This is a little tale about a reorganization we did at the beginning of September. You know that first week of September when everything needs to be in its place? I only wish it lasted all year long.
Our office had been a disaster zone for months and the current black buffet table wasn’t helping the situation at all. Please excuse the random coconut syrup container, fake flowers, lemon tree, and pears. I didn’t realize it was this bad until I typed it all out. Decorating was never my strong suit.
Sketchie supervised the entire project, obviously.
I forgot to take a true “before” photo because the table was actually flooded with books for months and it slowly drove me insane. I even had books and other crap stuffed underneath the table. It wasn’t pretty.
Enter Labour Day weekend.
Eric built this handy cabinet in less than 1 hour. Not one swear word was uttered. The printer is now on a chair behind the door, tucked away and out of sight! That might be my favourite part.
Seeing this office wall makes me so happy now.
We moved the buffet table downstairs across from the kitchen. I was sick of seeing the jars on the two shelves, so I took the shelves down and transformed the buffet table into a new storage system for my mason jars, canned goods, and extra baking items like cocoa powder, almond milk, etc.
Oh and lentils, rice, coconut, etc.
This new storage helps so much, I can’t even begin to tell you. It manages to look fairly tidy too, despite everything it’s holding. Granted, it’s definitely not my ideal storage situation, but it sure beats reaching 3 feet into the dark corner cupboard.
The only part I don’t like is not being able to see all of the items, but if I can train myself to put things back in the same spot (unlikely), it should become automatic overtime. Again, unlikely.
Sketchie was not overly impressed.
Are you up to any organizational projects lately?
Oh, I’m also on a huge Pinterest kick right now. You can now find my dream kitchen, bathroom, and office boards on there now. Eric and I actually got into an argument on the weekend over our imaginary-future-office design which is funny because we’re not even close to designing an office. We’re not even in a house yet. So it was a fight over something hypothetical, an imaginary office. Those are the worst kind. Anyway, we always seem to disagree on everything possible when it comes to design, furniture, paint colours, and décor. Please tell me I’m not alone? He wants practicality (“My desk needs to be massive, taking up the entire room, with 6 billion wires shooting out from everywhere.”) and says my style is so “GIRLY”. Hrmph.
We may need counseling.
I love that buffet table! I’m looking for something like it for my living room… where did you get it? p.s. – I think the project turned out well.
thank you, it’s from Ikea :)
I need to be inspired by your post! We just moved (okay, it was 3 months ago…) and I have yet to fully organize my pantry.
As for husband interior design battles–my solution is a man cave. I fought the principle for so long. Why should a guy get a room for himself and his buddies? It’s so the wife doesn’t have to fight him on having sports memorabilia, a sticker of the skyline of Detroit, and that ugly painting of ships in the living room. I don’t know if that will directly help you with the office. but sometimes having control over a space can making it easier to give up some control somewhere else. Good luck!
hahah omg this comment made me laugh! I love the idea of a man cave. I personally would rather be on the main level than the basement any day
I suspected something like this was coming after seeing your multiple home office pins in my Pinterest feed. It’s so easy to get sucked in to Pinterest!
I love that buffet and Eric did an awesome job with that cabinet! Under an hour? That’s impressive.
We are renting so I don’t o crazy with decorating or arranging things because I know we’ll have to move soon. But if we were settled already, you can bet I’d be right there with you on Pinterest!
I am on a big crafty, organizing, pinterest kick right now too. Must be the cooler weather. I always get this away around fall!
Haha I love the imaginary, hypothetical situations fights – you are definitely not alone – we still haven’t hung the towel rack in the bathroom because we just can’t agree where it should be (there are only so many options, how hard can it be – very apparently haha).
Love your new organizing system :-)
hah glad we’re not alone! Nothing like a good towel rack stand off. :)
Very nice redo! If Eric would like to build more stuff, send him our way! He does an excellent job.
I NEED to do some organization projects. My office looks like the post office blew up in there!
Angela, I have to say that I have been reading your blog non-stop since I discovered it. I live in NYC where life is extremely fast paced (and value can often be placed on the wrong things), and reading your blog has literally brought me inner peace and calm. I also recently started a vegan diet and I have already tried like a dozen of your recipes!
Also my husband is Canadian (from Toronto) and we have an extremely adorably cute Maine Coon cat that reminds me of Sketchie. Keep posting, you are an inspiration!
Last but not least, here is a link to a great vegan cheese producer that was well reviewed in Food and Wine Magazine, thought you might enjoy it!
http://www.kite-hill.com/truffledill.html
Hey Ting, Thank you so much for your lovely note! I’m so happy you enjoy the blog :)
It’s a little more disappointing when you own your home and COULD make these changes, but don’t. Pinterest just starts to get sad instead of dreamy and fun! I definitely need some motivation to organize more though.
yeah totally agree with you on that one. It’s a fine line!
I too am a little pinterest happy! It’s fun to start dreaming, imaging, & with all the hullaballo that’s happening in the world (ie. American politics), it’s a nice escape from reality.
I love your buffet organization. I’m totally addicted to glass jars of every shape & size (especially the gallon jars)–aren’t they the best for storage? I love how pretty they are & that you can see the ingredient (& no worries about plastic leaching!).
& your cat, is so pretty.
I LOVE your cat; such a beautiful animal. Mason jars are a must have in my living spaces as well: http://helloveggy.com/2013/09/29/citrus-spiced-tahini-baked-oatmeal/ (a snapshot of my cupboard)
I’m so glad I’m not the only one! I’m thinking about houses “when I win the lottery” and I’ve always gone for horse property. Forgetting of course that husband is allergic to them! I need to look at beach property, he seems to breathe easier near the ocean.
love, love, love the new cabinet!
heading over to pinterest :-)
I just have to say that I’m happy to hear someone else (especially a blogger whom I respect so much!) say decorating isn’t their strong suit. It’s not mine either, and I’m surrounded by friends with awesome style and the Internet, which tells me that style is just THREE EASY STEPS AWAY!
Truth: In college, I lived in an apartment for two years with nothing on the walls because it just didn’t bother me. My friends whose apartments look like they fell out of an Anthroplogie catalog were scandalized.
But anyway, looks like a great new system! We have a really really deep pantry, and it can be kind of a pain to get things in and out of it, so maybe I need a new system!
I’ve always felt the same way too – admiring others ease of decorating. Actually I’m the same way with dressing myself. I always feel like I can’t put together “outfits” (do people even say that past the age of 5??) Anyway, there’s always hope! hah
Ha – one time my husband and I got into a huge fight in IKEA over a couch we weren’t even looking for and didn’t need. It happens to the best of us.
I WISH we were on any type of organizing kick lol. We’re on a aquire as many boxes as you can to pack up the house because it’s under contract only to have the buyer walk and get stuck with an office full of cardboard kick. LOL!! Your cat does not appear to be very amused by your kick lol.
Since I am on the ragged and crumbling final lip of the cliff – AKA about to move – my issue is about getting rid of all and any stuff I don’t either absolutely need or totally love so that when we move into the new space we will be able to get into the ‘a place for everything and everything in its place’ mode right off the bat. The use of baskets in the buffet is a great combination of the esthetic and functional – love it! Between the two of us my friend and I have amassed more baskets than I would have thought possible, but I expect they will all get put to serious use once we start organizing ;-)
I’m having storage envy! I am in need of this in every room in my house!!!
I have a question – Im going to make your summer stone crisp but use apples and Blueberries – how many cups do you think I need? (I just posted this ? in your original post but not sure if you see those). I want to get the ratio of other ingredients correct. My in laws are coming tomorrow so I wanted to make it then and am going to the store today.
Thanks so much!!!
Yep, my husband and I get into bitter disputes about whether we should move to an area with better schools (we don’t have kids) or just build a second story on our tiny house. Neither option is an economic possibility, but we both have very strong opinions about it, anyway!
I love those baskets, so cute! And you have great lighting in your home, not to mention the cutest cat with squinty eyes :)
We are mostly pretty organized, but I have two shelves in my bedroom/office area that are a DISASTER! Maybe I should finally tackle them this weekend….
The new set up looks great. Love how neat it all is. I know what you mean about wanting to be able to see everything though. I recently got this snazzy little Ikea trolley and it’s fab for storing my jars of beans and grains and miscellaneous bags of kitchen items. Visible but organized :)
Good luck with the future office planing!