Less Is More: Simplifying My Creative Life with The Organised Artist
- Sue Bulmer
- Jun 27
- 2 min read

There’s a moment in every creative journey when the clutter becomes too loud to ignore, and I don't mean just the physical mess, but the digital chaos that hums behind the scenes. Recently I've been feeling like that every time I walk into my studio, but I haven't seem to have had the time or energy to do something about it.
This month, as all of my to-do lists and commitments are completed, a small but significant shift has occurred, I have noticed a little more space in my diary and in my head. I joined The Organised Artist membership, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Led by the brilliant Anna Macdonald, The Organised Artist, is 'a Membership For Creatives Seeking Simplicity and Purpose', designed to help us creative folks gently bring order to our lives, workspaces and homes. Through her calming, practical resources, Anna has helped me start tackling the areas that I often overlook and just accept as 'cluttered' without really thinking about them: my inbox, desktop, downloads folder for starters.
And let me tell you, it’s already made a huge difference.
Just look at the before and after photos of my desktop:

Clearing my digital clutter has given me a surprising sense of spaciousness. I’m more focused, less overwhelmed when I switch on my laptop, and I’m not constantly searching for that one image or document I swear I saved “somewhere.” Well perhaps it will take me a little time to get used to my new filing systems!!
Next up? My studio...

If I’m honest, this part fills me with a slight feeling of dread and I'm definitely procrastinating, and delaying jumping in. I'd rather sit and write a blog post about it!!
How do I let go of the stacks of old sketchbooks, the piles of “maybe one day” materials, or the art supplies I bought in a burst of inspiration and never used?
But I’m trying to remind myself: less is more. This doesn’t mean less creativity, it means more ease of finding what I need, more clarity, more room to breathe, and more space (literally and metaphorically) for what matters.
Three Ways to Simplify Your Creative Life
If you’re feeling the pull to create with more ease and less overwhelm, here are three simple ways to begin:
Start with the digital clutter - something simple like offloading any unused apps on your phone.
Embrace rhythm over routine - start with very small steps. Simplifying doesn’t mean you have to do it all NOW. It’s about finding sustainable rhythms that match your energy and seasons.
Joining The Organised Artist has shown me that decluttering isn’t a one-time purge, it’s a creative practice and process that takes time.
If you're feeling overwhelmed or stuck, it might not be that you're doing too little, it might be that there's simply too much in the way.
Why not clear a little space and see what wants to grow?
Comments