Organization is key for an Artist

I'm not organized!  OK...I finally admit it. It's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.  I've always considered myself fairly organized, at least about most things.  Sure, there were always those little black holes of clutter that no one really knew about like stacks of art magazines in the corner of my studio. 

As a little girl I remember going over to a friend's house and being envious that Kay had all her jewelry organized in baby food jars.  That was my first "aha" moment about organization.  My mom was very organized, and everything was neat and tidy but in an unlabled, not Martha Stewart sort of way.  My father's tools and personal items were also very organized.  Sadly, I did not inherit that gene. My mind does not immediately see oganization. If you are naturally organized, you will not understand that statement.

My mother and husband died within a year of each other, and all my normal routines and organizational skills fell apart. That's when the clutter happened!  I've watched a few episodes of Hoarding and I laughingly tell my sister...I hope I don't become one!  Most of those people have experienced some kind of loss which triggers their hoarding.  For the last couple of years, I've been slowly going through things fom my parent's house when we closed their estate, and my husband's editing studio/office.  It's been an emotional roller coaster.  I'm making progress, but feel that I still have a long way to go.

Now, it's time to tackle my studio, and I need your help!  What suggestions do you have for me to organize my studio?  What seems to work well for you?  How do you track your inventory and contact files on the computer?  How do you organize your art supplies?  I will keep you posted on my progress.  That will ensure that I'm accountable to myself and you for my success.  Once I clear the clutter and get my studio organized, I know that I'll be a more productive and focused artist.