Summer Clutter Detox: My Home Office

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Hello loyal blog followers!  I know I’ve taken a break from my summer clutter detox without warning, so allow me to explain.

I was happily navigating through my house, room by room, decluttering, purging and finding a renewed sense of peace within each space (see previous blog posts).  I was eagerly looking to complete the entire house within 2 weeks, which on paper, seemed completely do-able.  

Then life happened.

As I approached my office, which was next on the list, I was immediately hit with an incredible sense of anxiety (clutter pitfall #2: OVERWHELM). Since my office is located in what was our guest room, it was so easy for me to shut the door and “deal with it later”  (clutter pitfall #1: PROCRASTINATION). 

Check out Episode 003 of This Organized Life: Avoiding the 5 Clutter Pitfalls to know what I am talking about!

So this cycle of procrastination and overwhelm went on for several weeks, and since I had plenty of other things to do around the house,  I convinced myself that it was ok to put the office on the back burner.

The only thing was, I knew it was there.  

Regardless of the closed door, I knew what was lurking behind it: a combination of outdated files, product samples that brands have sent me to test out, not to mention my own personal paperwork that I had neatly tucked in a corner. 

The more I procrastinated the more daunting this task became. 

I was also struggling with the current configuration of my space.  I had one of those large wrap around desks, that took up a lot of space. It was fine when I was working alone, but I now share my office with Courtney, my social media coordinator, or Erika, my podcast co-host and assistant.

The space needed better flow, and I truly believe that part of my procrastination was a direct result of not wanting to spend any time in the space. If you’ve ever felt that way, you know what I’m talking about.

So I did something about it.

First thing I did was map out my new office plans so I knew exactly what products I needed to buy.

Second, I posted in our local facebook marketplace that I was donating a my desk and matching file cabinet. Completely FREE to anyone who wants to come pick it up.  Within minutes I had people texting and direct messaging me about it, and within an hour it was gone. (I could have sold it, but it felt so much better to give it to someone who could really use it, and I definitely got my money’s worth from when we purchased the desk 12 years ago.)

Next I purged all of my outdated files and cleaned out the office using my ESP method. 

Once that was done, my next stop was IKEA to pick up the furniture that I ordered online.  Their click and pick program rocks! No more getting lost in the maze of Ikea showrooms, or looking at palette after palette for your items. They also have a great delivery service, but I was too impatient to wait 🙂

Below is a list of the products I purchased for my office makeover: 

 

Last year I  purchased Courtney the BESTA BURS desk, and loved it so much I wanted to get one for myself.  It’s so simple and clean, and looks great in our small office.

 

 

Of course we needed matching chairs, so I went with the TOBIAS chairs which are remarkably comfortable.

 

 

 

Since I significantly reduced the storage space that my old desk had, I wanted to add a row of low shelves to keep supplies (did I mention that I also removed a bookcase from the office?). So I ordered 2 sets of the KALLAX shelf unit, which I placed side-by-side.

 

 

To keep everything neat and organized, I purchased a mixture of all white storage solutions including:

 

The KUGGIS from IKEA which come in a variety of sizes, and are great to store business marketing materials, product samples, and office supplies.

 

 

 

4 FILE BOXES from SEE JANE WORK  which not only forced me to pare down on the amount of files I was keeping, but allowed me to group my files by category (ie: personal household, family medical, SBO business, SBO clients)

 

 

My final purchase were 6 of the BIGSO STOCKHOLM MAGAZINE HOLDERS from THE CONTAINER STORE. They are great for holding assorted books and resources.

 

I cannot begin to tell you how much I am loving my new office!  Not only is it neat and organized, but it’s open and inviting and literally cost me less than $300 in new furniture and product.

I created a board on Pinterest called HOME OFFICE, which has all the product links and images in one place. If you’re not already following us, now is a great time!

Happy Organizing!

 

 

 

 

P.S. If you have a home remodel you’d like to share, feel free to post in our comments or tag us on IG or FB @simplyborganized