Something happened when the calendar flipped over to January. On the 1st, instead of nursing a hangover or tobagganing outside with the kids, our family was in our basement purging toys, organizing, and planning how to turn our basement “toy room” into a bedroom for my oldest.
There’s something about a fresh new year, unlimited potential and all that inspirational talk, that makes you want to organize, plan, and yes clean. Of course, the impending tax season has a lot to do with my desire to get everything organized as best I can.
My home office was our big renovation project in 2012. New paint, new flooring, new furniture. My goal in 2013 is to actually use the office more than once every few weeks! With three kids under-foot, I find it much easier some days to work from my couch, though my office is certainly the place where I can get the most productive work done!
Interior stylist and guest expert on CityLine Sarah Gunn (whom I also had the pleasure of meeting in Toronto a few months ago at an event, lucky me!) knows all about trying to maintain a home office amid the chaos of a household with one or more children. Sarah offers up these 5 tips for decorating your home office:
1.Add Colour
Using colours that make you happy in your work space will not only inspire creativity, they are welcoming and will make you want to stay in your office and get your work done. Pick a colour scheme and use it throughout the room to keep the look clean and simple.
2. Add Inspiration
Make your office an inspiring space to be by adding art and accessories. Create a visual display of ideas and thoughts using an over-sized memo board, have your business goals on display, or frame a favourite quote. Use colourful accessories that complement the room’s colour scheme.
3. Be Organized
Think about how you need your office space to function. From your laptop, your printer and paperwork, everything should have a home. To help stay on task and keep focused, keep your office tidy. Remove anything from the room that can act as a distraction.
4. Create Functional Storage
Use furniture, such as bookcases with doors and filing cabinets, to keep you organized and reduce visual clutter. Repurpose household items into storage by patterned wrapping paper around cans or boxes or using by mason jars for small items.
5. Invest in Technology
It’s no secret that computers and printers will make your job easier to do. With features including mobile printing, touch-screen display and fast printing speeds, the stylish Brother Business Smart Series printers will help you spend less time working and more time doing what you love.
I received the Brother MFC-J4510DW Wireless Colour Inkjet All-in-One Printer, part of the Business Smart series of printers available at Staples Canada, to help organize my new year and stylize my home office. Now, with Sarah’s tips, I’m all set to make my office my own nirvana in my household.
This printer is truly compact – I didn’t realize how huge my previous printer was until I replaced it with this one. Now I have more space for pretty little baskets for accessories and more. The touch-screen is all kinds of awesome and the printing is flawless.
I may not have Sarah’s creativity or DIY talent, but with her tips I’m sure I can make my office into a more comfortable, inviting, and well-organized space in 2013. And hopefully, I’ll even get to spend some time in there too!
You can find this Brother Wireless Colour Inkjet All-in-One Printer at Staples in Canada for $199.73. For more DIY tips, follow Sarah Gunn on Twitter @SarahGunnStyle.
One of my Canadian readers is going to win a Brother Wireless Colour Inkjet All-in-One Printer! To enter to win, simply use the Rafflecopter form below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Functional storage is something I’m going to work on.
Be organized in our office especially. It seems to be the catch all room. You can’t even see the desk!!
i think my first goal is functional storage 😀
Awesome, invest in technology is covered!!! Thanks
We are in the process of cleaning/renovating our basement so all of these tips are helpful, but functional storage is the one we are working on right now.
For me it is Be Organized in fact it was my only New Years Resolution.
THIS IS FIRST ON MY LIST!!!
4. Create Functional Storage
Use furniture, such as bookcases with doors and filing cabinets, to keep you organized and reduce visual clutter. Repurpose household items into storage by patterned wrapping paper around cans or boxes or using by mason jars for small items.
But I really like #5 Invest in Technology that does the job and helos you to do the job and organize I lvoe this printer – small stylish and all the bells and whistles you need!
“Be Organised” is what I shall work on first.
Cheers.
getting and being organized adn putting teh time and effort into doing things properly the first time
“Add Inspiration” I get more done when I’m inspired as opposed to obligated.
Great advice! I love the “Add Colour”…but the others are great as well.
I like the idea to Create Functional Storage
removing distractions is first on the list
Functional storage!
Create functional storage…. I seem to fail in that area!
I like the idea of reusing household items to help me stay organized. Just found 3 glass jars with gold lids that I will use for something.
I’m going to add colour. Bright blue makes me happy and there isn’t nearly enough of it ANYwhere in my house!
Invest in Technology is standing out for me
Be organized!
functional storage
Create Functional Storage
I am going to use numbers 3 & 4 of Sarah Gunn’s tips together! Both being organized and functional storage are going to pull my spaces into organized usefulness!
3. Be Organized is a must for me
Adding colour is the first thing I will do. I love your new look, by the way, Really love it 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
I would use the be organized tip and clean off my desk first.
Functional storage
For me, it will definitely be to get organized! I need my office space to function much easier and more organized than what it is now.
I need to create functional storage as I don’t have a seperate office, it is part of my kitchen.
Functional storage….building the office around what I want for storage
I would use the Be Organized tip first.
Add Inspiration
I’ll use “Create Functional Storage” first.
rafflecopter name: Lisa K
Be organized!!
Be Organized…it is my nemesis!!! my office is an evil episode of hoarders..bonfires ahead !!
Invest in Technology that’s what I need to do!
I so need the be organised tip, put it to work
Get organized. (big time)
I like the tip to add colour. I tend to stick to neutral colours like tan and need to expand my colour palette!
Be Organized is what I would do first!
I really need to Create Functional Storage!
I’m going to add color- its something that is cheap to do
I need this for organizing my home office. Need to get more organized!
I am going to follow the Create Functional Storage
Getting and being more organized in my life. 😀
I’m going to Invest in Technology first. All the rest will come eventually, but thats the first and biggest step i think.
Be Organized. I work at home, and my work space is so disorganized. So much of my time, energy, and good mood is lost on trying to find things!
Create Functional Storage – I like to be organised and tidy
My biggest problem: Add Inspiration. That would be the first thing.
I need some functional storage!
Functional storage for sure
Create Functional Storage
thanks
I’m really working on Creating Functional Storage. I want to be organized, but until I have a place for our stuff, I know it’ll be hard.
I need to Organize. We are going to be moving into a new home. I need to store & organize things so we have a neat space to live.
Would like to get the office a little more organized
getting organized, but technology is a must!
Add Inspiration is the tip I’m gonna use
i really want to work on creating functional storage
I am going to use the tip to Add Inspiration first.
We need functional storage space in our little house!
Using the Create Functional Storage tip first.
As a new mom this would be a great asset to get organized!
Create functional storage; could always use more storage!
Be organized is the best for me. Still working on that though…
All of Sarah’s tips are good, but the one that I will start with is adding inspiration. Not only will this be a fun task, but also an important task. I love the idea of an inspirational memo board.
3. Be Organized if my must this year.
Create Functional Storage
Love all her tips but I have to go with # 1 Add Color. I am tired of the beige colored walls I have to work around all day and need a lift. So a nice bright color is my goal.
Be organized 🙂 Thanks!
3. Be Organized is the one I am following. I am trying to be more organized and get rid of distractions around where I am working.
Creating functional storage is key for us.
Being Organized I need to be so much!!
Create Functional Storage – great idea!
get organized
Create functional storage
3. Be Organized tops my list!
Remove anything from the room that can act as a distraction is the tip I will use
I would continue to Invest in Technology 🙂
Be organized
I am going to follow 3. Be Organized first. I really need to put some time into this. It would make life so much easier.
Being organized is on my list. I try to be somewhat organized as to what i can find but not sure about everybody else. 🙂
silverneon2000 at yahoo dot com
Be Organized: i’ll be working on gong through old papers and filing things properly and keeping stuff its ‘proper’ place.
Be Organized! That is definitely needed at my home!
Create Functional Space. Right now our office is a mish mash. We have 2 computers, 2 desks, 2 chairs, but then also a TV, futon, book shelves, but the space isn’t very functional. I think we need to get a built in wall unit to house all of our computer related equipment.
Create Functional Storage would be amazing
oranization is a must, too many junk drawers to even find a pen
Be Organized
Organization is a great tip to follow I hate when I can’t find things.
Creating functional storage is a tip I need!
want to follow the suggestion of ” Create a visual display of ideas and thoughts using an over-sized memo board.
add color, My craft room is a very blan color I need something brighter
add colour…i think it will help in improving my mood
Create functional storage is a great tip. I love the idea of using mason jars to store small items.
Be organized!
Get Organized.
awesome for ocd people wow love it
I’d love to get motivated to do tip 3. My desk became the seasonal dropping ground zero. I’t s disaster!
i’d use Add Inspiration
Be Organized is the tip I would use!
Add Inspiration is the tip I would use 🙂
Be organized!
I like and will use the Create Functional Storage tip first
Be Organized, I need to clean up our office.
Creating functional storage. We just need to figure out what that is, because what looks good, may not be what is functional (hence all the containers that we don’t use because it wasn’t functional for us).
3. Be Organized
I desperately need to Create Functional Storage
I need to be organized!
i need to get organized
I need to organize better.. That’s my first step
I definitely need to incorporate more colour. I’ve fixated on creams, whites and greys but I think a pop of colour would do me some good.
I have a colourful house as it is , so I would definately add Inspiration. Working alone sometimes you need that.
Add Inspiration is something I need to do in my home office. The walls are painted a nice shade but I don’t have any artwork put up. I like the idea of maybe using some inspirational quotes on the walls.
Organize first.
To Be Organized
this would be a great help in getting organized !! 🙂 would love to win this 🙂
to get organized! I always put me at the bottom of all lists, but my new year Resolution was to orgainize my frustrations (meaning my house/office area) I want a place to work in and not have to go searching the house to fine where the kids stashed the pens, paper, stapler…. etc!
Be Organized. I especially need to remove things that can be distracting.
Be organized!
I’m working on the Be Organized tip. I have a small apartment so my “office” is in one corner of my living room and it’s really a disaster zone since it’s were I spend the majority of my time. I would love anything that helps free up some space so that I can accommodate more pretty storage solutions such as baskets and decorative boxes. 🙂 My current printer is a monster of a machine.
Organazition is #1 on the list to do
I’m going to create functional storage!
The first thing i will try is to create functional organization.
I need to create functional storage and get organized.
Creating functional storage
Be organized
To Be Organized
add colour. It will help me be inspired and I’ll want to be in that space.
Getting organized is the real key if you ask me but I like her tips on adding ” Inspiration” too! I believe that helps motivate!!
Be Organized!
If I had this printer, I’d be using colour for sure!
Getting organized in a very small work space. A new desk & printer would be great. I go to school part time and I am constantly running to and from the printer, hoping that what should have printed, printed! Good exercise I guess. 🙁
I will try #3 need better organization
I like the tip about investing in technology. I’d like to upgrade our home office to include wireless printing.
3rd tip – I’ll try to get organized!
#3 – be organized is my first step and tip to use
Add Inspiration!
be organized
Create Functional Storage!
Be organized…. I desperately need to start there
Be Organized. I’ve been working on it for 20 years or so. About time to accomplish it! :o)
Be Organized!!
Be organized
Look at a box. What do you see?
A container . . . or a possibility,
functional storage for Christmas things,
or a doghouse, puppet theatre, angel wings?
Let’s create Create Functional Storage!
Definitely need to get organized!
3. Be Organized – yeah right everything in it’s own pile
Be organized, to clear out the clutter.
using more color! great idea
I will use more colors to make the office space less dreary
Be Organized but haha good luck to me on that
be organized well its a thought
Definitely. To create functional. Storage.
Create Functional Storage
Keep your offive tidy.
Be Organized. I really need to utilize this tip.
I need this 🙂
I like being organized?
To be…. organized. Well….try to be organized
To be organized – I try but it’s never good enough.
Create functional storage…my little office is a mess!
Functional storage seems like a great idea
To be organized!
Be.organized!