Extreme Office Makeover Revisited

According to my desk calendar, today is "National Organize Your Home Office Day." Regardless of whether your home office is just for your personal business affairs or for a business that generates revenue -- or both -- your productivity, your quality of life and your peace of mind will benefit if it's organized.

In January of last year I blogged about Extreme Office Makeover. I have my own office in the house and I wanted to create a sanctuary -- my own little enclave where I can retreat to create or read or like I did this afternoon after a morning of washing windows, nap. It's been a long time coming, but after haunting every sale for the last two months, I've almost got it done.

This is before.


And here is the "after" in various stages of development.

My desk before I hung some art over it and before I moved the silk fern (is there any other kind?) where it actually goes. I also put a red-striped French memo board beside the desk to hold photos, cards and the like. You'll see it a little later on.

A small antique desk I use for craft work. I got the valances at Lowe's. They are a red and beige check -- hard to tell in the light. The old lamp from my son's bedroom in the other house is still sitting in the corner.

The futon with the art that will go over it. It's metal art and I just have to get the DH to help put it up. Requires the laser level. Notice the attractive tv tray end table? :-/ But I do have a new floor lamp now.

After a month of trying to order a table online, and having it damaged both times it was shipped, I told them to refund my money and I found this end table at Hobby Lobby on sale. Looks better than the tv tray, doesn't it? And I have cut the tag off. I just wanted to make sure before I did. The leather magazine holder came from Ross -- on senior discount day. *g*

I framed three of my magazine covers to go over my desk. Neat, huh? I'd never have thought of it but the decorator I bought the futon from suggested it.

I'm not sure where these are going but I think they may be a new mantra for me: Live, Love, Laugh. It sounds like a great way to go through life.

Here's that French memo board I mentioned earlier. I notice here that I need to tidy up my cords. That's the cell phone charger and I'm sure I could find a place where it is unobtrusive.

And remember the tall bookcase from the "before" shots? I moved it and it fits perfectly between the doors. I also got rid of a smaller bookshelf (it's currently in my garage and holding boxes of luncheon stuff) and really pared down my book collection.

I'm enjoying my new digs, but I have to re-train myself to write in here. I've gotten so used to writing at the kitchen table because the "old" room just wasn't really conducive to creativity.

I know that our blog visitors are a combination of writers and readers. So my question is this: Do you have a special place where you write? Or if you don't write, is there some place you really, really love to curl up with a good book? What makes is special?

One lucky commenter today will win a handmade book thong -- another of my creative efforts.