A Peek into My Home Office

As a creative entrepreneur, your workspace isn’t just a physical location; it’s your creative sanctuary, your launchpad for inspiration, and the epicenter of your productivity.

But if you’re struggling to find focus amidst the chaos of cluttered workspaces and scattered tasks it can feel damn near impossible to shape your artistic visions into reality, let alone keep your business afloat!

I get it; we all have those moments when we want to do ALL THE THINGS but end up feeling lost and directionless instead of focused and inspired. 

A few years ago, I had the privilege of working with a brilliant creative entrepreneur who faced a similar challenge. Although she was exceptionally talented and ambitious, she struggled to keep everything from paperwork to tasks systemized! 

Her disorganized workspace wasn’t just stressful, it was starting to affect her business, her time, and her creativity. 

But together, we transformed her situation, streamlined her workflows, and reclaimed her time. 

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how you can replicate her success in your own business with the right-for-you organization, tools, and systems that fit your unique needs as a creative entrepreneur. 

I’ll even give you a sneak peek into my own home office so you can see which systems work best for me and hopefully spark some ideas to bring back to your own space!

Put the Right Organization in Place

Tend to Your Physical Space

Your physical workspace plays a crucial role in your ability to focus and maximize productivity (whether it’s your office or studio). Keeping it in tip-top shape is a game-changer. 

Here are some actionable tips to help you achieve a clutter-free and inspiring workspace (even if you aren’t a Monica Geller-level Type-A neat freak– I’m certainly not):

1. Take Inventory Regularly

Creatives often rely on a variety of tools, materials, and supplies. To ensure you’re always ready to create, take inventory regularly. 

Consider creating a visual checklist or using a dedicated inventory app to keep track of what you have. This ensures you never run out of essential items when inspiration strikes. 

Take it a step further and make sure each item has a dedicated space. This can also help you visually track when you’re running low and avoid buying more supplies than necessary because you can’t locate what you already have!

COO Tip: Taking inventory ensures I always have post-it notes at the ready! I simply can’t function without them. Yes, they may look crazy on my desk,  but I swear it’s organized chaos. Organization doesn’t have to look a specific way. As long as it is functional and sustainable for you, go with it!

2. Create a Filing System

For creatives like artists, designers, and writers, an organized filing system is key. While lots of information is now stored on computers, servers, or in the cloud, creatives often rely on physical materials as well!

Here’s how to set up your digital and physical file management system:

Digital Assets: Create folders for each project or type of content. Organize your files by date or theme. Use clear, descriptive filenames to make searching a no-brainer.

Physical Materials: Invest in quality storage solutions. Label containers and shelves so you can quickly locate art supplies, design samples, or reference books. As a bonus, you might choose to include a color coding system to help you quickly locate materials. 

3. Implement a Tidying Schedule

A tidy workspace can dramatically boost your creative flow. However, attempting a deep cleaning session all at once can be overwhelming and might divert your focus away from essential business tasks. Instead, develop a practical, low-lift system to consistently manage clutter, preventing the need for last-minute panic cleaning.

Try implementing these tidying rhythms:

Daily Maintenance: Spend a few minutes at the end of each day tidying up your desk. Put away tools and supplies, clear your digital desktop, and empty your trash.

Weekly Deep Clean: Dedicate time each week to a more thorough cleaning. Dust surfaces, organize drawers, and declutter any unnecessary items. Bring a trash bag with you and ditch anything that’s no longer necessary from trash, to outdated books (donate ‘em), to your 2015 tax docs (you definitely don’t need those anymore).

COO Tip: I combat digital clutter by using a “Things I can’t deal with right now” folder, inspired by my bookbinding professor at RISD. Screenshots, downloads, and emailed photos pile up, but this folder offers visual relief and a centralized place for future sorting. I clean it weekly or bi-weekly, and it’s a helpful strategy for managing physical clutter too (as my professor did with a labeled box for scraps, experiments, articles, sketches, and more in her classroom).

4. Systematize Your Workflows

Creatives often face unique challenges when it comes to organizing their work. Here are some tailored tips to optimize your workflows:

Create Templates

Every type of creative will approach templates differently. You can implement templates for all kinds of repeatable tasks from project work to your business needs. Here are some examples by profession to guide you!

Artists: Create grid templates for your canvases or sketchbook pages. Having pre-drawn guidelines can save you time and ensure consistency in your work. You can also template things like your artist statements or how you write grants!

Designers: Develop design templates for common projects, such as social media graphics or website layouts. Customize them to fit your projects’ needs efficiently. You can also utilize project management templates to ensure your creative process remains consistent!

Writers: Craft templates for different types of writing, whether it’s blog posts, articles, or story outlines. These templates can serve as a starting point for your creative process.

5. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

SOPs are your secret weapon for maintaining quality, consistency, and efficiency in your creative work or business operations. Whenever you find yourself performing a specific task more than once, it’s important that you create an SOP for it. SOPs save you valuable time and energy, sparing you from rework and scope creep. They also help you avoid starting from scratch every time you dive into common tasks like balancing your books, onboarding new clients, or posting on social media.

To get started:

1. Brain-dump all of your repeatable tasks. 
2. Then, cluster them into categories like “Finances”, “Client Experience”, or “Web Design.” 
3. Notice which categories you find most challenging to complete and start to streamline them by building out SOPs. 
4. Finally, keep them somewhere easy to access so you can jump in yourself, delegate to a team member, or outsource without worrying about quality or efficiency!

Here are some industry-specific ideas to inspire your own SOPs!

Artists: Document your creative process step-by-step, from initial sketches to final touches. This can be especially helpful when you collaborate with others or want to expand upon or revisit a successful piece.

Designers: Create SOPs for client onboarding, project management, and file sharing. Having clear procedures in place ensures everyone is on the same page.

Writers: Develop SOPs for content creation, editing, and publishing. This streamlines your writing process and helps maintain consistency in your content.

Of course, these are just examples to get you thinking. Feel free to use them, come up with your own ideas, or mix and match based on your unique business needs and workflow preferences!

By tending to your physical space and implementing efficient workflows, you can experience a significant improvement in organization and efficiency. These steps will set the foundation for your continued success as a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur, just like my client did!

Leave Room For Inspiration

Creating a space that nurtures your creativity is a crucial aspect of any artistic or entrepreneurial journey. Your workspace should be more than just a place to get things done; it should be a sanctuary for inspiration and innovation. All the systems in the world won’t make much of a difference if you haven’t taken the time to make your space feel like YOURS! 

Here’s a glimpse into my workspace, which I’ve carefully crafted over time to fuel my creativity.

The Desk

At the heart of my home office is a spacious desk. I made sure to find a desk with ample storage space, so I can neatly organize all my supplies, writing materials, and essential tools. I like to have everything I need within arm’s reach. 

While I try to stay organized, I’ll be the first to admit, when I’m in work mode my desk can look a bit hectic. But being able to easily tidy up, store things without losing them (everything has a “home”), and have space to sprawl out in the moment makes all the difference for me!

COO Tip: If you’re working away from your desk or usual space, be sure to check out this blog post where I collected 7 tips to help you juggle it all while on the go!

The Decor

My workspace walls are decked out with inspiring artwork and motivational quotes. In fact, I proudly showcase one of my client’s pieces on the wall behind me (I must admit it makes a wonderful, custom Zoom background). 

Not only does the art on my wall calm me, but it also grounds me in my purpose of supporting and encouraging my fellow creative entrepreneurs to follow their passion and share their art with the world!

I also make sure to have pictures of my husband and kids on my desk. They remind me of my “why”–the most important reason I do the work I do: my family.

The Vision Board

I don’t exclusively feature artwork and photos in my home office…

Hanging nearby is my vision board, a powerful tool that keeps me focused on my goals and aspirations. It’s a collage of dreams, a roadmap to my desired future. Whenever I’m feeling stuck or uninspired, a quick look at my vision board reignites my motivation and reminds me of what I’m working towards.

Years ago, I had pictures of a beach house where I could spend summers by the shore with my family. Today, that vision is a reality I’ve worked really hard to make happen!

A Reflection of You

Designing your perfect creative workspace is all about striking a balance between inspiration and organization. It should not only reflect your personality and style but also serve as a hub for your creative journey, where ideas come to life, and productivity thrives. 

Whether you lean towards simplicity or a more eclectic vibe, your office or studio space should be both visually inspiring and functionally organized.

This is where your creative ideas take flight, so it’s essential that you incorporate elements that fuel your passion while prioritizing an organized environment that allows for those unexpected sparks of inspiration.

In the end, your workspace should be your haven for focus and productivity. For creative entrepreneurs like artists, designers, and writers, achieving this balance means putting the right systems in place to support your needs.

I hope this week you can take a couple of steps to breathe new life into your workspace:

1. Streamline Your Work: Take the initiative to establish one system that simplifies your daily routine. Whether it’s crafting your first SOP for bookkeeping (so you can finally get rid of that pile of receipts you keep moving from place to place) or addressing that overdue file management setup, just go for it! Often, taking that initial step is the toughest, but it’s incredibly rewarding.

2. Spark Joy (as Marie Kondo would say): Inject a dose of inspiration into your physical workspace. Consider adding a fresh piece of artwork to your wall, rearranging your furniture for a new perspective, or decluttering your desk for a cleaner slate. These small changes can have a big impact, sparking creativity and a sense of renewal.

By tending to your physical space you can experience a significant improvement in organization and efficiency, setting the foundation for your continued success as a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur– just like my client did!

Business Coaching Support For Creatives

If you’re looking for a coach to walk alongside you as you put the operations systems in place to further improve your focus, output, and business success, I’m your girl!

Check out my business coaching services – they’re custom-crafted for creative entrepreneurs just like you. 

My goal?

I’m all about helping you create the right structures and systems to liberate your creativity instead of stifling it!

Click here to schedule a free call and see if working together is the right fit.