The messy truth behind the Instagram-perfect book table.
The days spent creating the beautiful stacked book end tables were very satisfying. They turned out amazingly well and have been highly received by customers. The unfortunate aftermath, however, was a destroyed shop—tools everywhere, sawdust, and piles of wood scraps. I don’t have an Instagram-spotless shop. My shop is a real working shop with real-world messes.
After almost every project, this is how the shop looks. I will usually pull out every tool and accessory needed. When creating something, I get a flow going—moving from one idea to the next. During that process, cleanliness usually falls by the wayside. The flip side of that is when the project is completed and a client is happy, my focus shifts to righting the ship. Everything goes back where it belongs, leaving the shop ready for the next uncommon adventure.
The Real Beauty of the Mess
At the end of the day, a clean shop is nice, but a messy shop means things are actually being made. The sawdust clears, the tools get put away, but that stacked book side table and matching bookends will last for years. Don’t let the “perfect” shops online discourage you from making a mess of your own.
Over to You:
What is the absolute messiest project you’ve ever tackled in your shop? Drop a comment below and let me know if you think the cleanup was worth the final piece!
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