CrazyBusy Mama! (Dot Calm)

I spent some much needed time yesterday “attacking” my home office. I’ve been spending hours putting together — and getting the word out about — a new online endeavor, and my work space was looking pretty ragged. Papers were piling up on top of the printer, and odds and ends were feeling a little too at-home on the edge of my desk. I even had a lunch plate or two perched precariously on top of my filing cart. Scary.

Well, enough was enough, so I cleared out and cleaned up! There’s really only one way to do that — remove everything, wipe down all surfaces (it’s amazing how much dust accumulates), then put things back one by one. The most important rule for making your home office a place you love: If it isn’t useful or beautiful, it just doesn’t belong anywhere near where you’re working. If our eyes see clutter, our thinking becomes cluttered, too. If you take the time to organize and beautify your work space, you’ll quickly see what I mean.

My “office” happens to be a corner of my bedroom. Thankfully, even though our house is a 1968 rambler, our bedroom is fairly large. The desk and cupboards above are built-ins, and while they bugged me at first, I’m thankful for them now. Our bedroom is decorated in Country French decor — which I love — so of course I continued that theme in my work area.

I’d love to show you the details of what makes my home office one of my favorite places to be:

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A printer is a must for any home entrepreneur. Mine, as you can see, sits atop an old breakfast tray. The side pocket holds my address book and planners, and the generous space underneath leaves room for a chunky basket from IKEA. The basket holds the things I use often: stapler, three-hole punch, photo paper, my camera, various cables…you get the idea.

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My rolling filing cart is compact, in easy reach…and leaves no excuses for not doing my filing NOW. I love it because it’s black, so it goes with any decor, and has style, though I know that’s hard to see in the picture. I even purchased red hanging file folders to match the room. (Eventually all of the files will be red.) Someday in the future, when I’m feeling industrious, I might sew a cover for the cart…or pay someone else to do it!

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I don’t remember where I got this old picnic basket, but it’s perfect. As you can see, not only is it attractive, but does double duty holding files for projects I’m currently working on. Baskets like this can be found at thrift stores, craft stores, or garage sales.

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Unless you prefer to put your legs there, the underside of your desk can be used for extra storage, which is what I do. In my case, a Battenburg curtain panel, doubled over a tension rod, covers a multitude of sins. Cafe curtains from your local home store would work just as well, or hit the antique store to look for vintage linens, which is exactly where I found this treasure.

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I’m sure the top of my desk will look cluttered to some. If you think it does, all I can say is, you should have seen it before! The things that are there now were carefully chosen because they’re items I love. When I’m working and deep in thought, my eyes tend to wander. I’d rather have my gaze fall on things that make me say “ahh” and not “ugh.” And I’ve found that surrounding myself with things that evoke a happy mood can have a profound effect on how much work I get done…and how well I do it!

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Keeping with the theme of using things you love in your work area, try “repurposing” items intended for other rooms. On my desk, a fancy Fenton bon bon dish holds M&Ms (they, uh, help me think), and a vintage soap dish holds paper clips and push pins. Look around your home and see what you can add to your desk to infuse a little fun! Can’t find anything? Scour antique shops, thrift stores, even dollar stores. You never know what you’ll come across.

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Besides two corkboard squares on the wall between my desktop and the cupboards, I have nowhere else in this small space to tack things up. But thanks to a roll of tape, the glass in the cupboard doors became my message center. It may look unsightly to some, but to me, it’s beautiful. Those doors are where I put quotes and reminders that motivate me and keep me going. I have Bible verses, quotes from other internet marketers (like this favorite from Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive: “I can either be fearful and broke, or afraid and well paid!”), and one by Jillian Michaels that really resonated with me when I read it in this months’ issue of Success Magazine: “If you are not taking responsibility for the state of your life, you are a victim.” The quote below it, “‘Cause you strong!” is from her 30-Day Shred DVD.

Inside the cupboards I have keepsakes like special things my kids have given me and my bear from when I was little. The cupboards also hold my business library…something I strongly recommend every home entrepreneur have.

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Last, but certainly not least, you’ve got to have a great chair. If you want an office chair that leans back and rolls around, that’s what you should have. If you want a straight-backed parson’s chair, get one. My chair is a vintage, carved-back dining chair. I placed a cover on it, then topped that with an old dresser scarf secured with a fancy pin. The seat cushion is an old pillow, and it’s cover is one I found at the dollar store, of all places.

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Thanks for sticking with me through this long post! I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into my home office. If you’ve got a blog of your own, upload pictures of your workspace, too. Send me the link and I’ll share it here.

Above all, remember: Just because you “work” in your home office, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy being there. How your surroundings make you feel — anywhere from contented and happy to irritable and depressed — really can affect the quality of your work and the level of success you achieve. Surround yourself with things you love…you’re worth it!

©2010 Sally Dinius
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Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and become a member of the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook fan page by clicking here.