Organization for artists

Organization for artists

I’m a writer and film producer. More specifically, I’m a writer and film producer with ADHD, and I reallyyyyy struggle with organization. You can ask any of my former colleagues at my old day job (actually, on second thought, don’t. It’s embarrassing.) Now that I work full time in the arts, I’ve worked really hard to stay organized, both in my physical space and with my tasks and record keeping. Here are some tips for organization for artists that will hopefully help you keep your mind and your desk uncluttered, and maximize your creativity and productivity.

Organization for artists: physical space

When I keep my workspace clean and organized, I am able to focus more and do better work. Here are some tips for organizing your workspace to suit you and your art specifically.

• Design with your current habits in mind. Habits are powerful things, and are very difficult to break. That’s why, when you design your workspace, you should design it with your habits in mind. Not the habits you WISHED you had; the actual habits that occur in your everyday life. For example, if I’m working, there’s no way I’m going to get up and throw my trash away, even though I live in a very small home and my kitchen trash can is merely feet away. I’d rather leave the trash on my desk until it gets overwhelming, every single time. Instead of berating myself for that, I purchased a small trash can and put it under my desk. Just like that, problem solved. I also have a problem where when materials are out of sight, I forget they exist. (Again, ADHD.) So instead of a closed cabinet, I purchased a rolling craft cart for my supplies that keeps them organized but also in my line of sight. I also have a habit of leaving small things on my desk, so I got a little tray that holds all my bits and bobs until it gets full, and then I put them all away. Bye bye desk clutter! Spend some time in your workspace, identifying the habits that make it difficult fo you to stay organized, and plan accordingly.
• Make a plan for everything. How many times have I brought something into my space with absolutely no plans for where it’s going to go? Too many times to count. When that happens, it ends up getting stuck somewhere, and then I can’t find it when I need it, it looks visually messy, and it defeats the purpose of having bought it in the first place. So what do I do? I never, EVER, let ANYTHING enter my space without making a plan for it. Not only does this spare me the clutter, but it actually helps me save money; I’m that writer who’s eternally purchasing pretty notebooks and then leaving them to rot. If I need a plan for everything, that simply doesn’t work.
• Don’t invest in tools you won’t use. When you struggle with organization, there are so many things you’re supposed to buy to fix the problem. From cute label makers to aesthetic storage containers, capitalism always has the supposed solution to your problem. The issue with this is that a LOT of people are caught in a cycle of purchasing things that they won’t actually use, and that just leads to wasted money and even more clutter in your space. Now, this isn’t me hating on label makers–I actually love label makers–this is just me reminding you that you shouldn’t be wasting your time or money on tools that you won’t use. This goes back to the first tip; be aware of your habits as they exist now, not some aspirational habits you WISH you had.
• Make cleaning and organizing more fun. No matter how hard you work to keep your space clean and tidy, sometimes you’re going to need a big reset. Maybe you’re on a deadline and have been acting like a gremlin, or maybe you’re doing a multimedia collage and suddenly your whole studio is full of little pieces of paper and string. If you have cleaning habits that bring you joy, you’re that much more likely to do it on a regular basis, and then you’ll find that more and more time passes between each big reset. There are a lot of ways to do this, and only you know what will work best for you. Here’s what I do: I pour myself a fun beverage (like an oat milk matcha latte) and then put on the ten minute version of All Too Well. I commit to cleaning for the entire duration of the song, and challenge myself to be done by the time it ends. Usually, this is so motivating that I’m done in time to rock out to the bridge. I also have rituals like adding candles or fresh flowers to my space at the end of my cleaning session, which gives me something to look forward to. If you’re organizationally challenged like me, making cleaning more fun makes a world of difference.

Organization for artists: organizing your to-do list

On the flip side, while I have struggles organizing my physical space, I am the queen of spreadsheets, to-do lists, and bullet journals (can you tell I’m a Capricorn rising?) That being said, not every system will work for every person, myself very much included. So let’s talk about the different things you can do to build an efficient system that keeps you organized and on track. Like with physical organization, you need to be aware of your current habits and what’s easy for you to stick with, instead of trying to force yourself into a system that doesn’t resonate.

• To-do lists. Most people have some version of a to-do list; a digital list, a list on a white board, a list in a bullet journal. I personally like to use a combination of the three (I know, I’m extra.) Not only does writing things down make them way easier to remember, but the satisfaction of checking a task off a to-do list is unmatched.
• Digital workspaces. Things like Notion or Milanote make planning for and tracking creative projects MUCH easier. I have a hard time sticking with digital workspaces, but it’s free to make an account on either site, so I’m glad I’ve least experimented with them. Both sites have templates, or you can DIY your workspace and create something unique to you. Plus, you can make them cute and aesthetic, which is always a bonus.
• Gamify it. Apps like Finch and Habitica are great habit tracking apps, so if there are tasks you have to do every single day, they work well as reminders, as well as making it more fun to check things off your list. I’ve used Finch to establish a morning routine as well as complete my art related tasks.
• Bullet journals. I like bullet journals to track productivity using fun charts (look at some of the ideas people post on Pinterest, they’re beautiful) as well as creating to-do lists and sketches for all of my projects. If you’re a journal person, the bujo lifestyle just might be right for you.

If you think carefully about each of these things, you should be left with some artist organization hacks that make life a little (or a lot) easier going forward.