Before & After - Post-Holiday Clean Up

The Loft - Before & After

December was downright insane in my tiny loft studio. Don't get me wrong, I totally knew where everything was (most of the time). My work space was just, shall we say, creatively re-arranged for awhile. When my jewelry-making time is very limited but in high demand, there just isn't time to neatly put things away between projects. In fact, there is no such thing as being "between projects". I was making no less than ten different items at a time with constant overlap, so to put things away would be undermining my productivity. At least, that's what I told myself every night around midnight. 

But inevitably, the orders from my online shop slowed down after Christmas and I took a moment to look around. I was horrified. How did it ever get THIS bad? Every surface was covered in metal shavings and silver dust. Every tool was out. Things were even overflowing from my workbench onto the FLOOR. 

It had gotten way out of control. So I did what any sensible person would do in this situation...I avoided the studio altogether for several weeks. :) When I was finally ready to face the mess, cleaning up was such a rewarding project.

Behold! The clean studio!

Of course, it won't stay this way for long. Craft show season starts in a couple of months, not to mention the flurry of Valentine's Day orders hopefully coming soon. But for the time being, everything is in order and all is right with the world.