For about a year, I tried sharing a desk with my kids. We purchased a long, pine tabletop from Ikea and had a space for our shared computer (an iMac), their art supplies, and my paperwork/stamps/bills/etc. After the 3rd or 4th time someone wrote on a bill or used my stamps for play letters I knew we needed to change things. I needed an organized workspace ASAP.
Fortunately we had a desk my oldest wasn’t using. So I took it from his room, with the promise that he could use it anytime he wants to. (He has yet to take me up on this offer.)
Learn more: How To Stay Organized When You Work At Home
Originally we moved the desk into our “guest room,” which is actually our youngest child’s room. He wasn’t sleeping in there much (he preferred sleeping with us), but as he transitioned to sleeping in his bed more often and I got further and further behind on the filing, we decided to switch things up. We put in a twin bed (where there had been a full), bought some cool sports sheets, and brought the bookshelf from our room in to act as bookshelf/dresser/toy storage.
I moved the desk to our bedroom, and while I usually caution clients not to mix work and relaxing, for me it works. I am happy to have a space away from the common areas of the house, so I can go up and have “office time,” to write, pay bills, etc. without the interruption and noise of kid play. The kids know where I am, so they will come and find me if they need anything, but they don’t need me to be with them every second like they did when they were tiny.
My Organized Workspace
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I’m a big believer in doing what works for you, and while I would love to have a totally empty desk for me it makes more sense to have stuff visible. (Something about “mom brain”, if I don’t see it I forget it.)
The setup is in no way ideal, or perfect but it is a vast improvement over what I had before. As a reformed perfectionist I have a vision of what my office space will someday be (gorgeous, colorful, relaxing), but I have learned no good comes from waiting.
The printer/scanner/copier is absent in the photo. It lives on the bottom shelf of our bedside table. Also absent is a file box with our paperwork that is kept in my closet. Since I’m mostly paperless this is just for storage of the remaining bills we get in the mail, and tax documents.
Learn more: How To Tame The Paperwork
I also created a little charging area. I love that all my chargers are on a light switch so I can shut them off at night, and when I don’t need them.
We still have the long desk and it’s currently piled high with art supplies, I’m still undecided how we will make the most use of it. The kids prefer sitting on the floor when their artist streak strikes. The iMac has been moved to our living room desk, and the hubby’s “desk” is his laptop bag.
Learn more: Homework Spaces and Places
What is your workspace like? What do you like about it, and what do you feel you need to improve?
Kelly
Kate says
April 30, 2009 at 10:52 amOur workspace is our kitchen table and frankly it’s not “working for me”!
Kate says
April 30, 2009 at 3:52 pmOur workspace is our kitchen table and frankly it’s not “working for me”!
Kelly says
April 28, 2009 at 9:35 amValencia, thanks for stopping by! Feel free to share pictures when you are done!
Cathy, don’t be! This morning it looks a bit different since the hubby “borrowed” it last night. There’s now loose change, water cups, and a dirty coat on my desk as we speak!
MB, put on some fun music for yourself and the kiddos and you’ll get it done faster. I know how hard it is to organize with little ones around, so consider yourself accomplished if you get 1 surface done. 🙂
I forgot to add that I keep my earbuds, camera cord, and iPod dock in my big drawer. I used to have a basket full of cords but we’ve managed to purge those as well.
Kelly says
April 28, 2009 at 2:35 pmValencia, thanks for stopping by! Feel free to share pictures when you are done!
Cathy, don’t be! This morning it looks a bit different since the hubby “borrowed” it last night. There’s now loose change, water cups, and a dirty coat on my desk as we speak!
MB, put on some fun music for yourself and the kiddos and you’ll get it done faster. I know how hard it is to organize with little ones around, so consider yourself accomplished if you get 1 surface done. 🙂
I forgot to add that I keep my earbuds, camera cord, and iPod dock in my big drawer. I used to have a basket full of cords but we’ve managed to purge those as well.
MB says
April 28, 2009 at 2:26 amI SO need to do this. Our work space is a wreck. I actually blog and pay bills on our dining room table. I need to get our other desk more organized and throw out some stuff. The desktop is over there and my husband works on it. It’s very disorganized. It’s been on my to do list forever. Maybe I will work on it tomorrow. Sigh.
MB says
April 27, 2009 at 9:26 pmI SO need to do this. Our work space is a wreck. I actually blog and pay bills on our dining room table. I need to get our other desk more organized and throw out some stuff. The desktop is over there and my husband works on it. It’s very disorganized. It’s been on my to do list forever. Maybe I will work on it tomorrow. Sigh.
Cathy says
April 27, 2009 at 4:36 pmWow! I’m envious how neat, clean and organized your workspace is!
Cathy says
April 27, 2009 at 9:36 pmWow! I’m envious how neat, clean and organized your workspace is!
Valencia@buildethherhouse says
April 27, 2009 at 2:19 pmGreat post. I’m in the process of redoing my pffice as we speak. Thanks for the boost I needed to geter’done.
Valencia@buildethherhouse says
April 27, 2009 at 7:19 pmGreat post. I’m in the process of redoing my pffice as we speak. Thanks for the boost I needed to geter’done.