Open Studio: Spring Cleaning for Creatives

How to Refresh Your Studio, Brand, and Mindset

Hi Founders,

Did you catch last week’s episode of The Founders Society Podcast? We went full "spring clean" mode with an Open Studio conversation all about getting refreshed, organized, and aligned—creatively and professionally. Whether you're in the mood to scrub your studio, update your website, or rethink your brand photos, this episode was all about the power of cleaning out what no longer serves you and making space for what does.

So consider this your friendly nudge to finally tackle that metaphorical window—or literal closet—you've been avoiding.

Photography by Katie Hevesi of @hevesijournal

The Art of a Deep Clean (Mentally + Physically)

Artists often leave their supplies out, mid-project, mid-mess—and that’s a beautiful thing. But sometimes, a deep clean is just what your brain (and business) needs. Meg recently cleaned her windows with a toothbrush (yes, really) because the energy in her space was off—and that one act reset everything.

Hayley shared her own spring cleaning win: a total closet clean-out inspired by a style book she read. Taking everything out, re-sorting it, and starting fresh made her feel lighter—and more inspired.

The big takeaway? You don’t always realize what’s weighing on you until it’s gone.

Digital Decluttering: Your Website, Inbox, and Subscriptions

We started with a big one: your digital space. A few quick wins:

• Go through your website: remove old inventory, update prices, refresh your about page and make sure everything reflects your current voice.

• Revisit your language: Are you still saying "Hey y'all!" when your tone has matured? A little editing can go a long way.

• Refresh photos: Swap out outdated images, and update bios to give clients more ways to connect.

• Review your email contacts: Sort them into subsets (local clients, past buyers, designers, etc.) so you can target with intention.

• Audit your subscriptions: Use tax season as an excuse to cancel those sneaky $10/month charges and reinvest in tools that actually move the needle (Notion, HoneyBook, Canva Pro, etc.).

Pro tip: Hayley ran her expense report through ChatGPT and asked it to flag unnecessary spending. It worked!

Workspace Reset: From Inventory to Whiteboards

Sometimes the mental clutter is literal. Meg cleaned off her commission whiteboard, rescheduled pending projects, and physically moved names into the correct stage of the buyer journey. Instant clarity.

And that mysterious box of old artwork collecting dust in the corner? It might be your next launch. Hidden gems are everywhere—you just need to dig them out.

Marketing + Branding Spring Refresh

Spring is the perfect time to:

• Audit your social bios, Linktree, Pinterest, and website. Do they all sound like you?

• Update your brand voice: Casual? Polished? Friendly? Are you still using language that reflects where you are now?

• Unify your visuals: Use consistent fonts, colors, and photos across platforms for a polished brand experience.

• Schedule a new brand photo shoot. Just once a year can make a huge difference.

Bonus tip: If you're overwhelmed, start with one thing. Even 30 minutes spent tweaking your Linktree or updating your email footer is a step toward more aligned branding.

A Word on Letting Go

We wrapped our conversation with a reminder that not every platform or tool needs to stay. That Lemon8 app you downloaded once? Delete it. Streamline your systems, simplify your digital space, and give yourself permission to not be everywhere at once.

Let spring be your signal to get focused—and feel good doing it.

Until next time,
Meg & Hayley