Yesterday, I took on what seemed like a monumental task in my mind. I cleaned off my work tables in my studio so that I could start sewing the curtains for the back entry French doors today. Have you ever had one of those tasks that you needed to do, but you kept putting it off because it seemed so challenging and overwhelming, and the longer you put it off and dreaded the task, the bigger and more monumental it got in your mind?
That’s exactly what I had done with cleaning off my work tables. Granted, these started off way more cluttered and filthy than probably anything any of you have on your home (unless you’re on a similar DIY home remodeling path that I’m on) because in addition to all of the clutter that had accumulated on these tables, everything was also covered with about 1/8-inch of dust still left over from when I sanded the studio floors so that I could paint them. So tackling the clutter plus the dust seemed overwhelming.
I did tackle part of this cleaning task back in November. Before I started back then, they tables looked like this…
They were so loaded down with stuff you could barely even see the tables!
So while I got most of that cleaned up and put away last November, I still had quite a bit of stuff left, plus all of that dust. And since the next project I need to tackle in order to get the back entry finished is sewing my curtains, I couldn’t go any further until I got this task done. So I buckled down, set a timer (I had an hour-and-a-half while Matt was on his Theracycle), and I got busy! This is what I had to tackle, but the pictures don’t show all of that dust that made me dread this task so much more than just a standard “put away the stuff” kind of cleaning.
I got about a third of it done before I had to help Matt after he finished using his Theracycle. And then after I got him situated, I came back in and worked until it was finished. I can’t even tell you how nice it was to walk into my studio this morning and see these clear and clean tables!
They are completely clutter-free and dust-free, and ready to be used for sewing curtains this afternoon. It has been so long since these tables have been completely clear and available for use, and the room feels so much lighter now!
They’re no longer in perfect condition. I’ve had them for a while now (I built the first one back in August of 2019), and they have definitely been used for lots of fun projects in the past. But they’re work tables in a studio, so I never had any expectation that they would stay perfect.
But do you know what I realized? One reason I’ve been dragging my feet on finishing the painting in this room (as you can see, the walls and ceiling are still not finished) is because of these tables! With them so cluttered and covered in dust, not only could I not move forward with my sewing project, but it also seemed so overwhelming to have to work around them and move them in order to get the rest of the painting done on the walls and ceiling in the studio.
Now that they’re clean, I can very easily move them around as needed, and get the rest of the painting done!
So I’m here to encourage you. If you have that one nagging task that you’ve been putting off for weeks, or months, or even years, and it’s the one thing holding you back from making progress on other things, just jump in and get it done. Once you get started, you’ll probably realize that it’s not nearly as monumental, overwhelming, or difficult as you’ve built it up to be in your head. And you’ll feel so much better when it’s done!
Those nagging unfinished tasks really weigh on us more than I think we realize, and getting them done really is like lifting a weight off of our shoulders that we’ve been carrying around. So jump in, get them done, and get that weight off of your shoulders! I love sitting here at my desk this morning and looking at those huge, clear, clean work tables. What a difference that made in the room, in my mind, and in my level of motivation to get this room finished now!
I have one more task in the studio that feels monumental to me, and that’s getting the storage closet cleared out and organized. But after tackling those tables, I’m even feeling excited to get that done.
On another note, I’ve been contemplating what color I want to paint the table bases. I don’t think that the current color is right, although it’s not terrible, either.
So I’m pretty sure that I’ll keep them green, but as of now, I plan to repaint them the same color that I have on the walls of the back entry.
I think it would be nice to bring that color into the main part of the studio. It’ll bring a cohesive look to the room. So unless a better idea strikes me between now and then, I’m almost 100% sure that’s the direction I’ll go with it.
But for today, I plan to sew! And even though sewing is probably my least favorite type of project to do, I’m actually looking forward to it. Other than hemming pants, I haven’t done any sewing in a very long time, and I’m anxious to see some real lined curtain panels back here instead of fabric draped over a curtain rod.
It’s been years since I’ve sewn lined, pleated draperies, so I anticipate that I’ll be slow at it, and I may even have to refer back to my own tutorial on how to do it. ? I’m hoping to get them finished this week, so we’ll see how it goes.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
