Sunday 19 August 2018

The Art of Tidying -- Lucy Coats

I've just moved from the house I've lived in for the last 25 years, into a much smaller one. This has, naturally, involved a lot of letting go, including letting go of many many possessions. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. Moving house has also meant moving my writing office -- and my books (3 TONS of them, which seems like quite a lot, really). Obviously, many of them have had to go into store as I just didn't have the time to sort them out, so that's a task for the future. What I did bring here were my precious research books -- the ones I can't do my job without.


And of course, I had to bring everything else the office contained. Or did I? Some kind person here recommended Marie Kondo's book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, which appears to have sold over a million copies.

I've always been a hanger-onto of stuff, 'just in case'. But Kondo's method (which truly works) is to categorise, and then go through EVERYTHING in that category, sorting and throwing anything away which doesn't give you joy, or is useful to you in your life. It does help, the categorising, and I was pretty ruthless. The recycling benefited to the point where I had to take carloads to the tip. And now I feel so much lighter. In my new office, there is only the stuff I really need. Everything has a place. I can put my hand on anything I need within seconds, without having to think about it. It is truly marvellous to have given up all the junk (years of proofs, compliments slips, filing going back to the 1990s, old pens and pencils, badges from long-ago conferences and so much more). I have tried to curate, so that the 'bones' of my career as a writer are still there, so the important letters, the contracts and all that, but instead of being in drop files, everything is now in a series of lever-arch files, in date order, and categorised. I have never been this tidy! All I have to do now is to go through the pile of 'to do' and 'misc' sitting on the left of my desk, and I will be more organised than I've ever been in my life.  Oh -- and actually start writing some more books!

What to you hang onto, and what do you find most difficult to throw away? And how many of you are hoarders?

PS -- I did try to upload more photos, but the only bad thing about the new place is the painfully slow internet. One was all I could manage!


OUT NOW: Cleo 2: Chosen and Cleo (UKYA historical fantasy about the teenage Cleopatra VII) '[a] sparkling thriller packed with historical intrigue, humour, loyalty and poison.' Amanda Craig, New Statesman
Also out:  Beasts of Olympus series "rippingly funny" Publishers Weekly US starred review
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Lucy is represented by Sophie Hicks at The Sophie Hicks Agency

5 comments:

Anne Booth said...

You have inspired me today. I have been tidying but then have hit a slump - so that has given me a bit of a push. Congratulations on actually managing to move - we are thinking of that but have to get through the clearing bit first!

Penny Dolan said...

A bit more inspiration goes a long way, so thank you, Lucy. That was a major tidying task, so good wishes for you in your new office.
I am battling with two filing cabinets full of papers right now but there's the boxes full of roughs and proofs and more still to go. I have an old wallpaper table that supported in the middle by a tallish stool, is excellent for final stacking purposes. The floor's good too, of course, for a first round . .

Steve Gladwin said...

Thanks Lucy. I will have to have a look at that book as we are chocker. And how many people I wonder have set themselves to tidying and sorting only to be sidetracked by the sheer joy of several items and by the time the sidetrack's ended you've all but lost the desire. Ah well!
Best of luck in your revamped sane space.

Moira Butterfield said...

When I was small I collected interesting bits of rock...Now it’s also old fabric, buttons, books, 1960s and 70s ceramics (many Meakin coffee pots), interesting glassware, books, tetleys tea cards, pebbles, more books, more buttons, pleasing sheet music books, old Judy mini comics....Oh dear. It sounds bonkers. But hey, it’s all pleasing to me. It gives me joy. Baaa!

Catherine Butler said...

I'm not sure if I was the one who recommended Marie Kondo, but I'm glad you found the book useful (I'm a fan too).