Tips to Organize an Office and Desktop

Did you work on an office space or desk last week? I worked on our home office over the weekend and am so pleased with the progress!

I hope you are finding this series helpful — I know I am. If it weren’t for this challenge I might be getting distracted by removing wallpaper and decorating in our new home as opposed to making it functional first. That was something I learned in our first home… as much as I may like a pretty room… if it isn’t helping us control clutter and stay organized it will continue to frustrate me.

You might not be new to your home, but there might be spots in your home that are cluttered or not functioning well for your family. Tackle those areas along with us over the next few weeks!

**psst – If you are just interested in the topic for Week #3, feel free to scroll to the bottom of this post.

Do you remember my before photo?

One of my favorite, bloggers, Jen from IHeartOrganizing always makes organization pretty. She says that it helps motivate her to keep an area organized and I completely agree. So, even though it slowed me down, I started by painting my red desks a fresh white. 

My goal is to keep my desk as empty as possible, with only the essentials. I use both a laptop {for work} and a desktop at this desk. Everyday I use my planner and my phone is usually laying nearby. There is a pretty blue dish for washi tape right at my workspace and some pens and notepads are sitting in an organizer on the corner of my desk. You can see in the photo below that the washi tape has already been put to use! 😉

The second desk is for my little guy to color, draw and play beside me. I work from home so this will be a spot he’ll be using everyday. Obviously, it’s a little more kid-friendly.

His crayons are in a wooden bowl and I hung the bulletin board that was in our old entry way for his artwork.

In between the two tables is the Alex drawer unit from Ikea. It’s topped with a basket for “in process” papers and my laptop mouse, a dish with paper clips and rubberbands and my cutie’s photo.

A bookcase that used to just sit in a storage room got a quick and inexpensive update with some green and white striped wrapping paper. Like in my pantry, I collected all of the bins and containers from around the house but made sure that they fit within a general color scheme.

I’ve still got some labeling to do but at least everything has its place. I’m sure you’ll see more of this space over the next several months as I try to transform it into my dream office.

So… what will we be focusing on during Week #3? It’s typically a small space but is still one of the most important spots in your home – the entry way or mudroom.

Start thinking about where you drop your keys, hang your coat and set your bags. Could it be more functional for your family? Erica will be back with some ideas and inspiration photos tomorrow!