Add Some Office Organization, step by step

Our office looked like this when we first laid eyes on the house.

Then it looked like this on moving day.

And here is what it looks like about a week and a half into living here.

On one hand, it does not look THAT crazy. I mean there could be a llama standing in the middle of the rug eating popcorn. But on the other hand, this room has a LONG way to go before it is functional for two working adults (yup, we right now only have one desk going on). And the whole all-furniture-against-the-wall-with-a-little-round-rug-in-the-middle thing is a little weird.

As for what we are envisioning down the line, we’d enjoy to have some sort of double desk action going on (likely floating or as a peninsula so it is attached to one wall on the side) with plenty of storage and some excellent organization stuff in play. So a few images that are right now inspiring us for this room are:

• this one (perhaps we can add built-ins and a window seat under the bay window?)
• this one (additional shelving might be handy, and I enjoy how these do not all line up)
• this one (those glass fronted cabinets! Me-ow!)
• this one (cool beams for architecture, lively lighting, graphic curtains, and plenty of storage)

While we let things percolate and brainstorm what we truly want to gain from the space, I like to gaze at the things that I like in the meantime. Like this corner. Clara reads/hangs out in the chair, and a big leafy green plant in a long low window = one of my go-to things.

Here is the corner on the other side of the bay window. We leaned our big chalkboard there, and Clara has already been tagging it up, so we like the idea of having some zones for her along with eventually having two functional work areas for us.

It is the lightest/brightest room in the whole house, which is simply right for an office and a spot for Clara to come in and hang with us, so it is pleasant that it worked out that way. This was originally a formal living room, but we do not need a family room and a living room, and we enjoy a cozy living/family room in the back of the house (where nobody can see our TV glowing from the street). And since that room in the back was also off of the kitchen and in close proximity to the deck along with having a fireplace, we thought the light and bright room that was somewhat closed off from other spaces was the best spot for an office.

Here is the other side of the room, where the storage/function that we do have is right now residing. The Ikea bookcase on the right was in our sunroom, but that is an excellent addition since we lost the built-in cabinetry from our previous office. The filing cabinet on the left was consistently in our office (it is from Ikea with Hobby Lobby handles) so that is where the printer hides along with a bunch of files on the bottom shelf.

And I cannot believe I am a blogger who has not put my books in color order yet. Hello? Have I been living under a rock? Turns out it is lively and takes about ten minutes. I used to wonder “but is it harder to find books because they are arranged by color instead of topic/author?” But let us be real. I never arrange them by anything (not by topic, color, or even by size – I typically simply randomly stack them everywhere. So it is simply as straightforward to find them as before, and perhaps even faster if I remember one as having a certain colored cover (then I simply have to look on that shelf and can ignore 80% of the other books on the bookcase).

Among the books are a few file boxes, some notebooks and post its, receipt storage, and little desktop things like our pig speaker dock, a bajillion pencils, and a tiered little white box from Target a few years back with three “inboxes” for storing things like tear sheets, printouts, and other worky stuff. And that is my little cork board from my closet leaning up against the wall (thought that might be helpful for work stuff – perhaps if we frame it out and properly hang it up?).

This shot is simply funny to me because it demonstrates that no matter how much assist a room might need, if you get close sufficient, you can typically find something sweet. Crop, crop, baby.

Although my go-to shot of the room so far is this one. Sure the lighting’s harsh and it is a little crooked, but I walked by and saw Clara playing in that big bay window and it was ideal.

Simply like that detail shot two pictures ago demonstrated that moving closer can strategically crop the weird stuff out, this picture is a funny reminder that moving further away can conversely reveal even more to be done. Like more blue trim to paint, more wallpaper to strip…

… and more old carpeting to send packing.

We will get there someday.

Psst- Last night we shared our go-to video of all time on the house Life. Oh man, that kid.