The Importance of Making Room

Hey everyone! These past couple weeks have flown by. The weather is getting nice and it's wreaking havoc on my sanity because I know I live in NC and this weather will not last long. It's February for goodness sake! It'll snow before long. Just watch...

So, I originally wanted this post to be about keeping a writer's journal, but as I was taking pictures of mine, I kept pulling back and getting shots of my (newly redecorated) office, too. I realized that I wouldn't be nearly as motivated as I have been without this space that is my own. It's like I've got a love and I know that it's all mine.

And if you get that MOVIE reference, I'll send you my manuscript draft right this second.

What is it about a room, or a book that inspires creatives? I get that it's a thing that happens, but it has to be more than "oh look, something pretty". Some people like the visual aspect, some people like the organizational aspect, and I'm sure there are some people in a completely different category, or no category at all. For me, having this warm, pretty, girly room with my fuzzy rug (that's actually just two yards of fabric from Joanns), my comfy chair, my stuffed flamingo, and my cabinet with a deceptively large amount of storage is so inspiring. I can come in here and hide from my kids and feel comfortable enough to work. When I get too tired or just need a change of pace, I can open my window, curl up with my flamingo and take a nap. Yes, having a place to write down ideas and stick inspirational pictures of concepts and characters is important, especially if you're scatter-brained or hella busy like me, but having a place of your own to do it all in is even more important.

So here's 3 reasons why you should set up a home office (or nook) right NOW:

1. It keeps you organized:

And I'm not talking about the kind of organized where your room's a mess but you know your favorite stylus is under that sock by the chair leg. I'm talking about the kind of organized that if you pull open the second drawer from the top on your right, you know you'll find markers, pens, crayons, and those tiny purse packs of tissues for when your eyes start watering from eye strain at two in the morning. Yes, that's what I have in that exact drawer. It's come in handy.

Sometimes I think I'm morally opposed to organization. I like the idea of it, but when it comes to making a plan AND sticking with it, I fall off the wagon faster than you can spell 3M hooks. But I love the way it feels when everything has a place and the room looks all put together. My office might not look like a sanctuary for all Type As in the world, but it's a system that works for me, and that's what you need to find out for yourself. Your brand of organization doesn't have to match mine, but it should at least be something that if you were to need someone else to find something for you, they wouldn't have to sort through your dirty undergarments to find it.

2. It shows that you are serious about your work:

If you're just working away at your computer whenever you have some time to sit your pretty little butt down on the couch, yeah, you might get done, but how long will it take you? Will you ever write that second book? Maybe, maybe not.

Take a look at every single successful writer in the world. They all have an office. It might not be big. It might not even be it's own separate room. But it's a dedicated writing space nonetheless. You have to make room for your craft. In your home and in your life. Having a dedicated book to write in says, I'm serious about thinking about this thing. Setting aside a place in your home to work on it says I'm serious about doing this thing. So carve out a place for yourself. It doesn't have to be big. It could be a corner with an IKEA laptop desk and a comfy blanket. Just something that tells the people and creatures in your home that you're serious enough about your work to make room for it. It's part of your life now, so there's no turning back!

3. It keeps you sane:

Having a space that's quite and just for you to run to when life gets hectic is good for the soul. I mean, think about how popular Man Caves and She Sheds have become over the past few years. Our lives are getting crazier and crazier and people are desperate for an escape. I don't know about you, but I can't run to Fiji anytime I'm stressed, but I can curl up on my recliner. No, it's not a tropical vacation, but it's a place where you can be quite and calm and collect your thoughts. You can fill it with your favorite things so that it's an inspiration every time you step inside. It can be a place for you to let your muse roam free.

I might write about monsters and gory space battles and sex and masculine things, but I'm a girly girl at heart. I filled my office with pink and flowers and soft fuzzy, fluffy things. I've also got the really awesome maps I rescued from the Geography Department at school and globes and geology things, but it's a very girly science room. It's me. It's as if my personality threw up all over the place after a night spent on Franklin street after a Duke win. Yeah, I know, that was a stretch. But that's how it should be for you. Make a list of all the things you love and try to find a way to fit them in. It doesn't have to cost an arm and a let, either. I have plans for some paintings this summer to add some artwork to the walls. Think of ways to inject personality instead of money. That's the quicker way to showcase your personality and create inspiration, anyway.

Thanks for reading this. I hope it gave you some motivation to set some space aside for yourself and your craft. It's easy to get burned out when writing is your full time job. Make a space to help you combat that burnout. You'll thank me after your first post-writing-breakthrough-at-2-am nap!

And here's one of Chester the Wonder Kitty who is the love of my life and reoccurring star on my Instagram feed. He's the best writing companion I could've asked for...mostly because he keeps his mouth shut and doesn't "Mommy, mommy, mommy" me to death! LOL!

Oh, and just to let you know, my entire office was furnished with super cheap furniture found on Craigslist. We did have to drive up to Washington D.C. with a borrowed diesel and trailer, but we like to travel and the trip was enjoyable. Plus, we got to eat the best Thai food we've ever had in our LIVES.

So don't think making a room for yourself has to be hard or expensive. Just think creatively and try to find uses for things that are outside the box. I mean, c'mon, you build ENTIRE WORLDS...why can't you decorate an office?

How have you made room for your craft in your life? Tell me in the comments!

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