The podcast explores the concept of hoarding creativity and its effects on daily functioning and the home. The speaker discusses their anxiety about New Year's resolutions and the fear of running out of ideas. The connection between hoarding creativity and clutter is explored, emphasizing the importance of taking action and embracing imperfection. The value of firsthand experiences and the power of decluttering and organizing are discussed as ways to make room for creativity.
Creativity should be spurred by the reaction to the process rather than the perfection of the outcome, so it's important to take action and try creative ideas instead of hoarding supplies.
Decluttering is essential to create space for creativity to flow, as removing excess items allows for clarity and reveals what resources can be used for creative endeavors.
Deep dives
Hoarding Creativity
In this episode, the host explores the concept of hoarding creativity. She acknowledges that hoarding is a mental health diagnosis and encourages listeners to refer to previous podcasts on hoarding disorder. The host shares her personal experience of holding onto her creativity and how it negatively impacted her. She notes that creativity should be spurred by the reaction to the process rather than the perfection of the outcome. She urges listeners to take action and try their creative ideas rather than hoarding supplies. The host also relates hoarding creativity to clutter in the home, emphasizing the importance of decluttering to make space for creativity to flow.
The Power of Reaction in Creativity
The podcast episode discusses how the joy of creativity comes from the reaction to the process rather than the idea itself. The host shares personal experiences, such as painting frames and making Christmas ornaments, to illustrate the importance of trying creative endeavors instead of hoarding supplies. She highlights the value of the reaction, whether it's from oneself or others, in spurring creativity. The host encourages listeners to let go of the fear of running out of creativity and instead focus on taking action and experiencing the process, as it can lead to further creative ideas and inspiration.
Clarity and Space for Creativity
The episode emphasizes the need for clarity and space in order to foster creativity. The host compares the process to clarifying a wall during an archaeological dig, where excess dirt is removed to reveal the wall. Similarly, in decluttering, getting rid of excess items helps clarify the space and allows the individual to see what they truly have and what they can use for their creative endeavors. The host encourages listeners to declutter their spaces, remove trash, find homes for items, and donate unnecessary possessions to create room for creativity to thrive.
The Link Between Creativity and Clutter
The podcast explores the common thread between clutter and creativity, noting that many people with clutter issues are highly creative individuals. The host suggests that hoarding creativity often leads to clutter and hinders one's ability to be truly creative. She shares examples of collecting supplies for creative projects that were never executed and how trying the activities helped her realize whether she truly enjoyed them. The host advises listeners to try creative endeavors using existing resources in their homes, rather than hoarding supplies, to determine what brings them joy and inspiration.
Lately, I've been thinking about my (weird) tendency to hold back creativity out of fear it will run out. I know from lots of experience that this isn't how creativity works! I'm talking about resisting the urge to hoard creativity and how that affects and applies to the stuff in my house.