Written by Maria (a former expert mess maker and collector of pretty and useless things)
As a child, I was a collector of interesting stuff. I loved to construct impressive piles consisting of treasures and junk. I discovered early on the joy of excavation. Organizing my room was like an archeological dig in which I could unearth long forgotten treasures. Once reclaimed, these treasures needed to be displayed to full advantage. The positive emotions that came with these discoveries had me addicted in no time!
In my early teens, computers and the internet were becoming more commonplace. I was entranced by all the possibilities. I could discover new ideas and inspiration. I wanted to hold on to these findings, and so, I began a new type of collection.
It was many years until I learned that collecting digital media can be even more dangerous than collecting physical objects. I signed up for every free account under the sun and archived all my emails with my fancy new Gmails account. It wasn’t until college that the “you-know-what” hit the fan. I let a boyfriend load his 80 GB music library onto my computer and could never use the shuffle feature after that. While studying in Italy I let my visiting friends load photos onto my computer so they could continue to take pictures of every Italian candy wrapper. To this day I don’t know which photos are mine and which are theirs. Then there were the messages from Gmail and Yahoo telling me that my email was hacked and I needed to change my passwords. What had started out as this amazing tool eventually became an out-of-control mess.
I did what I always do when faced with a problem, I researched the hell out of it. I wanted to understand my tech so I could reap the rewards without negative effects. As a student of art, my education in tech was unorthodox. I built a computer as if it were a sculpture. Not fully understanding what I was doing. Thankfully my father helped me. Next, I experimented with my files, learning through trial and error. I used creativity to find unique solutions to the problems I faced.
After completing my bachelor’s in fine arts from CSUN I found a job working for Apple. I loved Apple’s beautiful design and wanted to work where I could help people who faced the same problems I had. I learned many things about the kinds of problems technology can create, and I learned a lot about myself. I discovered that I am skilled at learning new things quickly. I could look at an unfamiliar program and understand it in a short period of time. I can turn the Klingon-like language of technology into everyday english. I love understanding peoples’ different needs and coming up with a custom solution. I use my art background to visually map out solutions so that my clients can make informed decisions. I’ve also used my art background to teach children how to use technology to express their creativity. Now I am thrilled to be using my tech background to help Simply Spaced Clients get a handle on their technology.
Check out Clutter Free Email (tools to combat inbox overwhelm)
ABOUT ME:
- Favorite Celebrity: Martha Stewart
- Ask me about: My Cats
- Can’t live without: Naps
- Can’t live without while traveling: an audio book
- Currently Reading/ Listening to: Italian Ways by Tim Parks & Butcher’s Hill by Laura Lippman
- Most significant organizational Aha: That owning one item that is both delightful and multifunctional, brings more pleasure than owning many things.
