Organize your thoughts and environment
With the season's hustle and bustle behind you, it's time to take a break, catch your breath, and before diving into the New Year, you can prepare your art/creative business for 2025. Rather than focusing on your business plan right now, you can clear your mind and workspace. This might involve making a list and organizing your studio/workspace. You can't effectively create a new business plan for the New Year without clearing 2024 from your mind and workspace. I believe it's crucial to do this before tackling the details of your business plan.
Now is the perfect time to begin.
Everyone has their unique approach to tasks, and it's important to do things in a way that suits your creativity and business management style. Many of us experience overwhelm, which seems to be the "new disease" of our lives. That's why having a first step is essential.
Getting Your Mind in Order
Consider organizing your phone apps and computer files, and don't overlook your photo app and emails that may have been neglected for some time. This is an excellent opportunity to sort your business photos into albums, such as ones for inspiration photos, sold artwork or crafts, and works in progress. You get the idea. Evaluate your business apps; if you haven't used some in the past year, it might be wise to remove them. I usually tackle this in the evenings while watching TV, as I've neglected it throughout the year. It can be time-consuming. You might also want to add information under each photo in your photo app. I use an iPhone, so in the caption space, I include details like original photo, IG story photo, or Facebook post, since I might use the same photo and adjusted the photo size for different media accounts. It makes reposting easier and less time-consuming later, especially if you repost a story after some time and want to use the photo again. You can even create albums for them, so you know where all your Story, Facebook, or Pinterest posts photos are. The same can be done for reels and videos. It takes time, but again, it's an evening task in front of the TV. I've started doing this, and it will likely take me about a month, but it already reduces some of the overwhelm and makes me feel organized. Clearing out old files and organizing them for my business gives me a sense of control and helps me approach the business side with a better attitude. I believe it might help you shift your perspective on the behind-the-scenes aspect of your business.
You Can't Keep Everything in Your Head
The next suggestion I would recommend, even if you're someone who keeps everything in a shoebox, is to invest in a simple file cabinet or a few hanging file boxes. These are available in various styles and sizes. Get some hanging files and file folders, and you'll be ready to organize your business documents. At the very least, you should have a file folder for expenses, invoicing, banking, credit cards, and
taxes. Within the expense hanging file, create folders for creative supplies, office expenses, website expenses, and rent if you're renting a booth or art space—essentially, any business-related expense. Only you can decide how many files you'll need. Next, set up a financial hanging file. Include folders for your business bank statements, business credit card, and taxes. There are a few other expenses, which I keep in a separate hanging file but can be included under your expense hanging file. In this file, I organize folders for shipping/postage costs, shipping expenses like boxes and tape, and office supplies.The following hanging file should be for your income. Have folders for invoices from your website, Etsy, or Shopify, and another for booth space income. Any income you earn should have a dedicated file.
You might not be fond of my system, but it can serve as an example of what you can create for yourself, especially if you're like most of us and dislike paperwork. This involves handling papers only once or twice before filing them away until tax time. By implementing a simple
system like this, you'll have everything ready for your accountant when tax season arrives, and you won't have to worry about it. As your business grows or as organizing paperwork
becomes a habit, you might want to expand and add more hanging files and folders. For instance, I maintain a hanging file for art expense sheets. I'll discuss this more later, but this way, when I finish a piece of art, I can refer back to the art expense sheet to determine my expenses before setting a retail price for the artwork. You can apply this to anything that ultimately saves you time and money, keeping you and your business efficient. While much of this can be done online, if you're not inclined to sit down and upload everything into an accounting program, this straightforward method is far better than the shoebox approach for managing your business documents.
Lists and Forms for Easier Business Tracking
As you prepare for the New Year, the next step is to create a list of potential revenue streams. These are the things you produce and sell on the market that make you money. If you've been in business for some time, you're likely have some reliable revenue streams. However, last year was challenging for small businesses, so consider listing the revenue streams that have been successful, eliminating those that haven't performed well, and possibly adding one or two new ones to explore the market. You might also track these monthly to evaluate each revenue stream's performance over time. By the end of 2025, you'll have a clear understanding of which streams are profitable and which should be discontinued due to the time and money invested. Remember, it's just a simple list to guide you, not something elaborate. It's a good starting point for developing your business plan, or at the very least, it will provide a direction
for your business.
I've created an artwork expense sheet for each piece I produce. This form records all the expenses involved in creating a single artwork, along with its photo and name. This allows me to easily calculate the retail price by having all the costs readily available. I'm sharing this form in my Freebie Section for you to download or use as a template to create one for your own creative projects. This way, you'll always have a record of the production costs and can reference it in the future for pricing similar custom orders.
Another form I have included for you in the Freebie Section that I have found very helpful is geared to artwork but you can redesign this for whatever type of creative business you have is an Art Project Worksheet. I grab one of these when inspiration hits and write the idea on the form for future painting projects. I just list the idea or inspiration when it comes to me so I don't forget about it and include a photo possibly. I can also list future supplies I may need to purchase. I also use this to schedule art projects throughout the month. This helps to keep me motivated with less creative block and a way to see how many pieces of art I am completing in a month's time. I will sit down with a stack of these art project worksheets to see what looks interesting to paint and sometimes spark new ideas that I can start an art project worksheet on. This works for me because I already have a plan in motion at least on paper. I have worked out the size of canvas I'm going to be working on, a color palette decided and I'm not staring at a blank white canvas wondering what to paint.
The most recent form I've created for myself is a Monthly Project List. I find that I don't manage well with a calendar, so I make a monthly list outlining 4-6 projects I aim to complete, along with any tutorials, classes, or appointments I might have that month. If a project isn't finished, I can carry it over to the next month. This list is very straightforward and suits me well. Calendars and to-do lists, whether weekly or monthly, are quite personal. My business is small and uncomplicated, so my lists are simple. I've experimented with many calendars and lists over the years, and this method works for me. Since it's such a personal matter, you might want to take the time to determine your own way of tracking your appointments and tasks.
Your Head is Clear Now that Studio/Workspace
January is an excellent opportunity to tidy up and organize your studio or workspace. If you have old projects or supplies that aren't currently in use, now is the time to store them away and create a clean work area. Working around unnecessary items can be challenging when you're preparing for a new project. Just as you declutter your mind, it's important to declutter your workspace. Regardless of how small your workspace may be, use bins to keep your supplies and projects organized, and label them for easy access. If you have a large workspace or studio, setting up workstations can be beneficial, allowing you to move your project between stations as needed. In my studio, I'm establishing workstations: an easel wall
with utility carts for brushes, paints, and palettes; a large work table for flat work, framing, and wrapping large artwork for shipping, which I also use for intricate collage work, making it a multifunctional piece. Additionally, I have a shipping station for storing shipping supplies and wrapping small boxes. Cabinets on either side of my sink hold various art supplies. I'm considering purchasing an adjustable height desk for drawing and office work, which will be on the same wall as my easel. Consider storing your supplies at or near your workstations to make it easier to clean up your area after completing a project.
Consider how you want your studio or workspace to function for you. It might be time to update some of your equipment. Hang an easel on the wall or get a vintage narrow desk with drawers to store your paints, and have a glass sprayed in neutral gray on the backside to fit the top as your palette. This can be moved from one workstation to another. I would personally love this setup. If your workspace lacks a sink and running water, create a dry sink area with tubs for rinsing and cleaning tools like stencils and brushes. If you're a crafter or sew, think about your workflow and organize your space to suit your needs. Perhaps it's time for a permanent ironing station or a door-mounted ironing board for easy storage. Consider using a small dresser with added wheels and a wool ironing pad on top for pressing quilt pieces or altering thrifted clothing. Draft a rough floor plan of your studio or workspace to streamline your projects and make your creative process easier. This allows you to have a dedicated space to retreat and create your amazing projects.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
Many of us tend to delay handling the business aspects of a creative venture, but there's more to it than just managing expenses, shipping, and invoicing. Simplify your business operations to help yourself. This year, I'm focusing on the sizes of canvases I plan to buy. I'm examining which canvas sizes sell most frequently and intend to purchase only 3 or 4 sizes that are easy to ship and come gallery wrapped, eliminating the need for framing. I prefer to send a product that's ready to hang, so my clients only need to place a hook on their wall. This approach also
simplifies ordering the right size boxes for shipping, avoiding last-minute decisions each time I ship a painting. I've reached a point where I can order canvases and shipping boxes in bulk to secure the best prices. Every small saving contributes to the bottom line in a small business. Learning to mix my colors has enabled me to work with a limited palette, allowing me to buy these colors in larger quantities and save money. This doesn't mean I won't occasionally purchase a different size canvas or a paint tube in a color I don't usually mix; it's about streamlining my business and maintaining some control over it. Each of us needs to evaluate our small business and organize our supplies, creative space, and business operations to reduce overwhelm. This will vary for each individual. That's why now is the perfect time of year to start implementing some of these ideas.
Making a Shift away for Overwhelm
By clearing your mind and workspace, you prepare yourself to smoothly transition into 2025. These ideas and solutions serve as a foundation to help you consider how you want your business to operate and perform. I know I've introduced many changes, but try to implement at least one or two of the suggestions. Organizing a file system for your business is likely the most crucial. At a minimum, you need to maintain a paper trail for all expenses, invoices, and bank/credit cards. This alone will simplify your business operations. The next most important task is creating an Expense Sheet for each product. I referred to mine as the Art Expense
Worksheet throughout this article. This information is essential for also setting your labor cost and your retail prices accurately. In my opinion, it's the most important aspect I've discussed. If you're a business person who already has a solid business plan and operations in place, many of the other suggestions might be what you're seeking.
After setting up workstations in my studio, I've found it much easier to tidy up after a project, and this has turned into a positive habit. Although it took some time and the studio isn't perfectly clean, I'm still improving. I'm altering what hasn't been effective for me and gradually removing supplies I might never use. We are all evolving. Choose one task and tackle it. It will make you feel a bit less overwhelmed and reduce clutter.
So How Will You Ring in Your New Year
There's a brief period between Christmas and New Year when many of us find ourselves in a state of limbo, feeling exhausted after the Christmas hustle and contemplating the effort involved in taking down the Christmas tree. This is an ideal time to reflect on how you want to
approach the new business year. Do you wish to maintain the status quo or enhance your business operations? Could something as simple as decluttering your workspace be beneficial? Consider sitting down to brainstorm various creative ideas that you can plan on a Project Worksheet, guiding you through a month's worth of work to help avoid creative blocks. We often talk about not being too hard on ourselves and allowing ourselves some grace. Perhaps this is a way to offer yourself some grace. Do something in your business that simplifies your life a bit. Do something that brings a smile to your face every time you start your day. Here's to you welcoming 2025 in a business tailored by you, for you.
Freebie
Here are some templates you can refer to when creating your own, or you can simply copy and use them. I utilized Apple's Numbers checklist sheet to create the Expense Worksheets and Pages for the Creative Project Ideas worksheet.
Tips/Books
I didn't begin painting on canvas until I was 69, seven months after my husband's death. Initially, I thought I would paint furniture, but once the brush touched the canvas, I was captivated. Over the next four years, I experimented with every art supply that intrigued me. The advantage of this was that I practiced a lot, but the downside was that I wasn't focusing
on developing a specific painting style. However, that's a different story. If you're in my age group or contemplating what you'll do after retiring, you might want to watch Brian Buckrell's video. He's now 80 and critiques for an acrylic painting group I'm part of. This video discusses how he started painting at 65 with no prior experience. Here's the interview Brian did with Eric
As we begin the New Year anew, if you don't have an art portfolio app to store your completed artwork, I don't have a specific recommendation, but it's worth exploring some options. You might prefer to keep your finished pieces in a separate album in your phone's photo gallery or simply share your best work on Instagram.
What I'm Working On
Currently, I'm not engaged in any special projects. I've taken a step back to focus on enhancing my creative painting and drawing skills to develop a unique style that will define my art. You know, when you see a piece of artwork and instantly recognize the artist. I understand this won't happen overnight, but it provides me with a goal. I believe that all this practice and
dedication to studying tools, art supplies, and preferred subject themes will help me envision
my path. Over the past few weeks, I've been sketching and brainstorming project ideas to avoid creative block and drive me toward achieving my business goals for next year. I've also compiled a list of revenue streams for the coming year, eliminating some and introducing a few new ones. I can reflect on 2024 as a year of truly critiquing my work and, in some cases, stepping back to refocus my painting approach so I can progress. I suppose it's true that sometimes you need to take two steps back to move one step forward. This year has been a significant learning experience for me, and I know the journey will continue with both successes and setbacks. So, here's to taking the time to appreciate the wins and learn from the losses.
New on my Website
I currently have a sale on some of my selected artwork. Additionally, I will be adding more Woodubend products, such as brushes and trowels. Take a look at my website to see the artwork on sale and explore my blogs if you haven't yet. I send out a blog and an email just once a month. I do not share my contact information with any third-party advertisers
As 2024 draws to a close, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me
this year. I am particularly thankful to those who have made purchases from my website, including fellow artists who have supported my work. To all of you who have subscribed and read my blogs, and to those who follow and engage on my social media accounts, I sincerely
thank you all. The business world today is different from the one I knew in my youth and early adulthood. We continue to grow as the online virtual world expands with seemingly no limits. I understand that purchasing something without the chance to physically see and touch it can be challenging. Thank you for trusting me and my creations. Here's to you and a creative and productive 2025.
Inspirational Quote
"I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life that the sunflower."
Helen Mirren
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