Seems like everyone’s been doing some spring cleaning of late around the writing blogosphere. Or at least, they’ve been talking about it, which is more than I’ve done.
Herewith my home office:
It actually doesn’t look as bad in the photograph as it does in real life. You don’t see the piles of books just beyond the camera’s perspective on the lower right hand corner. You don’t see the racks of yesterday’s laundry just in front of my desk, near the big window. (We hang-dry most of our clothes.) Still, this office has been in much better shape, and my goal the next week is to get it into some semblance of order.
Part of the problem is the lack of storage space. As you can see, I have an IKEA secretary with tiny little drawers on the hutch, plus a 6′ folding table that I bought for cheap at Office Max. I have one heavy-duty, HON filing cabinet on the other end of the room, but nowhere to really put any pending stuff except for in piles on my desk. Plus, of course, office supplies (including the millions of pens that I collect from doctor’s offices to trade shows), books (including books to review), magazines, catalogs, household bills, mail, research materials…the list goes on.
I’ve ripped out articles in shelter magazines and rags like Real Simple on decorating one’s home, but they all seem to require a lot more monetary capital than I have to spare.
Still, I’m not giving up hope. I don’t ever intend to make the pages of Architectural Digest — perfection is so bloody overrated — but I do want to be able to find the top of my desk on a regular basis.
Marjorie:Just FYI that this is happening tonight. I’m kind of in the same boat as you, so I think I’m going to be there. Jessica lives a block down the street from me, so I know she’s pretty good.John——————————–Tonight we’re all gonna get organized!That’s right. The Radio Room at KAFM will host Jessica Downing Ford, The founder of Spaceworksand our very own Goddess of Organization!If your space is threatening to spin out of control and chaos rulesyour day, �hen take a deep breath and come on down to the RadioRoom. Jessica will teach you how to get organized and stay organized.We all function better when there is balance and harmony in ourphysical space.Find out how! It’s a free program but reservations and donations arerequested.That’s Jessica Downing Ford at the Radio Room at 7pm TONIGHT! All ofour Lifelong Learning Events are free to the public, and alwaysinspirational and stimulating!.Call 241-8801 ext 3 for reservations.
<>John<>, greetings! You know, I did see posters around town advertising that, but not till yesterday. 🙁 Bummer. I would’ve liked to have gone but had other plans. How was it? I’ve developed a fascination with the whole professional organizer industry since becoming a professional messer-upper myself and would have loved to have gone. Have you read < HREF="http://www.davidco.com/" REL="nofollow">David Allen<>‘s very popular <>Getting Things Done<> book? Very useful stuff in there.Cheers,Marjorie
Hmm, looking online for tips to get a simple desk/table, I found this post of yours. Is the folding table sturdy? I’m looking for simplicity and was aiming toward what you have in the background, what your laptop rests on. Which do you prefer?
Dear <>Ari<>, greetings and thanks for visiting my blog! That folding table is super-sturdy. I think I bought it at OfficeMax or OfficeDepot for about $40 or so. It’s the kind you find at church suppers and outdoor fairs, you know? Very simple and easy to use, no assembly required.The desk on which my laptop sits is from IKEA. I tried to find it again on their site so you can get a better look at it, but no dice. In any case, it works well for me except for the fact that there are no drawers on it, just those cubbies in the hutch. Otherwise, it’s simple and elegant. If you don’t need a lot of space, this might be a good option for you. My preference? Definitely the IKEA table. It makes me feel a wee bit more professional than the folding table, which can be a little stark in its functionality. Plus, it won’t have the pull-out keyboard drawer, which is essential for ergonomics. Although I have a laptop, when I’m working at my desk I always hook it up to a full-sized keyboard.Hope this helps!Cheers,Marjorie
For my needs, I’d opt for something like your Ikea desk over the folding table. In the process of looking at area antique and used furniture stores..