Ann G Rusky
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Clutter free = Clear Horizontal Surfaces

9/7/2014

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Picture
I read a tip on a blog/website that seems to work. It said to give the feeling of less clutter - even in a visually-busy, heavily decorated house, keep the horizontal surfaces free. It showed photos of walls filled with books, and lamps, and drawers, yet the house felt 'clean' - and that was because the horizontal surfaces like counter tops and table, and floor were clutter free. The page was from The Small Notebook. I really like her blog; however, it is an older blog, and she hasn't posted anything recently. I'm not sure why. This is a paragraph of hers: "When you have clear surfaces, your room is ready to be used. You can come in and set down your drinks and popcorn bowl on the coffee table. You can eat dinner at the table without sitting next to the paperwork. Your bed is ready for you to stretch out on it. The room welcomes you. It’s not a place to hold your stuff, it’s a place where you can live."

Anyhow, I was intrigued. I tried it. It works! When the dining room table was clear, and the shelf by the phone was clear of clutter, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I like it! It feels like cheating housecleaning. It's fun to walk from room to room and feel 'lighter'.

Now, be warned, it doesn't stay that way long. All it takes is one person to walk by and the table is filled again. I swear, a clean table-top is like a magnetic - people can't resist the urge to stack things there. It's kind of like, the minute your have all the dishes done and put away, then you feel the urge to bake something! There is something about having open space makes you want to fill it, and put your mark on it. Like the Wild West, in your own home.

But I am going to do my best to keep at it. It feels good to have clear table top and dresser - it is already filling up - so I'll have to work at it daily. I just completed my first week of the Decluttering Challenge you can read more on my Facebook page. (I've been documenting my progress with photos.) I'd say my emotions feel 'energized' at this point. I have a long way to go, but I am feeling the excitement of making a dent in my cluttered chaos. Each time I walk into a room my eye goes toward the de-cluttered area, and it makes me feel good. I'm on a roll!

I'm working on it! 

This simplified pen and ink drawing is of our living room/dining room area. We live a small, old home, and have a LOT of stuff packed in. I've found the clearing of horizontal surfaces really helps to open up the area. Now if I could only keep it that way!


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    Hi. I'm Ann.

    Welcome to
    My Drawing Board Blog.

    This is where I post my current thoughts and ideas about the topics that resonate with me, and how I work them out as illustrations. This is my work in progress.

    As an artist, I love to see the beauty in the world around me. I enjoy the play of color, patterns, and light. It is a challenge for me to try to capture the thoughts and images that inspire me.

    Sometimes, I like to quickly scratch ideas on paper. Other times, I like to take my time and work through images with color. 

    Each day brings a new perspective. This blog is my opportunity to share my thoughts and drawing process with you. 

    Thank you for visiting.

    You can keep up with me on Facebook, as well:
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    com/AnnGRusky/

               ____________

    Getting Creative About Functioning with LESS.

    Creativity takes on many forms. Currently, I am on a journey to live with LESS and I am trying to Make <LESS> Work for me and my family. 

    Hopefully my goal will inspire my whole household to make conscious decisions about our home environment and what we REALLY need to own. 

    My personal goal is to eliminate clutter, and make our surroundings creatively functional and beautiful.

    I am grateful to be able to share my thoughts, and illustrations with you.

    We'll see where this journey takes me!


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