My Office and Easy Tips
We did do work at home over the weekend, really. But, the snow on Sunday (snow!?) hindered us from accomplishing too much. I will have a few things to show you later on in the week, but for today I am going to show you my work office.
When I started at this job one of the first I thought about was how to dress up my first personal office. I wanted to create a fun and unique work space without spending a bunch of money. Of course I was not about to go out and buy new furniture, but I do have a few simple and very cheap ideas for dressing up the drab office. Although you may not be able to produce your dream office with a space that you don’t own, you can make it a comfortable and productive space!
1. Posters. Not the priciest artwork, but good enough for a work office. I hung the Keep Calm poster as you enter my doorway (Yup, cliche maybe, but I still love it!). I also hung an inspirational quote from Muhammad Ali on the opposite wall. These were so fitting as I work in a hospital as a medical case manager. And, they give me some color, but stay in the basics I love!
2. Use your printer. I made these blah magnets cute by printing a sheet of white paper with a paisley pattern. I cut the sheets down to the size of the magnets and glued them on. I then covered them with clear plastic tape. I also used paper to fill the letter opener magnet. The other side of the desk is a sheet of paper I printed with the Chinese symbol for “happiness.” I have a few printed quotes around the office as well. These are cheap enough to switch out once in a while too!
3. Paper flowers. I wanted to add some brightness to my office, but am horrible at caring for plants. So, I made paper roses with tissue paper. I stuck them in a thrift store vase and now have flowers all year round. (the candy is a crowd pleaser as well)
4. Organization! Staying organized is the simplest, cheapest way to keep an office space looking its best. I have some open shelves that I make sure are always orderly. This is also a good time saver. I always know where things are and never have to hunt!
5. Personal but professional. A nice touch to an office space is something personal. But, remember to keep it professional. Too many pictures or tchochkes can make an office space cluttered and unprofessional. I have some pictures hung and framed in my office, but only ones that I don’t mind if clients see. I have a magic 8 ball on my desk for those real tough decisions as well ;). My desk top is also an example of keeping organized. And, the calendar is a free printable version from calendarsthatwork.com. I love these, as they look cute and are simple instead of busy! Also notice my mouse pad and pen. Little touches that were inexpensive!
Hope these simple ideas help you with your office. Mine is just like my home, always changing. Enjoy!
New Curtains- A Start
My day off yesterday was productive! My entire kitchen and dining room have a face lift from one day of work. What did I do? I made a few simple curtains. We have been complaining about these old fruit and strawberry curtains since we moved in (sorry, I forgot to take before pics! But you can get some glimpses here):
See what I mean? They were so bad we tried to keep them out of all of our pictures! But these three windows got a face-lift yesterday.
Just to let you know, I am not a seamstress. Not even a little bit. I used “Sewing in a Tube” for all of these curtains. And, by the way, this wasn’t much easier. These curtains are by no means perfect! But, they did give the rooms a more updated and bright feel.
I started with the small window in the kitchen. I wanted simple, black curtains. They are now the right length and when we get the cabinets painted they will go great in the room.
Isn’t that so much better? Black goes well with the shade I did for the door, too. I am going to make a black top for the shade next, but ran out of fabric. They were not intended to be tied back, but the material was too stiff to stay in place, so this was a temporary fix. But, we didn’t mind it, so it might stay that way for a while.
Next, I tried some sheers for the big dining window and dining room door. These were very difficult to do with the sewing glue. But, they came together and look pretty good now. The panels in the window are so small because I plan to add another color here. I am not going to make these! 🙂 I have tried my hand and now I’m done. The rest will come in a package from a store! I would also like to paint the curtain rod a cream color to blend better. But, overall still a big improvement.
What do you think? Pretty good start! Wait until you see the light fixture I ordered for this room! 🙂 Stay tuned.
Make Mine Eclectic 
