Story of a Home Office Retreat
Most Tidy Homes Have a Secret
Most orderly homes have a drawer or room that’s an absolute dump. Maybe it's purgatory for things that are hard to face, or that junk pulled from the tidy rooms, or my fave: the secret staging area for things we vowed we wouldn't buy - the stash we bring in later when we're alone? (Is it just me who does this?)
My home office has no door, so my "secret mess", the cottage-style desk, was not much of a secret.
Below is the overworked little desk on a rare day when it was mostly neat.
I worked hard at that desk doing college work and household tasks. The ergonomics needed to be corrected and I tried different chair heights, raising my laptop on piles of books so I had to stand, etc.. I made do with what I had as I set my timer for the Pomodoro technique. When the 25 minutes were up I'd reward myself with restying a shelf or look through a book I loved.
This was how it normally looked and I wished
there was a door to close.
I longed for a perfectly organized study that lifted my spirits every time I walked by. I longed for it to be an inspirational retreat where I relaxed, exercised, journaled, created as well, and dealt with the mundane paperwork of life.
This idea ruined many weekends as I tried to make it happen. This perfect home office challenge lived on my To-do list. I would straighten things up, feel overwhelmed, and stuff files out of sight for "later". This "system" did not support me. The few moments when my desk appeared clear I still felt the icky pull of the messy chaos hidden in the drawers.
Finally I gave up. I wanted No Desk at all. Zero drawers.
My Wish List
- Reminders of what’s important
- A place to complete necessary paperwork
- Easy access files that remain tidy
- A wonderful journal, colored markers, fun stickers
- A lovely table that refused to hide anything
- An adjustable yet beautiful chair
- The option to stand to use my laptop with ease
- Inspiration from favorite things
- A retreat where I could recharge, meditate, read
- A work-out area for fun dancing, kettle bell swinging, rebounding
Items Removed
- Carpet that must have been lovely in 1987. This new floor was something I had been imagining for over a decade. Every morning as I walk on it I whisper "Thank You!"
- The cottage-style desk enabled my procrastination. Perhaps I should come clean and admit that I assembled it myself. (Stop me if I do this in the future.) There were several pieces left over and it was barely staying in one piece.
- Matching cute uncomfortable chair
- 500 books (donated to the library). It was a great idea but I imagined the library fairy knocking on my door, waving a wand that turned the books into a trail of stars that floated over the miles to the library. In reality, I loaded them in a pickup and schlepped them through a delivery door. It was hard work.
- Old files/notebooks (hard to sort through but I made myself do it).
- The little tables I had used for overflow clutter
- Half-finished projects, unused craft items
- Home Office Anxiety - funny how a messy corner of a life can pull a person down. Paper by paper I was making decisions and putting things right.
I love shopping in my own home before considering new things.
This way items are used in new ways and fresh changes ripple through the whole house.
Also, because it does save money, you can funnel the savings toward buying an item you truly desire.
For my study, I purchased 5 major items:
- Two Farmhouse trestle tables from Target, one rectangular, one round. I use one in the dining room and swap them when I feel the urge for something new.
- Perfection in a desk chair (World Market)
- An area rug that I adore.
- A sparkly diminutive chandelier (Lowes)
- High-quality rebounder that lures me to bounce for 10 minutes a day to my favorite music. (Amazon)
Let me share my simple set-up that has worked now for over a year:
- 3 wooden bookshelves from Target
- 1 black small armoire from guest room
- Baskets, wooden boxes for hanging file folders, fabric boxes, pretty file folders, and notebooks (easy finds from Target)
- "My Next 90 Days" journal from Savor Beauty.
- 3 stand-alone hanging file systems
- An oversized gold-framed mirror
- My grandma’s couch which I reupholstered and slipcovered + an ottoman
- Books, garden implements, old flower pots, and artwork
- Photos that touch my heart
- Lemon Scented Candle from Kirklands
- Savor Beauty facial spray
My Simple Study Set Up Includes Boxes, Baskets, and Hanging File Systems allowing me to grab the container I need and use it in any room.
It’s all bite-sized so I can do one thing at a time, get it done, immediately put it back.
How I Use this Space
- As there is no door and it’s visible from the dining room and foyer, keeping visual clutter to a minimum is rewarding. I feel calm when I come home to this room and it’s waiting for me with artwork, books, and serious folders. It holds memories, dreams, and inspirations as well as the necessary paperwork.
- There is a new balance here. I use it for self-care: meditation, journaling, relaxing, exercising as well as bill paying and life management.
- I have 2 tables of different sizes and I enjoy easily using them as desks, for dining, and for projects. I can make refreshing changes and spend nothing at all.
The most important part of this room is how it makes me feel. Everything in it is either necessary or a joy sparker. It has a bit of magic.
I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration.
"Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest." --Leo Babauta
“It’s not always that we need to do more but rather that we need to focus on less.” – Nathan W. Morris
