When the Practical Must Trump the Creative
Part of creative management requires that we take care of business—those dreaded details of maintaining an organized lifestyle. For example, we must set down the paintbrush or pen so we can clean out a closet or organize a workspace. Setting our affairs in order often forces us to retreat from the art room and engage in the unpleasant. 
For this scattered creative eclectic, today's quest involves cleaning out my bedroom closet. I've dreaded this task for months, and it has moved far beyond the intended expiration date—the timeframe I allotted for procrastination to run its course. Now, I must face my foe head on and sort through, pack away for a garage sale, and give to Goodwill. So here are some tips I'm using to motivate myself:
Don't compromise your creative time – If you do, you'll pout. Get up and write first, like you always do, and then tackle the cleaning out project.
Don't bite off more organizing than you can chew – Schedule a clean-out session when you have a few hours in a row free. There are few things I hate as much as taking apart a closet menagerie and then having to leave it in a mess.
Look at the task as a treasure hunt – Out-dated dresses and blouses can provide snippets of lace, velvet, or silk for photo shoot enhancers or collage accents. I'm going through my jewelry with the intent of setting pieces aside for collaging or to use as floral accents.
Make a little bit of mad money with your mess – Need some extra arts and crafts cash? Try a spring or summer garage sale to rid your home of clutter.
Pretend that you're moving – Nothing motivates me like the thought that I might have to move all of my stuff. My husband and I are looking for another house that will provide the opportunity to separate my art room from my guest room. He also needs space to leave up his studio photography equipment fulltime. Even if you're not planning on a move, act as if you are and you'll be ruthless with clutter.
Reward yourself when the task is finished – My treat for today's closet clean out will be time spent collaging a poem on my recent oil painting, "Bird of Paradise."
Remember, these sorting through and cleaning out sessions are as much a part of your creative life as are those "escape into your art rooms and paint" sessions. Cleaning out clutter makes room for personal expansion and can provide fodder for more creative folly.
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