Home Office Re-Do

This is bravery. I am posting an unadulterated glimpse into our office, as it stood on Saturday morning.

I have been on a big kick lately to really examine why I don't use things and how my living space could be more functional. I really sat down and considered why we never go into the office except to add another bank statement to the pile. I thought about why my winter sweaters were piled in front of the closet. (Answer: because the TV we were supposed to give away was blocking my access to my winter clothes Rubbermaid container.)

I got it in my head that now, a week before my mom and stepsister come to visit, was the time to re-do the office/guest room.

Men: I want to apologize for womenfolk everywhere. I'm sorry we disdain your stuff. I'm sorry we make you give away your stuff. I'm sorry about the pink.

I presented my plan to Sean, who was pretty much not interested in it at all. My plan was this:

• Downgrade to one desk because we don't use the office for its intended purpose at all.
• Get rid of his near-death desktop computer that hasn't been turned on in over a year.
• Get a filing cabinet and create an easy filing system for our financial, health and car info.
• Get canvas bins to house the random assortment of cords and mailing supplies.
• And, perhaps most unappetizing to Sean, hang shelves.

It took a lot of elbow grease and HOURS of fighting about whether studs really matter, HOURS of thrifting for the perfect chair (fruitlessly) and up until last night, DAYS of shredding, but here it is, our new and improved office space:

I still have dreams of finding the perfect thrift store chair to spruce up, and of course, I hung more pictures after I took this one, but this is the gist.

We stuck with my white IKEA table-turned-desk because my reasoning was that it could easily perform other functions (spontaneous buffets?) and c'mon, it's white, which is my jam.

I got canvas bins to sort our various items and managed to hide almost all the cords except that pesky printer one. I hunted high and lo for an affordable file cabinet and picked up this simple black one at Office Depot for $75.

I usually try to buy real-deal antiques, but card catalogs can be surprisingly hard-to-find and expensive, so when I saw this replica at World Market, I scooped it right up. I'm hoping to use it at the wedding in some way because it looks very old-school newspaper office, I think.

I put some of my aqua mason jars on the shelf to roost until the wedding. They bring a nice pop of color and go along with my old-timey-meets-mod office look.

And yesterday, I got around to hanging up my two new favorite little objects: a tin newspapers sign I picked up at the antique mall for $10 and a hand-painted French ceramic sign saying "Journaliste" that I purchased at Creme de la Creme in Charlottesville.

The room isn't quite finished yet (lord knows it will never be done because I don't really believe in "finished"), but it certainly looks neater! And I'm typing from the desk at this very moment, something I couldn't have done last week.