Up grading a studio, no matters its size, has 4 requirements: 1) Determination, 2) Ruthlessness; 3) Organization, and, 4) Planning. The onset not only requires determination but may require some negotiations if you live with another human. The dog doesn’t care as long as you feed him on time. The job is chaotic for some days, if not weeks. I recommend keeping a good bottle of wine and a sense of humor readily available. The rewards at the end of the exercise are highly worthwhile.
Every 5 years I like to conduct review my studio contents, to see what I have, find the supplies I actually use, and get rid of the extraneous. This is a 21-year-old habit from military moves every 2 years and the itch continues to reappear. I now call it Refocusing. The last effort was a consequence of chronic stumbling over boxes of fabric and other creative necessities. I was going to seriously injure myself if I didn’t do something. Fed up, I took everything out of my 12 x 16-foot studio and move it all across the hall. This is where Negotiation is involved because everything was a mess.
In 2008 a new plan was launched. I wanted more, particularly laminate flooring and a better working environment by making better use of my studio space. This was Determination. Everything was sorted & packed into boxes. Some boxes stayed, others went curbside. I determined I hadn’t used this stuff since the last reshuffle, so now, out it goes. No second thoughts, gone, Ruthlessness ruled.
While waiting for the re-painting and the new flooring, I drew up a floor plan-to-scale to figure out the best use of the room. My studio has a closet, plus doors or windows on every wall. Where to place the 5 doubled-stacked fabric shelves, one sewing table & machine, the cutting table, 2 bookshelves, an accessory cabinet, and work station with the 2nd sewing machine? Working it out on paper is highly recommended before one has to actually move furniture into the room. This is the first step of Organization. It makes everything easier because you have a Plan.
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