And then there was space.......

Hello, my name is Kate and I’m a workaholic…well, that used to be me and am sure she is still in there but, like so many other people across the world, my life has changed recently.

I didn’t want this blog post to be about the negative impacts I am experiencing, I am only writing this today as my mood is good.  So, instead I would like to share something that may be utterly trivial in the scheme of things but something that has had a massive positive effect on me and who doesn’t like a good old snoop at people’s workspaces *hand up*.

Before IT happened I was fire fighting my work constantly and as most of my life revolved around work it had a massive impact on how I lived, especially in the spare bedroom which is where I do most of my work.  Looking back on it now there is no wonder my depression and motivation were so bad.

If you have seen those types of programs, When Hoarding Goes Bad or My Hoard, Back Off Mofo, you can visualise that shuffling through corridors of nearly there space to get to a chair, through channels of debris and bags of ‘stuff’.  The occasional avalanche of cardboard and praying the dog moved quicker.

That is how I have worked for years.  Before IT, I would say my house was a house not a home.

So to suddenly have my work almost disappear overnight, it left me with something incredibly precious….time.

Now don’t get me wrong, this bought its own problems, especially the disappearance of many orders, events and money but this is about a positive aspect.

I had already managed getting the kitchen to a state where ecoli was no longer a risk and you could actually see the worktops.  My boyfriend Guy is still working (from home as usual) so I said I would cook and clean as he is keeping a roof over my head.  There have been some culinary delights and some flat banana bread but that could be another blog.

Now my workroom.  I didn’t believe I could ever do much as there was (and still is) SO MUCH STUFF.  Piles and piles of cardboard, stock, bags full of goodness knows what, things that had been missing for years, presents, craft fair buys, ‘oh that’s a bargain’ buys, STUFF, all in a mass in this room.

I had emptied out the shop and there were some nice things that I wanted to use but again I didn’t know how I could do it as the room was full to the brim.

Small steps and space cleared, I was able to remove items of furniture and add things from the shop.  I discovered so many beautiful things and very slowly it all started to come together.

Just removing my cobweb homage to Miss Haversham made the room different and this encouraged to keep up the motivation. 

I had painted the one wall a green colour when we moved in many, many years ago but then in time I got an orange table and, urgh, it clashed so much, it reminded me of that sludgey mess you would get with paint when mixing it before it went to brown, yes it bothered me.  Then I remembered I had some dark grey paint left from the shop, but there comes another issue.

I LOATHE painting, I always make a mess, I cannot stand preparing the walls, I just want it to be a different colour, magically.  The other issue was a desk full of stuff squeezed in a space and a shelving unit with some incredibly heavy printers on.  But I did it, it’s not perfect but it’s only me that has to ignore it.

Oh, and the one blind on the window, I didn’t want any curtains or blinds covering the whole area but the sun comes in late afternoon and I cannot see the computer screen so this works a treat, better than the curtain that was there.

Now I have a room I love being in and I hope I can keep it looking like this and am sure dusting will become a thing of the past.  I feel like I have achieved something which is a really positive thing for me, the dogs love that they finally have their chair back and Rita loves her little bed that she sleeps in next to my keyboard.  There is another bed under the table, they’re not spoilt at all.

I know there are way too many things in here but so many hold so many positive thoughts for me, the person who made it, a reminder of where I got it, how I got it, so many things I treasure.  Yeah I have a thing for odd looking gnomes…and so many collections that I have built over the years.

Some items remind me of people who have passed, and I miss, especially my grandparents.  The picture of them dancing whilst on holiday is one of my favourite things as they both look genuinely happy and carefree.

I have also started on my caravan, which is where I print all the coasters and mugs, that is an even bigger task and bigger spiders…..but slowly it will come together and be as busy as it once was.

Thanks for reading my ramblings, I hope today is a good day for you or if not, that tomorrow will be.