Show me (or tell me about) your home office

[BeachBum]

We don't have a home office right now. We have papers and file boxes stuck everywhere-which means all that daily clutter ends up on my kitchen counters until I get so annoyed that I file crap. (I guess I mean putting things away isn't easy or convenient).

I have a small room that would be a great home office (it was called "study" on our blueprints) except for the fact that is is open to our Living Room (not family room). This means I can't shut the door and the furniture has to be pretty.
There is only 1 wall in the room. There are two walls that are totally floor to ceiling windows and the 4th "wall" is the open area to the LR. I think asthetically I will need to float a desk in the middle of the room. Oh, and it's small 12x8 maybe?

I guess I would like to know how you have your space organzied, what type of things you store (other than bills and mail), what you wish you had more of (filing? desk area? cabinets?) and any other tips you can share about creating this space.

I use a laptop and we have wireless so I can always come hang out in the family room while I'm surfing. But, I'm secretly hoping that I will spend less time on the computer if it isn't on a table in my family room. I don't work so I don't have to do anything but home management there. My husband has a laptop, but currently doesn't do work at home.

If I can (and if you want to see them) I will try to post pictures. ETA: Please, feel free to post pictures of your HO space. I would love to see your set up.

[elephantmeg]

our office area is part of the living room itself. The room is a long rectangle and the sofa divides it slightly. My desk is behind the sofa facing one wall and DH faces the other wall (we sit back to back). In between we have a drawer thing and next to his desk a filing cabinet. It is a mess (DH is a packrat and his desk is pilled high) and I hate it. But when it's picked up its nice-and I love being able to keep an eye on DS playing while on the computer. Although usually he sits on the back of the sofa and wants to watch you tube, lol.

[KBecks]

Ours is being dismantled to make room for the new kiddo. I plan to do the following....

We have a small file cabinet that looks like an end table in the living room.
I'm going to try and minimize files, and do a lot of PDF files of bank statements, etc. instead. This means I need to get better about backing up the computer.

I have cleared a space for the printer/router, laptop on some built in bookshelves that have an electric outlet nearby.

I need to get some sort of inbox system going. I hope to really reduce our paper and do as much online as possible. I also need to figure out a spot for things like extra printer paper, stamps, stapler, etc. I am hoping to find some pretty, functional baskets to put on the bookshelf.

Good luck!

Karen

[tmarie]

We just renovated our home office! (Originally meant to be a living room, but we closed it off with french doors). I work part time from home, so that was one of the motivating factors...but even more than that we just needed an organized space for all the STUFF.

We had a carpenter build custom units to cover two walls in the living room (it turned out it was cheaper that way than having a company like california closets come in, with the added benefit of real wood). We have roll out cabinet drawers for two printers and the CPU, two large filing drawers (one for work stuff, one for home), a shelf for a TV (that we have yet to purchase!), hidden shelf underneath the desk to hide wires and cords, and a roll out drawer to add extra work space. We included one big work space area, which is surrounded by office supplies, craft supplies, reference books, paper supplies, computer and camera software and accessories, banking materials, stationary, photo albums, scrapbooking supplies. Then we have a smaller desk unit that is perfect for a laptop or homework station, and is where I am storing childcare books, cooking/recipe materials, maps, phone books, etc.... I also added paper trays in the cabinets above the main desk area to serve as mail slots for every person in the house, bills, etc....

I am having trouble downloading a photo or two but I'll try to figure it out--keep in mind we haven't decorated yet. :) Dh and I feel like this was the best money we ever spent--we finally feel like everything has a place and we can locate things when we need them.

Good luck with your project!

tmarie
dd#1 5/05
dd#2 6/08