Temporary Home Office Questions

[5ft Diva]

I have a very small (4' X 3') temporary home office in a corner in my bedroom. Everything from my desk is spilling over into the rest of my bedroom. Do any of you have some ideas for how to organize my temporary (until the basement's done) home office?

[Big_Sissy]

I'd tell your good for nothing, lazy butt husband to get that basement finished!

Oh wait, that's me

[Erudite]

Well first, tell your good-for-nothing, lazy butt husband to get that basement finished! (his words not mine). (love ya still BS!)

Second, go up. Find some organizers that take you up. Can you put some baskets or something on the wall for pencils and papers? Try wall magazine racks for papers too. A bulletin board above is a good idea for papers that you need to have in front of you for a bit.

Third...wasn't it you who had the "do it now" resolution at New Years? For this...don't EVER drop stuff on the desk. Always put it right where it goes, even if that means moving the thing that is it front of it. That helps.

Fourth...as always, don't keep anything there that isn't used for the space. If you have old tax files for example in the file drawers that you need for stuff that you actually use fairly often, move them to that lovely unfinished basement.

Last, find organizers in things that are gathering dust elsewhere around the house. My desk organizer is an old pan someone gave us a long time ago. I actually keep it in a drawer, so you've never seen it, but it hold the hole punch and tape and the staper and post-its and so on. When I got it originally, I kept in on a shelf above my washer and it held diapers and wipes. It's had a long and productive life. Oh, and my other organizer is sold at walmart as a shoe rack. You'll find it for under $10 bucks over in the household items stuff (like near the bathroom towel bars and stuff). It holds CD and envelops and a calculator pretty nicely...plus I took out one of the vertical dividers so it would hold papers laying flat. That helps as in in/out kind of thing. AND my printer is not on my desk. I used actual plastic in/out boxes (which I bet you can find at walmart too) turned upside down and put the printer on that. Then I use the boxes for paper so I have my photo paper and my copy paper underneath the printer....it's the GO UP thinking.

Hope that helps!

[5ft Diva]

Originally Posted by Big_Sissy

I'd tell your good for nothing, lazy butt husband to get that basement finished!

Oh wait, that's me

Okay, get the basement finished. And I would ask that you take charge so I can stay on top of laundry, dinners, homework, calling, scouts, etc.

How was that?

[Dia Minha]

Diva, I have been thinking about this question and the only thing I can come up with is the along the same lines as Erudite. Get rid of everything that does not absolutely need to be there. This will most likely mean throwing stuff away, not moving it somewhere else. Hubby and I finally got a good jump start on our temporary home office this weekend, and after dejunking and throwing a lot of stuff out, I have plenty of space. Mine is in my bedroom as well.

[Erudite]

Oh...and if you find some good way to keep phone books...sigh...I'm working on that one. I probably need to go up with that too, because we have the phone books, the phone, and a box of tissues in the same location. They can't stack so it is always a big mess IMOP. DH doesn't mind it, but I pointed out to him recently that his edges were encroaching on his middle...that is all the stuff he keeps stacking to the side are creeping. He cleaned up a bit after that. At least he has drawers...my desk only has file drawers, not the smaller drawers for smaller things. It's a bit of a pain at times, but with my pan of office items and a little drawer thing, I make it work.

So I was thinking to try magazine holders for the phone books, but then you really can't stack those and it's not like they need to be standing up...maybe my in/out boxes will end up there too.

I find that most desk organizer stuff is too small for what I want it for so I'm always improvising.

Hey, Diva...wanna meet me at IKEA and we can goof off in the organizer section?

[Big_Sissy]

Hey now, no having fun at IKEA... I can't afford a goof off session.

I'm finishing a basement remember...

[Erudite]

Oh yeah. Dang.

BS...get the basement done, will ya? You're stopping progress here. We can't possibly organize without IKEA... Don't know what we ever did without them...

[5ft Diva]

Originally Posted by Erudite

Hey, Diva...wanna meet me at IKEA and we can goof off in the organizer section?

Would I ever! I am wanting to save my $$ for a basement as well. Let's wait until my basement's finished.

Remember, my desk area is temporary.

[Erudite]

Well, go back to the "stuff gathering dust" organizer system. With some creative thought, you'd be amazed at what will serve to organize other stuff. Even a simple ribbon (steal it from Jordyn, I'm sure she has too many ) with clothes pins or paper clips on it can organize papers off of the desk area (or is a good spot to hang cute photos). And the soup can with the dry pinto beans in it is really does make an excellent spot for pens; tuna cans can hold small stuff like paper clips...just cover them in ribbon or fun wrapping paper first so they don't scream "TUNA"...and you could even clothes pin them to the hanging ribbon and then they wouldn't be on your desk at all. Heavy stuff makes good book ends so long as they don't roll or slide. I'd probably have to see it to make more suggestions. You should take a picture and post it.

[Erudite]

Born to organize...that's me...

[5ft Diva]

Originally Posted by Erudite

You should take a picture and post it.

I'm not brave enough to do that. I'll just work w/ the suggestions.