This statement really struck me: "I meant for this to be a musing on why we can sometimes feel out of place in our own homes, even in the spaces like my art room which are wholly our own."
My 'office' is in our big, open attic, which is really more of a play room for the kids when they're not at school. I have a couple bookshelves and about a 8X10 space with my desk and other stuff. The remainder of the room is mostly covered in toys, legos, and other kid paraphernalia that completely overwhelms me sometimes. I end up abandoning my office and working on the front porch when it's nice outside. I know that one day we won't have all of that kid stuff cluttering up the house, and I'm half afraid that when that day comes I'm going to miss it so much I'm going to be just as distracted. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!
I feel your pain. I'm starting a big purge these days. Organizing, throwing out, selling, taking to the thrift store, giving away...too much stuff. If I haven't used it in several years, do I really need it? It's such a burden. Every time I lighten the load a bit or organize some of the chaos in the house/garage/barn it feels very good.
I have recently moved my writing out to my shop for 'reasons'. I may move back to my office, but if I don't, well, moving all of the stuff I 'need' is going to be a pain - because I'll have to reorganize my shop.
I like John in Indy's comment; "...at least the knowledge and skill sets pack small. :-) "
I'm glad though that I have acreage, rather that an XityX square foot sized yard to store much of the, to choose a polite word, much of the 'stuff' that built my compactly packable skill and knowledge set. ;-)
Good lord! What are you? My spirit animal? No, no...that would be awkward. Also, you need to get your muse back on her meds. She's all over the place, that hyperactive pixie!
*chugs more coffee* I did promise my husband I wouldn't take on any more hobbies. I get interesting in learning *how* to do something, learn, then wander off to the next enthusiasm. It's not ideal.
Preach. I'm not quite thaaaaaat bad, except I wander between writing, music, artwork... lather rinse repeat. I don't have a crafty bone in my body, so no huge piles of strange tools for specific artforms. But going through the three media I do well with,It helps recharge my battery but it's hell on my production of what is (supposedly) going to pay the bills some day.
My hobby room has just been repacked and mostly removed to turn the room into hubby's new office for his new (online) job. I still have paper and canvas supplies in the closet and my little nail art corner out of the way of his camera and a few bits and bobs for my planners in the living room where my art/writing computer is. Everything else is either stuffed in the bedroom (my jewelry boxes and hair things and rocks) or in tubs, labeled and stacked in the utility room. It's a little sad, but his new job opportunity is joyful and may lead to a new house one day with more room(s).
I totally grok the hobbies/learn stuff! issue. In the "Refuse to Choose" book by Barbara Sherer, I'm a Serial Master/Sybil.
Master means you want to reach a pinnacle of understanding and skill in a subject, you may reach one level of it, and then start again to continue to improve it to the next level and so on.
Serial Master means that you have 2 or more subjects that you want to reach mastery in, so you will cycle through them, like a spiral staircase, learning to a level, and then switching to another and learning to a level, and then slowly (or quickly) coming back around to work on the next level of the first and so on.
That would be fine, except the Syble part as my secondary....Sybils like to learn new things! So, then you take on a new subject and add that into the rotation. So...SO MANY THINGS!
Luckily, you sometimes reach the pinnacle of Mastery on a subject, and you have no more desire to increase in that thing, then it just becomes a line on your resume and you don't have the desire/compulsion to continue to increase it, it's good where it is, and you can focus on other things. Until guilt sets in that you are wasting a skill....
But, hopefully, you will understand yourself enough to know that it's okay. (It's a great book, I've highlighted the heck out of it.)
I am with you on getting partially organized, with things put away, sort of, but not yet organized.
Finishing things is still a problem.
Our office / guest room / art room / sewing room works as a guest room, but the desk still needs digging out. :-)
About hobbies, at least the knowledge and skill sets pack small. :-)
How do you have lots of stuff for chain maille?
My stuff fits in a shoe box, except for the 16 ga stainless TIG wire.
John in Indy
This statement really struck me: "I meant for this to be a musing on why we can sometimes feel out of place in our own homes, even in the spaces like my art room which are wholly our own."
My 'office' is in our big, open attic, which is really more of a play room for the kids when they're not at school. I have a couple bookshelves and about a 8X10 space with my desk and other stuff. The remainder of the room is mostly covered in toys, legos, and other kid paraphernalia that completely overwhelms me sometimes. I end up abandoning my office and working on the front porch when it's nice outside. I know that one day we won't have all of that kid stuff cluttering up the house, and I'm half afraid that when that day comes I'm going to miss it so much I'm going to be just as distracted. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!
It is not an easy transition. Enjoy the chaos while you have it!
I feel your pain. I'm starting a big purge these days. Organizing, throwing out, selling, taking to the thrift store, giving away...too much stuff. If I haven't used it in several years, do I really need it? It's such a burden. Every time I lighten the load a bit or organize some of the chaos in the house/garage/barn it feels very good.
I have recently moved my writing out to my shop for 'reasons'. I may move back to my office, but if I don't, well, moving all of the stuff I 'need' is going to be a pain - because I'll have to reorganize my shop.
I like John in Indy's comment; "...at least the knowledge and skill sets pack small. :-) "
I'm glad though that I have acreage, rather that an XityX square foot sized yard to store much of the, to choose a polite word, much of the 'stuff' that built my compactly packable skill and knowledge set. ;-)
Looks pretty tidy even if there might be other ways to arrange it. Better than my shelves.
Good lord! What are you? My spirit animal? No, no...that would be awkward. Also, you need to get your muse back on her meds. She's all over the place, that hyperactive pixie!
*chugs more coffee* I did promise my husband I wouldn't take on any more hobbies. I get interesting in learning *how* to do something, learn, then wander off to the next enthusiasm. It's not ideal.
Preach. I'm not quite thaaaaaat bad, except I wander between writing, music, artwork... lather rinse repeat. I don't have a crafty bone in my body, so no huge piles of strange tools for specific artforms. But going through the three media I do well with,It helps recharge my battery but it's hell on my production of what is (supposedly) going to pay the bills some day.
Oh! Forgot to say, have you looked at a "Dreambox"? It might give you some ideas about how to adapt things to you: https://www.createroom.com
My hobby room has just been repacked and mostly removed to turn the room into hubby's new office for his new (online) job. I still have paper and canvas supplies in the closet and my little nail art corner out of the way of his camera and a few bits and bobs for my planners in the living room where my art/writing computer is. Everything else is either stuffed in the bedroom (my jewelry boxes and hair things and rocks) or in tubs, labeled and stacked in the utility room. It's a little sad, but his new job opportunity is joyful and may lead to a new house one day with more room(s).
I totally grok the hobbies/learn stuff! issue. In the "Refuse to Choose" book by Barbara Sherer, I'm a Serial Master/Sybil.
Master means you want to reach a pinnacle of understanding and skill in a subject, you may reach one level of it, and then start again to continue to improve it to the next level and so on.
Serial Master means that you have 2 or more subjects that you want to reach mastery in, so you will cycle through them, like a spiral staircase, learning to a level, and then switching to another and learning to a level, and then slowly (or quickly) coming back around to work on the next level of the first and so on.
That would be fine, except the Syble part as my secondary....Sybils like to learn new things! So, then you take on a new subject and add that into the rotation. So...SO MANY THINGS!
Luckily, you sometimes reach the pinnacle of Mastery on a subject, and you have no more desire to increase in that thing, then it just becomes a line on your resume and you don't have the desire/compulsion to continue to increase it, it's good where it is, and you can focus on other things. Until guilt sets in that you are wasting a skill....
But, hopefully, you will understand yourself enough to know that it's okay. (It's a great book, I've highlighted the heck out of it.)