My Studio Before and After...

BEFORE:
So, let me tell you. This is going to be a continual work in progress. I love my space so much now and I am always going to be watching for affordable, yet practical and functional ways to improve my space. I've posted some pics already, but I thought I'd post them all together here.

I had a futon against this wall here and my guy decided that it would be great in our room upstairs. No complaints from me. I have been eyeing that space for some time. Unfortunately, I was using the futon to store some things under it out of sight! That's okay. Time to purge. It has to happen if I'm going to really do what I need to do.

This is where it starts to look worse before it gets better. I started pulling everything out. Whoa!! What on earth?? Okay. Filling up the garbage bag. Also, I had some gift cards for Michael's and I have been holding on to them since my birthday in November. I finally saw that the Jetmax Storage System along with all of their storage type items were 40% off. Now, I've always got a coupon, but this meant that I did not have to use a coupon to buy each piece one at a time. I already had the wall unit where I store my ribbon, some paints, stickles, some chipboard and some primas. Initially, I bought two of the cubed shelves, but realized that I did the math wrong. When it said it measured 24" across, I thought it would be perfect to store my paper. Duh. The cube itself was NOT 12" and besides, I'd need a little more room for 12" items to really fit. So I had the hubs take one back and get two more paper shelves and a set of drawers. I used all of my gift cards and I was very pleased with the results.

The table without the cover is my SPOT. It's where I work. Everything else needs to be neat and I need to be able to SEE what I need right away. I want a place for everything and everything in it's place. =)

AFTER:

Here is my desk finally cleared off and organized to the way I like it. In front of me and within arms reach are the things that I currently use the most. I have not been scrapping as much lately. Instead, I've been stamping a lot, working on my art journal and working on future etsy items. I've got my stamp pads in front of me, my pens and markers, paint tray, current art journal, and most used tools.
I love looking at this photo and seeing that most of the items pictured (about 75%) were things I bought at Goodwill, yard sales, clearance or received as a gift. You CAN have nice things without breaking the bank. =)

I've organized the paper that I had by name brand mostly. I kept my solid colored cardstock completely separate. In the cubes I have stored my instructional books on the bottom (sketches, becky higgins, etc.) on one side and my copies of Artful Blogging and Where Women Create magazines. Most of my magazines get thrown out, repurposed or passed on, but I keep these magazines as they are quarterly, which means they aren't cheap, and I can always refer back to them for inspiration. I also have my Cricut Cartridges - I own about 5 carts - along with my Cuttlebug and assecories in the other cubes.

This picture was taken from the landing on the stairs. I still need to get some things hung up. I didn't want to just start hammering holes all over until I got things the way I really wanted them.

I know that the space may still look cluttered to some who like a nice, empty space. However, I feel good about the way I have it. There's a mix of needed supplies, works in progress, gifts and swap items that remind me of friends and family near and far, little notes, drawings and trinkets given to me by my children... It all just needs to be here. It's my inspiration. However, what did not need to be here was clutter that was not going to edify my creativity, trash, excess product that could be given to someone else that would better use it, outdated things that just needed to be thrown out, etc.

I am on a JOURNEY and I don't need any stumbling blocks. Long post, I know, but thanks for visiting me and hanging out. =)