At this time of year when people are so focused on shopping and getting more, I'm writing about getting rid of stuff.
As far as minimalism goes, I'm not like a 100% hardcore minimalist. I still have things that I keep for sentimental reasons and other items that I don't really need but love to have. But then, minimalism is about only keeping the things that are truly important to you, so maybe I'm a bit more serious about it than I think I am.
Overall I've found that simplifying my life and getting rid of clutter has really made things much easier. My life was already very simple, but even so I still had a lot of stuff. I had piles of notebooks and "collectables" and clothes that I never wear, and it was really bothering me.
I couldn't find anything because of all the clutter. Digging to the bottom of drawers through useless stuff was a pain.
It took me forever to get dressed because I had too many choices in my closet.
Clutter and confusion in your life can totally cause creative confusion. I was working on a new novel and things kind of got a little muddled with it. I also I had a manga that I was planning and things kind of got off track with that too. I just felt super distracted by everything.
So one day, I finally had enough of not being able find anything because I had too much stuff in my way. I decided to throw a "packing party" (for more about that, check out this interesting article about having a "packing party" at theminimalists.com)
I packed away all of my things for a week, only unpacking what I needed to use. Even if you're not planning on letting go of your stuff, I really recommend trying this as an experiment. By the end, you'll be amazed at how few things you use in your daily life. At the end of that week, I found myself questioning how much value I give to items that I rarely use anyways. Why do I feel like I need these objects so badly, when they obviously add very little value to my life?
After a week of seeing what I really needed, I started cleaning up what was extra. I threw out bags and bags of stuff. I gave away so many clothes to the local thrift store that when my mom went there to shop, she said that it looked like my closet. I made hundreds of dollars by selling my stuff on Ebay. I made some more money by putting items in a yard sale.
The most amazing thing is that all that stuff I gave away--all those things that I thought I absolutely needed to have--I don't miss them. I haven't thought about a single item that I had given away. It was all dead weight.
When the clutter was gone, I felt so much better. I could breathe, and think, and focus.
I still have a few things to let go of. I'm liquidating my CD collection. Really I don't know the last time I've played a CD. It's crazy how many sketchbooks I have where I only drew on the first page and the rest is blank. I'm like a sketchbook hoarder. Also I have a copy of Manga Studio Debut 4.0 that I don't use anymore.
If anyone wants a sketchbook (I have many of them with the one page that I drew on ripped out, of course) or a copy of the Manga Studio Debut 4.0 software, just send me a message and I'll send it to you for free. I'll pay the shipping and everything. I simply want it gone.
After that major clean up, I still had so many clothes. That's when I discovered the really amazing Project 333. I'll write more about it in my next post, but strangely, participating in Project 333 has left a huge impact on the way that I create art. I'll never be the same again.
I've been making a lot of changes to my original plans for my next manga, but now I'm seeing things that I can do to really bring it together as a harmonious piece, and part of that is thanks to what I learned about myself while doing Project 333.
I guess the main point is that if you're having problems with creating, maintaining inspiration or staying focused, first take a look at your technique and then look at your life. Maybe there's some clutter that you need to get rid of.
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