Today I’m very excited to welcome Professional Organizer Debbie Jordan Kravitz from Virtually Organized to the blog. Debbie is going to talk to us a little bit today about one of my favorite topics, organizing using items you already have around the house. I get such a huge thrill when I’m able to use something that was intended for one purpose and turn it into a creative organizing tool instead. Talk about a high! Since this is office month around here Debbie is going to share some of the re-purposed items she uses to help her organize her own office.
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The Re-Purposed Office
Whether you work from home, work outside of the home, or work at running your home, every household has some sort of an office space. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have an entire room dedicated to your office. Or maybe you get by with a sliver of kitchen counter and a junk drawer. Whatever the case, chances are, your space could use some good re-organization. Before you run to your local office supply store to load up on products and supplies, do some shopping around your own home to see what items you can re-purpose. You’ll save yourself some cash, you’ll be helping out the planet by going “green,” your office will meld more with the look and feel of the rest of your home and you’ll create a much more inviting and productive space to work. Here are some examples of things I’ve done in my own home, as well as with some of my organizing clients.
Need a space for files? I turned an old, unused Hope Chest into a lateral filing cabinet/bench. Now it’s an eclectic piece in my office that is functional, discreet, beautiful, and sentimental:
Drawer dividers are rarely the perfect fit for every situation. Plus they can be expensive and sterile looking. Instead, try empty stationary boxes and box tops as drawer organizers:
Need a desk space? I painted the surface of this old, inexpensive kitchen table and turned it into a desk for two. My youngest daughter will often sit across from me and do homework as I finish up my own work.
The top of your desk needs to be functional, too. A floral frog can hold pens on a desktop:
An antique sugar mold can contain supplies:
A small pot or urn can really give your desk a feeling of sophistication and importance:
As you work on your desk project for this month’s round-up, try going “shopping” around your house for otherwise overlooked and under-used items you can put to work in your home office space. Let me know what you come up with . . . I’d love to discover more ideas and options!
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For those of you who might be needing a little extra push to get your office organized, be sure to check out Debbie’s Procrastination Challenge. Thanks Debbie for being here with us today!
