De-Cluttering your Space = Unlocking your Creativity

I returned home from England a few days ago, and was overjoyed to be greeted by my family, friends, and familiar comfy bed. I was not too happy, however, to be reunited with the stacks of papers, towers of books, and cluttered piles of stuff filling my room. Just stepping inside, I instantly felt burdened and stressed. Not good.

So, I took a few days and slowly sifted through it all -- donating most of it to charity. My time abroad taught me how much I enjoy a simpler lifestyle, how having an excess of material things can be overbearing rather than freeing. I mean, I traveled for three weeks around Europe with only a backpack of possessions! Do I really need to keep my term papers from sophomore year of high school, or those pair of jeans that I just might fit back into someday?

The time I spent cleaning my room has already paid major dividends in my creative life. When I wake up I feel refreshed and rarin' to go, instead of anxious and burdened. I know where things are now, and don't have to waste time finding that folder with sources for an article I'm working on -- much less sift through stacks of papers covering my desk to simply find a pen.

My challenge to you is to take a few days this summer and de-clutter your own space -- whether it be your bedroom, your office, your workshop, your studio. You've grown and your creative life has evolved -- your space should reflect that maturation. A little de-cluttering can bring huge boosts in your creative energy!