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How tidying helps creativity

I skipped writing for the 31 days of simple creativity yesterday. I doubt anyone will notice though bar me! Do you spend your weekends cleaning and tidying? I spent some of my day tidying and thought that it fits perfectly in this simple creativity series. Tidying helps creativity. Tidying is simple creativity.

I spent the majority of the day tidying a space where I store my creative stuff. It’s a space where I could go to to make or write, but it has become a bit of a dumping ground. Yesterday though I tidied it so my son could use it. It is now his space, he shares a bedroom with his much younger brother and he needs another space to study, do his homework and play on his playstation.

I loved being able to make this space work for him, I had not been using it in the best possible way and it brought me much pleasure to turn it over to him and make it work for him. And he loves it, there is something so pure in creating something for someone else that brings them so much joy.

Simple creativity is tidying up.

Mess inhibits our creativity. Clutter is a visual stimuli that clouds our minds and invades the space that we need to create and think with. It makes it hard for us to relax mentally with the guilt and signifier that the work is never done. It draws our focus away from the creative work or creative time and becomes a distraction.

As creatives we are not known for our tidyness! I know that I can sometimes move quickly from one idea to another, I can keep things because I might be creative with them one day. It can be hard to focus and narrow because we are curious and there is so much we want to do. But I know every now and again I need to ‘clear the decks’ to get a fresh start, re-focus and clarify my priorities again.

If you feel stuck in your creativity, take some time to tidy up or re-organise an area. It may help with your creative flow.