How can I say this, my office workspace is my happy place, my personal space, work zone, and let’s not leave out my creative place. In a nutshell the place I love to be. This was not always the case. I didn’t always enjoy spending time in my office workspace. At one time this space was a bit disorganized and needed a little tender loving care.
The Catch-All Room
Somehow I allowed the office to become the catch-all room. When I focused on the decorum of the room I realized that I needed to spruce up the office space. I painted the room a few years earlier. The blank wall to the left was in need of shelving to give the room a bit of character. A window covering was definitely in order to help tie the room together.
The shelves I hung myself, I purchased them from one of those local big box stores. With just a few tools I was able to put the shelves up within an hour. The most important tool needed for the project was a level. It helps you to align the shelves nice and straight. You don’t want crooked shelves on your walls.
I made the valance for the window to give it that custom look. The idea for the valance came from a local restaurant in the area in which I frequent. When designing the pattern for the draperies, use the back of a large piece of wrapping paper along with some yarn, a pencil, and a ruler to create the pattern for the valance. I used a decorative cording as a contrast in between the seams in which I made (this was made from a contrasting fabric cut into bias strip and sewn over cording).
I have collected recipes and cookbooks for as long as I can remember. The very first cookbook I purchased was the big orange cookbook, called Betty Crocker’s Cookbook found on the bottom shelf of the bookcase. That was the cookbook I used to sharpen my cooking skills when I started cooking different types of foods. So many of the dishes that I would have my students prepare when I taught Home Economics came from that very cookbook. I can’t tell you the number of cakes, yeast and cinnamon rolls that were made from the recipe in that book
You can also find many of my children’s childhood souvenirs peppered throughout the shelves of the bookcase.
A Well Organized Closet
This closet is a seamstress’ dream. All of the sewing equipment located in one place. Top shelf fabric among the other shelves you’ll find the serger, sewing machines, measuring, marking devices, threads, yarn, crochet hooks, patterns, button, zippers and etc. I am so proud of myself on how I downsized a large amount of fabric I once had stacked throughout the closet.
I installed the shelving myself. Now installing the shelving took me a minute to complete since I had never worked with the wire shelving before. All I have to say is you must be willing to read and comprehend. When I wasn’t comprehending I stepped away from the project and came back to work on it having a new set of eyes. Again the level was a pretty important tool in completing this project. Another one of my summer projects that I couldn’t be more happy with the end results.
The rest was basic organizing, placing everything in its respective place. I got rid of a lot of the school reference books that I used during teaching and reorganized the numerous cook and how-to-books I have collected over the years. These books have served me well.
My office is now an organized space where my creative juices can flow. Now I’m able to work to my heart’s content minus the clutter and distractions.
I’ll give you a peek at my next decluttering project. I’ve got to power through and get rid of many of the materials on this bookcase. Before there was Google, YouTube or the Internet, this is where I went for research. Here you will find all of my resource and how-to books. I still have a bit more work to do to get the office completely organized. Something else to put on the bucket list to do. What do you have on your household list that needs to be done? Leave a comment below.