Home Office Organization – Welcome to Angie’s Copywriting
The Home Office Of An Online Writing Coach/Consultant and Copywriter
Well, as I stated previously in Big News, Small News, And Interesting Tidbits At Angie’s Copywriting, It’s Thursday, so it’s time to get down to the nity-grity.
As you can see, the home office of this writing coach needs some work. In addition to running my copywriting, coaching, and consulting business from this room, several other activities occur in this room. If you look closely, you will see three computers – one for each of us. The office is also where my son does his homework, I practice (did I mention I teach and perform?), and we generally hang out.
This room was originally set up as my practice and crafting space. A spot where I can lay out my projects and practice without having to put everything away. Well, that didn’t last long. Pretty soon, it became a traditional office as well as a main storage space for all the things we use often, but really have no dedicated home. Somehow, general junk we aren’t using has made its way into the space along with toys (my son’s and Smokie’s).
Now, I am in a dilemma. I can no longer move thanks to the addition of new office chairs. The first step is to get my filing system set up. I have purchase two additional filing cabinets to help with that.
Home Office Storage - Before
I had originally wanted to replace the little TV tray with the desk my desktop computer was on. However, due to its recent habit of falling apart every time you think about walking by it, I will take the top off and put it across the top of the filing cabinets to create some much needed workspace.
The little bookshelf that currently sits beside the main desk (seen with the laptop on it) needs to go….somewhere. Close by, preferably. I want to get rid of the crafting stuff from there and fill it full of office items I use more often.
In addition to this, I need to set up a system for dealing with those ‘not now’ items. These are the things the kid/cat/husband insist on handing you while you are in the middle of an instant messenger conversation or other project you can’t interrupt. Ideas? Suggestions?
Anyway, have fun. I’ll try not to get lost 
December 25, 2008 at 8:42 pm | For the Writer | 5 comments
Ahhh. My husband and I were talking about this last night. Unclutter your mind and you will unclutter your life! You’ll be open to more creativity b/c your mind won’t be clogged up constantly with thinking about things you “should be doing.” So unclutter that room, you deserve it!
First, what’s your priority? Decide and do it! If it is to have that room uncluttered and ready to be used as an office, unclutter it! Step by step, slowly if you need to. If it’s to be an office, you must insist to the family, and confirm to yourself, that there will be no more junk and toys in it! Take all toys out, put them in children’s room or playroom, and tell the kids the toys can’t enter back in. Next deal with the “junk.” If it’s really junk, consider throwing some or all of it away. If you’re keeping it, and it doesn’t fit anywhere in your home, throw out other things in your house you’re not using, and there will now be room to place these items.
Next decide, what do I really want to place in this room? What do I want to use this room for? My craft room? My Office. If the answer is both, everything must fit. If it can’t the crafting things will have to move somewhere else in the home, you won’t have a choice. So make a decision. If you will say it won’t fit anywhere else, then choose something else in your house you don’t want as much as the craft supplies, and throw that out, and move the craft supplies to its spot.
Next when you decide what you want in the room, place it all where you want it to go. If it won’t fit, still more must go. By the way, why do you have so many office chairs? Give some away! If you think that’s crazy, make your choice. Would you rather have an uncluttered, uncrazy room, or a bunch of pretty chairs/furniture in a crazy room? Make your choice! Simple as that! No, not simple, but in a way it is. Quite practical. You could even give away a chair or two to your son and move to another office that is larger in your house, and take the craft supplies with you!
So now that you know exactly what kind of furniture you want, in the room you want, stop and consider the following: why are you living with furniture that is tipping over? Throw it out. And get a table for your office that works! A pretty one! You could get a pink one or even a classy one! Pick something you like, not a hand me down! Or a simple one that isn’t expensive. Just make it your own — something you like!
Do you want to know why you should? Because you are worth it! Why should you live frustrated, with something that falls on the floor when you walk by? And why should you even have to deal with something sitting atop two filing cabinets. You are a business person (whether you work at home or not) and you deserve to have appropriate furniture! So allow yourself to have the furniture you deserve. If you feel you don’t have the money, save for one piece at a time…
When you have thrown out the old stuff, and replaced it with a few new pieces, and set up the filing cabinets and a system for incoming projects, look around at the room. Arrange the furniture to be exactly where you want it to be. Seriously. It may all fit, but you may want things somewhere else. Think outside the box and rearrange if you want. Now sweep the floor! If you have room, get a doilie or cloth and throw it on the table and put a vase on it. A chunky colorful one that will cheer you up but won’t knock over. We deserve to have nice things to look at. It will stimulate our creativity as well as refresh us and make us happy. Don’t clutter it back up with too many things. Maybe one fat vase. If you are afraid your kids will knock it over put a few pictures on the wall. something cheery.
Hope this somehow helps. I am only passing it on b/c I have done it before. I think a lot of it for me was a mindset. I didn’t allow myself to have something nice b/c I thought I wasn’t worth it. I wouldn’t throw anything away. Perhaps you just haven’t gotten around to it! But choose which you want — a cluttered office or a beautiful, functional office. I know which you’ll choose. Because you’re worth it!
Krissy
visit my main blog: Sometimes I Think
visit me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/iamkrissy
Hi Krissy! Wow! I am certainly inspired now! I do know it needs to be done. Badly. My problem prior to this was getting enough time to get it done. Now I find myself pushing like mad — mostly because I can’t wait to have it finished. Why a table that’s falling apart? Because I’m a very frugal parent. I finally purchased a new desk last week. It isn’t the one I want, but it will have to do for now. Hubby has promised to make it. Until that point, however, this will do. My case is a little interesting because unlike many people, I suffer from a lack of furniture rather than too much. The office is the only real exception. The three office chairs are for the three separate work stations. Those three station will stay because that is one of the main ways the three of us spend time together. In all honesty, it is more a matter of organization than clutter. Thank you so very much for all your help and be sure to come back to see the results!
LOL!! That is great!! Nice to know that I’m not the only one with an unorganized work desk! I have several decluttering projects planned for this long weekend as well! Be sure to take an “after” picture!!
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lol I have
Still looks a little cluttered in the closets, but I actually have tons of space. So much so, I could unpack the books that have been in boxes for two years. It feels good to get rid of the junk doesn’t it? Well, hubby wasn’t to impressed with the recycle/donation/garbage piles I had for him when he got home.
[...] this online writing coach and WAHM has managed to finish organizing the entire office. You can see pictures of the finished product at the Flickr group, Clean Up ‘09 Campaign. [...]