Weekend Homework

Yet another weekend of spring cleaning awaits me. I'm overjoyed. I do have a feeling that I may very well have a tidy apartment by the time my parents arrive for Christmas, but it was a bit touch and go there for a while.

Despite the massive task that awaits me, I thought I'd procrastinate a little by thinking about nice storage ideas for the home office. As some of you wisely pointed out, all my dream offices so far have been missing one important thing. Technology! Aside from the occasional notebook, there was not a PC, a printer or even a cord in sight! What?! Who ARE these people?!

I even flicked through a 'Home Office Collection' brochure that landed in my letterbox today, and there wasn't a single cord in sight. Not one. I counted two printers (one in a bookshelf that obviously had no cord access), one fax shoved away in the corner, one tiny PC box and monitor on top of the desk...and get this...FIVE magical non-Mac monitors that apparently don't need a hard drive to operate. Amazazing!

I have to admit though, I would love to be able to call this Marc Newson for Cappellini desk my very own, but it wouldn't be very long before my hideous PC box and endless cords would ruin the whole allure. The $8000+ allure. Ouch.

But back to reality. Organisation for the real world. Well first off, let's start small.

And really, who doesn't need a little moral support and an obscure Robert De Niro quote (or perhaps just obscure to me because I've yet to see Taxi Driver).

Or if you prefer your encouragement to be a little more subtle (and sparkly!), the latest collection from Nantaka Joy might be a better option. Oooh so pretty!

And as I find myself becoming more and more interested in all things arty and crafty, I'm incredibly inspired by this idea from yet another Swedish blog crush, Idemakeriet. All my art supplies get shoved into tiny boxes and stowed away in a "safe place", which of course means that when I want to use them, I can't find them. But this simple DIY bottle project might just be the answer!

My ultimate dream however is something like these pigeon holes that Paul Donald, co-founder of Branch Home, sourced from an old hardware store. I found a fantastic set of bright turquoise pigeon holes last week in my favourite store on earth, but I just can't bring myself to shell out thousands of dollars (yes, multiple thousands!) for something that the store probably got for free. Such a cynic!

So finally, we come to an office for the real world. This tiny office nook is the work of textile designer extraordinaire, Michelle Adam of Ruby Green. As if the piles of books and awesome bamboo chair weren't enough to win my vote, may I draw your attention to the desk. That's right, someone has FINALLY come up with an elegant solution to the necessary evils of printers, scanners and office supplies. It's not rocket science of course, but a simple linen slip over the desk is a practical and cosy way to keep all the cords out of sight, out of mind. It's even a built-in leg-warmer in the colder months. Win!

And last but not least (actually, definitely least!), is my very own...

Step #2 Towards a Nicer Home Office

Ta da! My home office! This took an embarrassingly long time to even reach this level, but it's a definitely improvement. I wish I regretted not taking before pictures, but I really don't. It's for your own good, I assure you.

Anyway, Step #2 involved a bit of very cheap artwork in the form of DIY Florence Broadhurst prints, a set of three adorable mini cork boards from Etsy, and a whole lot of reorganisation. I even dragged out a photo I took in Paris many years ago, and an old jewelry box that is now my "document tray" (aka dumping ground for bills).

The Broadhurst prints actually continue over to the right, into a corner and onto a perpendicular wall, but until Mr. Unreliable cleans up his act, I'm hiding this from the world. I'm still not happy with the placement of the pinboards though, I had planned on hanging them vertically so that they lined up neatly next to the Broadhurst print...but if I do this, I can't reach the top pinboard. So until I either grow a few inches or can be bothered to reposition all the Broadhurst prints, it'll do or now.

Spurred on by a few more lovely little treats from Etsy (adorable fabric push pins from Paper Pumpkin and vintage ladybug pins from Zombie Parts), I decided to throw together a few little bits and pieces of inspiration while I was at it. Take note of the American dollar blu-tacced to my ugly little bookshelf. This is worth about $300 Australian at the moment. Maybe I should frame it.

Step #3 Towards a Nicer Home Office will involve a slip for my desk, a nice mousepad and/or deskpad, and hopefully talking Mr. Unreliable into selling his PC so that I can claim his desk space as my own and finally buy my very own sewing machine. Yay!

Ok, enough procrastinating and on to cleaning. Wish me luck!

Riga Desk via Apartment Therapy
Organized File Folders from Greener Grass Designs via Better Living Through Design
Nantaka Joy Stationery via Design*Sponge
Dream Pigeon Holes via Design*Sponge
Michelle Adams Desk via Design*Sponge