New Year, New Workspace.

that space behind your work surface- call it a gallery wall, a vision board, a scrap book… whatever it is, it helps make your work space into the ideal place to glean inspiration, to feel connected, to showcase your spirit. a place to let your eyes wander and anchor themselves on something intangible yet concrete. a savior from the tempting claws of procrastination, a detour from writers block, a portal to your creative self. this is more than decor- this is a saving grace, and should be treated as such.

as the magnitude of this space may seem daunting, do not let yourself be paralyzed. the hardest part, of course, is the first step. and lucky for you, i’ve outlined not only the first, but every other step. follow along, skip forward, fall back, dance around and get lost in it. and hopefully end up with a wall bursting with ideas and energy. and you can thank me in my comments section below. (come on, do it.)

ok, so more than ephemera- but damn do i like to insert that word absolutely anywhere it (sort of) fits. search for items from your travels- shake out your passport, open old saddle bags, unfold city maps, flip through that stack of unsent postcards. stare into photographs of yourself from other times, other lands. take your time here and honor every object that you have breathed life into. and then choose those that you feel will be able to breathe life back into your space.

with a measuring tape, mark lines from the furthest corners and note the distance. this area should fill the space above your work surface comfortably, however “comfortably” feels to you. with these measurements, map it out on your floor. this is your space. sit in it for a minute, if you want to. no one can touch you in here.

lay out your meticulously chosen items within the space. balance heavy and light, dark colors and whites, flats and frames, but only so no one side weighs too heavy as to clog your very volatile creative process. don’t be overly concerned with spacing, however don’t trap big pockets of blank space inside… or you and your thoughts might get sucked in, forever. (really, i’ve seen it happen)

when you feel you are marginally satisfied with your arrangement (you will never be completely happy with it, but of course, nothing is permanent), take an overhead photo of it. then, trace each element one by one onto newspaper, marking where the nail will go (this part will save your life, trust me) cut out each shape and tape it onto the wall.

with your hammer, put a nail in each designated mark. hang object in its new and carefully curated home. tear off back paper and step back. and admire.

now sit down and create because you can no longer procrastinate. you have no more excuses. you have work to do.