5 Essential Elements of a Creative Workspace that Works

by | Productivity Advice, Scrapbook Storage and Organization | 15 comments

Whenever I’m on Pinterest or reading blogs, I’m always drawn to creative workspaces. Even the smallest spaces can be beautiful and functional for everyday scrapbookers. In this post I want to share some of the commonalities of those spaces, so that you can apply them to you own.

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Photo Credit: Jess Forster / Life on Lee Avenue

1. It fits your unique process. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for workspace storage and organization. Look towards others for ideas, but pick and choose the elements that meet your needs and requirements.

2. Decision-making is easy. Choice is a fundamental part of creating and often a stumbling point for scrapbookers. The solutions you choose for organization and storage should help enable you to make decisions quickly and easily.

3. White space is abundant. When you see an enviable workspace, it likely includes as much empty space as it does stuff. Room to breathe and quite literally move, even in a small space, is important for a workspace that works.

4. Inspiration surrounds. Every workspace can benefit from images and personal possessions that fill you up with joy, even if only in a small way. Feeling at-ease in your space is critical for finding ease in your process.

5. Cleaning up isn’t a chore. If you have move this and shift that to clean up your primary work surface, something isn’t right. Editing becomes an important skill so that the focus is on creating and not on your stuff.
Whether your space houses tangible supplies or just your computer, Stash Bash can help you simplify and streamline. Click here to learn more. 

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15 Comments

  1. Cheryl McCain

    Great post Jennifer. I totally agree with having personal things that we love around our creative space. I was just looking at my own counter top and it needs to be straightened prior to me doing anything productive and I believe that stops us from being creative in itself. I’m looking forward to Stash Bash since I’ve moved into the world of paper crafting along with my digital scrapbooking.

    Reply
    • Jennifer S. Wilson

      Thanks Cheryl – can’t wait for Stash Bash to start!

      Reply
  2. Kelley Baker

    Move this and shift that kinda hit home with me…yikes, something’s not right!!!!

    Reply
    • Jennifer S. Wilson

      Start with one small step Kelley and you’ll get there!

      Reply
  3. Jeanette Collins

    Most every time I see workspaces on Pinterest I’m also drawn to those “white” spaces. Have you noticed not many spaces will show product in packaging? Should I dissemble all those small bits & pieces embellishment packages and contain them by categories?
    Thanks Jennifer.

    Reply
    • Jennifer S. Wilson

      I think it is a matter of preference Jeanette. I do tend to take things out of packaging – and find I am more likely to grab for them. That said, I don’t think fancy containers are necessary. I try to re-purpose items from around the house.

      Reply
      • Jeanette Collins

        I’m still trying to figure out my “process” of how I go about scrapbooking. I tend to agree that I will USE what is already open. So, I guess for now I will open all my packaged embellishments and categorize them. Hopefully I will have these items in reach when putting together my pages. I don’t scrap by product Brand anyhow. I just mix and match all brands and put all sticker/cardstock sheets together now anyhow. Thanks for helping me think this through, Jennifer. I’m so happy to be a premium member!!!

        Reply
  4. Mye

    workspace is my first and very important problem right now. having been a digiscrapper for years and slowly transitioning to paper, i’m stuck at finding workspace to create. i always share the dining table with everybody just so I’d be able to scrap. hubby is planning on converting 1 room in the house as my home office when the current occupant vacates it and it will bring me to my second problem which is – getting afraid of unpacking stuffs since I might potentially miss out on giving credits to the designer. sigh, i do have a big problem, Jen! haha!

    Reply
    • Jennifer S. Wilson

      I thought the same thing at first Mye and didn’t want to remove the packaging, but there’s two reasons I eventually gave that up.

      1) Super-detailed crediting is not as prevalent in paper. Most often it is included by those on teams, wanting to get published, or wanting to get affiliate commission.

      2) There are so few products released each year compared to digital that it’s hard to forget which line a product came from.

      Reply
  5. cats4jan

    Mye – Interesting to hear you are transitioning from digi to paper. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone going that way. Organizing is going to be key in making the transition enjoyable. Good luck finding what method works best for you.

    Jennifer – thanks for the tips

    Reply
    • Jennifer S. Wilson

      Most welcome! Interestingly, when I started scrapbooking in earnest in 2008 it was as digital-only. It’s only been the last two years that I’ve done paper.

      Reply
  6. cats4jan

    I dabbled making paper-scrap greeting cards and didn’t like the permanence of glue. Now, the farthest I go with “paper” is to create the front of the card digitally and glue it onto pretty scrapbook cardstock – and that’s only because you can’t really print on colored cardstock and get the results I’m looking for.

    But, I have to say, some of the most beautiful greeting cards I’ve seen were paper-scrapped.

    Reply
  7. lynne moore

    Great post. Sums it up very well as organizing a space is a BIG job.

    Reply
  8. Linda

    I’m moving to a new home and want to resume scrapbooking in a great space. Have a large room with a back bar. Want to add a bar height kitchen island designed for scrapbooking work and storage. Anyone have suggestions?
    (Want to be able to hide away my supplies, and have never had anything but open storage, plastic containers, table, and shelves…. a mess!) I’m thinking of drawers, appropriate sized cubbies, with doors, and some open shelving…in the island. Guess it would be like a scrapbooking kitchen????

    Reply
    • Teaching Assistant - Kim Edsen

      Linda, I have seen many people actually use kitchen islands and cabinets and such for scrapbooking. It seems Ikea is the ‘go-to’ place for a lot of people, but I imagine you could find similar things in most big box home improvement stores. Depending on how much you want to spend and how handy you are, check to see if you have a discount home improvement store in your area. Where I live there is one run by Habitat for Humanity that sells new and gently used home building goods (cabinets, light fixtures, etc.) to the public.

      Reply

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