If I had to choose one word to guide the next phase of my business—and honestly, my life—it would be: simplify.
I’ve long had a goal to streamline how I work. And I’ve made real progress. But like many of you, I still find myself getting pulled into new ideas, projects, and “what-ifs” that feel urgent in the moment but turn out to be costly distractions in the long run. I’m actively working to trim things back. And I’ve found that with every layer of complexity I remove, things get clearer, more focused—and more profitable.
The same principle applies to your art practice. If your studio life feels scattered, it might be time to simplify—not to produce less, but to scale up the parts that actually matter.
Why Simplicity Drives Success
When you cut out clutter—physical, mental, logistical—you create space. Space to think, to create, to finish what you start. Space to double down on what’s working and drop what isn’t.
Simplifying your art business doesn’t mean making it smaller. It means making it sharper. It means focusing your limited time and energy where they’ll have the most impact.
Trim Your Supplier List
How many paint brands, canvases, papers, frames, or sculpting tools are you juggling? Too many options lead to indecision, wasted time, and harder inventory management. Most professional artists I work with find a few core materials they trust—and then stick with them.
Fewer vendors = fewer purchases to track, fewer substitutions to navigate, fewer headaches when it’s time to reorder.
Standardize Your Sizes
Custom sizes might seem like a creative win, but they’re a logistical mess. They make framing more expensive, packing more complicated, and inventory harder to manage.
By standardizing your dimensions—even just partially—you simplify everything:
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You can pre-order supplies in bulk
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You can create repeatable framing solutions
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You make your work easier to hang and group in shows
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You save mental energy with every new piece
Standard sizes don’t limit creativity—they create a clear frame for it.
Streamline Your Shipping
Shipping is one of the biggest stress points for artists. Simplify your packaging process by:
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Using one or two standardized box sizes
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Keeping a checklist for every shipment
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Storing your materials in one organized place
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Creating pre-labeled templates for common destinations
If it takes you three hours to ship one piece, you’re burning time that should go toward creating or connecting with buyers. A simple system saves time and money.
Say No to Bright-Shiny Distractions
New projects. New platforms. New collaborations. New mediums.
The art world is full of exciting opportunities—but not all of them move your career forward. Every “yes” is a “no” to something else. So be strategic. If a new idea tempts you, ask:
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Does this align with my goals?
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Can I commit the time it will really take?
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What will this displace?
You don’t need to do everything. You just need to do the right things, consistently.
The Rewards of Clarity
Here’s what I’ve noticed, both in my own experience and in the lives of artists I work with:
When you simplify, things fall into place.
You’re less overwhelmed.
Your energy is focused.
Your brand becomes stronger.
Your profit margins improve.
And maybe best of all, you feel less scattered—and more at peace in your studio.
Final Thought
You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight. Just start by trimming one area of your practice: simplify your materials, reduce a size option, say no to one request this week. Then do it again next week.
It’s not about doing less for the sake of it. It’s about creating more freedom, more focus, and more room to grow.
Thanks to your advice, I’ve standardized my sizes and it has made a world of difference. I’m able to order everything in bulk.. frames, mats, backing board, shipping supplies. Thank you for this blog.
That’s great to hear, Margaret. Having everything in bulk and ready to go really streamlines production—and it’s amazing how much time it saves over the long run.
These are valuable suggestions. Thank you, Jason!
I appreciate that, Zelda. Sometimes even small simplifications can have a big impact on how smoothly the art-making process runs.
wow. You just hit on a subject I need to pay attention to. Went out to the studio and unlocked the door and opened it and told myself I really need to clean my space. It looked like a tornado went through it. Either I clean the whole 120sf at one time or I’ll just keep putting it off. So thursday is the day I have decided is cleaning & organizing day. And yes, have decided I need to stick to one size painting; even though I like the bigger sizes will scale that back and see where it takes me. Thanks for all the good info.
It sounds like Thursday is going to be a productive day, Geraldine! A clean and organized space can make such a difference in focus. Standardizing sizes should also free up time and energy for creating.
Really liked this article! Thank you for this. I try to keep my spaces clear and tidy but it seems to get a little cluttered. I noticed today. Tomorrow I all prepped to start sorting!
Glad the article resonated with you, Carla. A clear and organized space can really boost creativity—it sounds like tomorrow is going to be a productive day.
Absolutely right, I completely agree! I totally relate to what you’re saying—I’ve often wanted to use non-standard formats and ended up facing all sorts of complications. It reminds me of when I decided to wear only identical socks to simplify my early mornings in the dark! Congratulations on these intelligent and practical reflections and advice.
Your sock example made me smile, Jean-Paul—it’s exactly the same principle! Reducing small complexities can make a big difference in efficiency and focus.
This has been a serious goal for me this year! Starting out, I painted without considering standard sizes for framing or finishing, which has made it a lot more complicated! I realized my mistake: doing unusual sizes isn’t inherently bad, but it adds significant expense and hassle to completing a painting presentation, creating prints, setting a sale price, etc. I see that streamlining supplies would be helpful, too! Thank you! I really enjoy your blog and valuable advice.
You’re right—unusual sizes can be beautiful, but they do come with hidden costs in time and materials. Streamlining supplies, Lori, can make the whole process smoother from creation to sale.
For years I made all my own stretchers because I worked large it made sense. However as I have been adding smaller sizes and having arthritic hands, I buy everything ready made and ready to paint on.
Another organizational action was to separate different mediums and store them in easily identifiable bins.
I added open metal shelving against a large, cinderblock wall, as a way to clear up space, put wheels on my desk allowing more flexibility.
I also buy paint colors only as a response to current works in progress and use mainly Dick Blick on line.
Finally I am revisiting older paintings and asking myself “Do I want to keep this? Do I want my name on it? Do I actually like it?”
Peace
Gay
Your approach to rethinking older paintings is a great example of keeping your work fresh and intentional. I like how you’ve combined organization with flexibility, Gay—it really does open up both space and creative energy.
“Finally I am revisiting older paintings and asking myself “Do I want to keep this? Do I want my name on it? Do I actually like it?”
Thank you! Military family here so chucking stuff is normal. Usually, in the past, I’ve had to start with “Do I have space to move this?” but questions 2 and especially 3 really simplify the process.
Really great advice and one i will take into consideration beginning today. Streamlining equipment really needs some work and i will definitely begin with this today. Working on sizes that are standard is also great advice. I need to also not work on such large paintings as storage becomes difficult…thanks so much for shining a light on things that will make my life easier.
Starting today is the best time, Evalynn—it’s amazing how much easier things get when your equipment and sizes are streamlined. And yes, storage-friendly dimensions can save you a lot of headaches down the road.
Excellent.
Except for commission pieces
12 x 12
8 x 10
16 x 20
1 vendor for brushes.
1 for paint
1 for canvas
1 for printing
I also like to stretch my own canvases, heavy/toothy, maybe that is no a good use of my time? Comments to the stretching appreciated.
This is wonderful advice/encouragement.
Thank You So Much for taking time to share with us.
-g-