There is a pressing need to be as minimalist and organized as possible in modern society. This is understandable, for it is proven that intense neatness can be beneficial, but this standard is considerably more stressful and taxing to my mental health than anything else. While attempting this creative life change, I would have outbursts of immense creativity, but become discouraged from acting upon them due to the mess I would have to clean afterward. As much as I desperately wanted to suddenly transform into a minimalist, I soon came to realize that it would not be feasible without numerous compromises regarding my creative expression. With the bare minimalist aesthetic swiftly trending, it can be overwhelming for less organized people to adhere. By no means do I intend to bash minimalism, but it is necessary for creative processes to be personalized beyond a trend. For someone who feels at home amongst seemingly excessive physical displays of art, I feel bogged down by the burden of maintaining a specific aesthetic of constant order. If you are at all like me, I want to assure you that your creative messes are valid messes.
I believe in organized chaos. I believe in manifesting art from destruction, beauty from absentminded clutter, and deeper meaning from inevitable mess. I believe in finding inspiration in anything, whether it is a flimsy cardboard box filled to the brim with old trinkets and mementos or priceless family heirlooms destined to be preserved for centuries to come. In my life, I have always been more interested in a room with vintage postcards, abstract paintings and ticket stubs hung on the wall in sloppy patterns than a space left white, calling out for a larger purpose. I do not condone laziness or hoarding, but I remain convinced that art does not exist in an empty space.
Personality is an integral concept in art, and organized chaos allows me to channel my spontaneous personality into pieces that have the potential to last forever. Organized chaos helps me relax: I find solace in the fact that I can draw on my mirror and drape scarves from the ceiling one day and drastically change my vision the next. Messy does not have to mean gross or unacceptable. Messy can mean artistic and free spirited.My personality is contingent upon my ability to both creatively express myself and be myself without receiving condescension from others. My laidback, spontaneous, and artistic personality is needed in this world to balance out those of the more conscientious and orderly.
All people are meant to work together and thrive, not to be stifled by the opinions of others. Organized chaos is powerful: it allows me to be understood by others in a way I can excel in.
When I observe my creative space lacking a sense of artistic value or authenticity, I try thinking about what additions would make me the happiest, not what would make my space tidier. Organized chaos may not be the perfect fit for everyone, but it is a freedom, an outlet, and a lifestyle that I fully cherish the presence of no matter what dissenters may think. It is incredibly important to understand that not all people can thrive under conditions of minimalism, nor should all people be expected to. Minimalism is not a necessity, but an alteration one can make for their own personal advancement.
