Conquering Clutter…

Have you ever watched the show Clean Sweep? It often gave me heart palpitations as I watched people have to part with items they treasured. I watched Oprah earlier this week where they were focusing on people who are drowning in clutter. This is a topic close to home (literally), I’m a self confessed “pack rat”. (I used to say it was in the genes. My parents are also "collectors". I can see my Mom smiling as she reads this.) Growing up on a farm, things were reused, refurbished and some ended up saving money down the road. As an art teacher, everything has a second use. With the trend to create recycled art I constantly have a sack of things heading to school to sort of share the wealth of clutter I have. I also love antiques, so they are sprinkled in here and there along with mementos close to my heart. I’ve asked myself if clutter is infringing on other areas of my life? So I took this afternoon to start on my trek to conquer my clutter, one room at a time…
Peter Walsh gave these steps to get started:
1. Get Real – grab a trash bag and do the Trash Bag Tango
2. Realize there are Two Types of Clutter – Memory clutter or I might need it one day clutter and lazy clutter. (I’m working on the lazy clutter first, as an artist and with my love of genealogy and family history the memory clutter will be tough)
3. Think F.A.S.T. – Fix a time, Anything not used in 12 months, Someone elses stuff, Trash.
4. Learn the Rules – Start on time. Don’t argue. Don’t waste time. Make your piles. (I make too many piles, that’s a problem) Don’t stop until you’re done. Evaluate and congratulate.
5. Do It All Over Again
I'm still on #1 and #2. One thing they said on Oprah was people often find money in the cleaning process. I found a $27. check for one of my books I sold to a library in Texas! Off to the bank!
The ATCs are still being made at night while watching TV. Here's my latest, the background was part of a printmaking project I cut up for many of the cards.

Collecting Art Supplies

It's not odd that an art teacher would be a collector of old art materials. My house is decorated with art and art supplies along with other eclectic items I treasure. I've gotten many of these art items from family members, friends and even former students, along with purchasing a few myself. Most people don't notice the old box of chalk or jar of dried up paint as being something anyone would want to have.
I haven't added to my collection for a while. Have you ever collected something and at some point it's too easy to accumulate and it's not as much fun anymore. Of course, once I see that unique piece I'll be all excited again!

Collecting Watercolor Tins

Do you ever wonder how people start collecting things? I do. I collect many things. Here is a sampling of my watercolor tray collection. It all started with my Great Aunt Mable's, Prang No. 2 tray, approximately 90-100 years old. It only has three colors in it, primary colors of course. Since I'm the art teacher in the family, I claimed it easily. I had my sets from my childhood and then started seeing some at garage sales, then antique stores. I've even gotten some in boxes at auctions. Since I have so many, I'm picky of what I'll buy and how much I'll pay. They bring back memories of me painting with my sister at our kitchen table and of course I wonder about the original owner and what they painted.

I have duplicates of some of these and many other antique art supplies. (more photos another time perhaps) I even have a pamphlet on how to make jewelry out of asbestos!