If you know my background, you know that I started my career with a few different professional architecture firms working in the interior design departments. While being a part of a professional office, as well as designing office projects over the years, i’ve learned so many things about how to best utilize a professional space. All of the tips, tricks, and guidelines that helped form these commercial spaces also apply to home offices, regardless of their size or function. We all fantasize of having a huge room in our home that is strictly dedicated as an office space that you can line with beautifully designed bookshelves, calf skin rugs, and fancy desks that sit out in the middle of the room surrounded by gorgous light that filters in from the floor to ceiling windows… then reality slaps you in the face. Most of us “common folk” {the rich have no say in this statement} have tiny cramped desks that sit in the corner of a room collecting clutter and turning the entire room into an eyesore. Let’s right that situation. Instead of your desk becoming a stapler/tape dispenser/pencil cup/paper filing nightmare, i’ve come up with some ideas to help you pare down your crap and efficiently organize your home office.
1. CHOOSE THE PERFECT LOCATION:
When thinking about where you want to put your desk in your house you need to consider a few things. How will a sometimes stressful/messy desk appearance impact the room where it’s located? While your space won’t always be cluttered, there will be times when you don’t have time to clean up after every “sitting,” it’s inevitable. With that said, you definitely don’t want this space in your bedroom…a place where you should be relaxed…rather what about a guest bedroom that is rarely used? Or a weird hallway nook (all houses have awkward spaces). You also want to think about the amount of natural light your location gets. Sunlight is motivating, inspiring, and will almost always improve your mood! The final thing to consider is the location’s surroundings. You want something inspiring to look at {patterned wallpaper, corkboard wall with inspiration images, fancy artwork, etc} and having a TV within view is also a huge plus {from the queen of multi-tasking}.
The perfect desk nook…
You could even consider turning an under-used closet into a hidden desk area!!
2. SIT ON DOWN
Your chair is directly corrolated to your level of productivity, comfort, and the whole look of the home office. Regardless of what Office Max may tell you, you don’t need an ugly mesh black office chair that swivels and has hydraulics (gag me). While I must admit, my chair actually does swivel, it’s a vintage swedish desk chair in a blue linen pattern that I found at a thrift store for $15. I’m not suggesting that everyone needs to find their chair at a thrift store, but putting a little thought into the design is a MUST. Tj Maxx, Marshalls, Garden Ridge, World Market, Pottery Barn, etc all have side chairs that would be perfect as desk chairs. Be sure to consider your personal preferences when it comes to the height, width, back height, tilt/swivel, and whether or not it has arms.
3. EDIT:
De-clutter, de-crap, and quit being a desk hoarder. There is no reason on this earth why one person needs to keep a stapler, a tape dispenser, pencil cups, and paper trays on their desktop at home. You need to have some sort of organization system for the completely necessary items only. For a home office, the top of the desk should show the obvious necessities {a computer and keyboard} and everything else should be decorative {desk lamp, flowers, pretty trays, etc}.
Very organized for such a small space!
4. PIN IT:
While I am actually on the fence about collecting items on a cork or pin board, I do think it’s necessary to have some sort of inspiration pieces. If you have the ability to keep an organized professionally designed inspiration board with magazine clippings, sayings, and the like, then go for it….just be sure you do something creative with the actual board. Painting, adding nailheads, fabric, etc are all ways to disquise the typical cork look. If you have issues with crafting and cleanliness…opt for some pretty framed pictures {or even a collection of them}. You will still be able to switch the pictures out when you grow tired of them, but the presentation will be much more streamlined.
Amazing way to display your calendar!!
XOXO
