As someone who works from home, I know that having a separate home office often seems not only luxurious, but necessary. But ha ha, too bad, you live in a tiny-ass apartment! You don’t even have a separate room for your bed. What are you gonna do now?
If you’re a good lil’ TAA-dweller, you did as we discussed in Tuesday’s post and cordoned off a section of your space to serve as your work area. Even though it’s not a fancy office suite with a receptionist and waiting room, you can still be super productive in your own tiny home office. (Just as long as you stay away from Facebook and Twitter!)
Right now I’m in love with the trend of turning closets into home offices. You can always find another way to store your clothes, and hey — how did you earn the money to buy those clothes in the first place? Yeah, a working, productive desk FTW.
CasaSugar has a gallery of 10 closets-turned-offices…
And CNN has a gallery too.
Whether it’s for your desktop computer or laptop, a place to pay your bills or to craft and sew, you need to have a good desk. Just like getting dressed in the morning, sitting down at a desk takes you from “slob mode” to “work mode” mentally. Trying to do real work on your laptop while sitting your couch in front of the TV does not lend itself to GTD. But because of your limited space, it’s important to have a desk that does a lil’ something extra.
This
DAVE laptop table from
IKEA (above) is the epitome of a teeny-tiny desk. Obviously, it’s not meant to hold anything more than a MacBook, but for many people that’s just fine. It’s also small enough to tuck away into a corner when you’re finished. And at only $17.99, it’s inexpensive enough to fit your tiny-ass budget.
Secretary desks are another great way to get away from your work once you’re done. Their defining feature is their hinged door/worktop that allows you to close up shop at the end of the day.
This Graham Smart Technology secretary desk from Pottery Barn is undeniably classic and beautiful. The $799 price tag? Eh… not so much.
For something more playful and modern, PointClickHome found this funky secretary on DesignSpotter. The “Alley” desk, by Swedish designer Isabel Ersa Hallerstedt, is still looking for a producer; I damn well hope someone rises to the task!
Even though the Mayfair Steamer Trunk secretary from Restoration Hardware is worth three months’ rent, I can’t help but love the rich leather and nailhead trim; the interior is so crisp and orderly it looks almost military.
Finally, though not a secretary desk, this Jay Desk and Hutch from West Elm is ingenious; just like other nesting tables, you can pull out the smaller desk underneath to expand your worktop
Your desk is bound to become a magnet for all things electronic, attracting just about everything with a wire, cable, cord, plug, socket, or port. Having a spaghetti-like mess of wires under your desk is not only an eyesore, but it takes up precious room as well. To get your tangles under control, start by labeling each cord (no more praying that you’re not unplugging something essential by accident), bundling cables together and locking them down when you can, wrapping up excess lengths, and hiding it all away.
Cute labels for all of your devices, from Spoon Sisters
Cable Turtles come in just about any size to fit any cable
The WM25 wire stay from Doug Mockett sits on top of your desk and holds those wires that you’re always reaching for
The Cable Box from Blue Lounge is a quick and easy way to neaten up — just pop your existing, messy power strip inside and run the cord through the slot
Once you’re got your office and desk squared away, have a little fun with your accessories. No boring green hanging file folders for you! My faves are definitely See Jane Work and The Container Store. With the right, cute tools, even filing can seem fun. Who says work has to be work?
