It’s ok to be a Creative Maximalist
It’s ok to be a Creative Maximalist (Just USE what you have)
Maximalism gets unfairly shoehorned into a lot of content that champions decluttering, and particularly content that sees a minimalist, stark environment as an ‘ethical’ choice for environmental, creative, mental, and even general health. Here’s the thing: a cluttered space can absolutely influence our living states. But there’s a difference between cluttered (and certainly hoarding) environments, and a maximalist environment. Some of us actually do thrive on having knick-knacks on our desks, walls and fridges full of creative expression, a heap of cozy blankets and throw pillows of different colors and textures, and even a mountain of craft supplies.
The catch, for any ‘style’ of living is: do you use the things you have, or are you trying to fill your space with more to compensate for other issues in your life?
And the big one for creatives: Do you use the things you have, or are you ignoring them out of fear (of not being perfect, of wasting the ‘good’ supplies, of starting and not having time to finish, of — of — of —)…
One of the basics of neurospicy household management, or even just those who have trouble keeping things tidy, is to make an accessible place for the thing you regularly use — or want to. Put things front and center, make them easy to grab and easy to put away.
But what happens when you do that and still those craft supplies go unused?
If you’re like me, they sit on a cart beside your desk taunting you daily as you occasionally add another item to the already stacked cart (long ago turned into a glorified storage bin instead of a place to easily grab items and get crafting).
Dust and all…
As a maximalist who embraces multiple creative outlets, it’s hard to let go of things. To acknowledge that you’re just not into that thing you said you wanted to get into. It’s also hard to reach for that pristine set of markers just to doodle (what a waste). But if your cart, or bin, or shelves have reached a point where accessing anything beyond a cup of colored pencils is no longer easy, it’s time to face those tough thoughts and feelings. It’s time to review everything — see what you really want to use, move the items that don’t belong there (puzzles are like crafts, so they should go on the craft cart, right??), and part with the items that don’t serve your creative self right now.
If items are still in good (or unopened) condition and you can’t bear to part with them, put them in a bin to look at in six months. Set a calendar reminder — or three — and actually go through stuff again then. If you can bear to part with them, you could sell them online, or donate them to a local charity, school, or virtual neighborhood group. If things aren’t really usable, toss them.
Once everything has been assessed, appropriately moved, and reset in its designated place, it’s time to commit to the mental work.
You have these items. They are items to create. So why aren’t you creating?
You removed every possible barrier standing between you and making stuff. So what’s stopping you?
What’s the blockage now?
