I have to have 'breathing room' and some free space for my eyes to rest, or else I go bonkers and don't feel creative. If i feel like my elbow or purse or rearend is gonna bump some bit of clutter off a shelf because it's a stuffed little shop, i feel uncomfortable. If the cutting counter is clear, it practically begs me to fill it up with new fabric of my choice. If there's already a heap of stuff all around, I feel claustrophic and have to get outta there.