort and put away!
your really not alone!
for euch project I have a huddle of beads and stuff. And till I get them back in thier boxes it often needs much time ;-)
Whoa! I thought I had the messiest table around, but I think you beat me there. I've been trying to keep myself a bit more organized. I bought a three shelf food cart that holds all my "supposedly" an soon to be labeled containers. I also have a multi drawer storage cart for all my findings...also soon to be labeled. Best thing is they have wheels and I can move them from room to room if I need to. Makes for a very happy Man of the house! Now if anyone has seen my muse will you tell her its ok to come back now? I miss her and I have lots of great artbeads that want to get used. Darn winter...
I am absolutely the same as you! Except that I don't have a studio or a table, just various trays that I work on. I have one small tray which I have felted and is part of my 'travelling studio'....when I have to pack it up, I pour the contents into a wash bag so to keep the beads together. I sometimes do this several times a day....so I have a 'couple' of wash bags which are chock full of bead soup, as well as the trays which stay at home....and did I mention I also do seed bead work?! You can imagine what that mess looks like! I am NOT an organised person!!
your mom is helping you by squirreling those beads away to her house, lol.
i think your space looks like most "real life" beaders. who wants to take time to put things away when they could be creating? not me!
my poor husband has a space just large enough to put his plate down on for dinner, the rest of the island (6ft) is a mess of beads and papers.
shannon
I love the idea of being organized, but it just doesn't always happen that way. As long as it doesn't get in the way of the creative process! LOL! I love your creations!!
I'm exactly the same way! I can't work if everything is neatly put away. I have to see all my options. I have an 18 month old so my time to create is precious. I'll dig out later!
Heather always tells me the apple doesn't fall from the tree. She cleans before her Mom arrives. I cleaned before my Mom arrived. My bead table looks just like everyone else's. It's clean right now. I am itching to get the beads back out make some creative chaos!
P.S. I love sorting through Heather's bead tables.
If I had a dedicated space mine would probably be similar to that, unfortunately my work space is a tv tray in from of the tv in an overcrowded living room! I have to keep it clean and neat and able to be put away into a small space.
Just as well I don't HAVE a beading table. I work from plastic boxes that used to contain ice cream (I call them my project boxes) and trays. There's always a 'trash tray' with leftovers I didn't bother to put back in bags and boxes. But. I must say I find chaos very inspiring. In the trash box I may find two beads of an impossible combination sitting happily together, or find an old button I had completely forgot about, things like that. I know I am a dreadful influence on my two munchkins, but I like chaos and thrive in it. Your table looks like a sneak peak at Heaven to me.
wow that looks like my table! crap everywhere. it never stays tidy for more than a few days. i've always been like that. just can't remember to put it away when i'm done. my stuff is organized by material and color too, but i spend what seems like an eternity digging around in the "wood and bone" bin. my "blue and green gemstones" bin weighs about 20 pounds and likewise requires endless digging. unfortunately more containers mean more space which i don't have!
I was so glad to see this post and it's comments! It makes me feel good to know I'm not the only one that doesn't want to "waste" time digging out!
Wow! that's almost exactly what my beading table looks like!!!
Hannah
If I put everything away then how would I just sit there in a daze & get inspired by my mess? I only put things away if the DH is really insistent (ie, having company over to the Studio that we share). Sometimes I let it go anyway...his friends know I am a mess!
dot
If I could show you a photo of my bead tables you'd laugh. They look just like yours. Maybe worse actually. ;-) A creative mess is better than tidy idleness though, right?
I have to pick up. My bead table is my bed!
That is usually what my beading area looks like. I'm organized...for awhile. Then the piles start. I've been trying to finish some projects so that I can retrieve my beading trays to start new ones! I've been cleaning up the studio....but it's been a slow process!
Bead Happy!
Michelle
Thanks everyone for commenting, I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in this struggle! There are only a few times when I think, hmm didn't I just have those jump rings and have to go on a hunt. I like some of the tips you more organized creatures gave - although I may be past the point of help.
I'm completely reassured by seeing your bead table! I hesitate to ever take a photo of my workspaces because they are (minimally) organized chaos :)
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