As you well know by now, I am always trolling the web for inspiring work spaces. I am very jealous of this one, by Designs by Shoshana. It’s so clean and organized that you don’t even notice that monolith of a printer! Did you even notice that the wall files are, well, on the wall, or that they are files? They seem to fit right into the composition of artwork. The white holder and simple manila folders help it blend right in as well? I have to say my favorite part of this room is that gorgeous inspiration board. It appears to be a frame full of glass cloth, with foam core or cork behind it.

image via houzz.com

Oh man, I have been meaning to share the last bit of progress in my office for awhile, but little things kept stopping me, like wanting to style the space to perfection, hating that very nineties green wall color, or waiting to choose wallpaper. If I wait for that those things (even though I’ve improved my organizational skills) I’d have to wait until about 2015. So here’s a bit of progress, ugly exposed cords (major pet peeve) and printers and all – it’s reality.

SHELVES & DRAWERS: This formerly dead space now offers all sorts of storage and space to be organized. Now my picky aesthetic preferences dictated that the shelf brackets go where the outmost studs were, but I’m noticing that they are starting to bow a bit, so I may have to suck it up and add some extras.

The real gift these shelves have given me is proximity. Everything I need is within arm’s reach, and having the shelves and file drawers next to my desk allows me to keep my desktop clean! Hallelujah!

One other thing I learned is that as you tackle your piles, you’ll learn what kinds of things need their own drawers. I had kept my design catalogs in baskets for so long that I’d never thought to designate a drawer for them. However, as I cleaned things out, I realized they’d be a lot handier and more organized in a drawer adjacent to my desk.

LABELS: From the workshop I took over at Simplify 101, I learned that labeling is a big key to organizing. Now I not only have a place for everything and everything in its place, I actually know where those places are! You can go bananas with how you label things – I happened to have a pack of these tags and a roll of black raffia on hand, so I made do. Not the cutesy-est, but it works for me. Another thing to remember is that when something’s placement is NOT working for you, to move stuff around and figure it out.

CONTAINERS: Because I have a lot of drafting and art supplies, I’ve been experimenting with what works since grad school. I will never get tired of metal paint buckets for keeping things organized. They go with all kinds of decor, they have handy dandy handles, they hide a multitude of sins and most importantly, they are dirt cheap and readily available at any hardware store in a variety of sizes. Check around your own house for containers that might come in handy. Maybe it’s a closet organizer you aren’t really using in the closet (my printer sits under my desk on a former shoe rack shelf, and there’s room for reams of paper and toner underneath). I used some Liberty of London gift boxes from Target to corral all of my cosmetics and medicine, I found the wire shelves in my attic (leftover from grad school), etc.

All systems are go! Oh, if you want to help me out of my wallpaper decision paralysis, check out what I’ve narrowed it down to below the break and please give me your two cents.

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As I trudge through trying to create the workspace that will inspire me to actually spend time in my office working, I have been amassing images of workspaces that I admire. Here are a few I covet:

Sharon Portnoy Design

Loadingdock5 Architecture

Ish and Chi

sfgirlbybay

Turquoise L.A.

emma’s design blog

not sure of original source. PLEASE COMMENT if you know so I can add it.

Aalto’s office via Apartment Therapy

first five photos from houzz.com. The rest were in my tumblr stream.

O.K., this was my first time using Polyvore. I am so bad at it that I had to take a screen shot of my collage as I have yet to figure out how to import it directly into the blog beyond making some sort of badge down the side. So, I barely scratched the surface and couldn’t figure out how to get the blue color on at least one wall, which is a must. I have also been trying to play around with Pantone softward, but so far the only thing I can do is make a palette. So, without further excuses, here’s the postcard again:

Here’s the Pantone Palette:

Here’s the collage:

It needs a lot of work and editing, but I told you I’d give it a shot, and I don’t have all day . Oh, I think if you go to this link, you can see where to buy everything. I didn’t stray too far from Design Public, West Elm, and Circa Lighting. In fact, I think those might be the final three places where you can find everything above.

By the way, I’m an idiot at technical stuff, and Polyvore was super easy to get the hang of. Obviously, I’m still learning, but you should try it – it’s a great way to collect all the stuff you want in one place and check out what it all looks like together.

by Sayeh Pezeshki, The Office Stylist.

You’ve waited a long time and worked very hard for your own office. Whether it’s your own home office or a promotion at work, your office is something to take pride in. Messy desks, chipped furniture, over flowing letter trays, boring office supply pile-ups, and other office disasters say only one thing: “ I don’t care about my workspace.” If you don’t have the budget to get modern and stylish office furniture, what should you do? How do you tackle your office mess and make your office into a space that feels great to work in?

Here are three important tips to keep handy at all times.

1. Straighten up your desk/office at the end of each workday.
   This seems like an obvious task, yet everyone I have helped now and in the past has told me they never do this. Take just five minutes a day to put away papers, put your pens back in your pen holder, and throw away and trash that’s sitting on your desk or other areas. Be sure to do this every day, right before you leave your office.

End result: Fresh start when you come in the next day, as opposed to the messy start you’re used too.

2. Remove all electronics from your desktop, except for your monitor and keyboard.
   For some unknown reason, I see a lot of people love to put a giant printer, shredder, and other large electronics on top of their desks. I know that it is a little easier to reach on your desk for the sheet you printed out, versus reaching below it, but this is a large disruption in your work flow. Remove all electronics except for your keyboard and monitor, and put away in printer cabinet like these from Ikea, or other furniture store.

Having these items in cabinets will make your office look a lot more spacious and clear than before.

3. Replace boring office items with modern office supplies
   You may think you’re okay with manila file folders, plastic pencil cups, and other traditional office supplies, but think again. Replace your boring, manila file folders with a set of decorative file folders made out of sturdy material that will last longer than you’re used to.

Replacing little items like chewed up promotional pens, stacks of manila file folders, and plastic pen holders are a great way to make a change, without costing you an arm and a leg. Your desktop can still be professional (not boring!) while reflecting your personality.

Clearing your desktop and removing unwanted items will make a tremendous difference in how you feel at your desk. If you were feeling overwhelmed before, clutter may have been a contributing factor. Making small changes will make a big difference in your work environment and the way that you work. If you’re happier sitting at your desk 40 + hours a week, then you’ll reflect that in your work too.

About Sayeh: Recognized as a 2010 Internet Retailer “Hot 100 company,” SortingwithStyle.com is part of a multi-platform media brand created by two time entrepreneur and TV personality Sayeh Pezeshki, “The Office Stylist,” who provides office styling services, consulting and personal shopping for private and corporate clients. For daily tips, insight and items to transform your workspace, visit www.theofficestylist.com

Images via Sorting with Style.com