Around The Office | Spring 2014 Update
Ah, the office.
Some of you have been wondering silently and some have been asking in the comments here or on Facebook "what about the office update?"
Maybe I was waiting for it all to be perfect, even though I know it will never be (and I'm totally okay with that).
Maybe I was waiting for us to settle in. Is over a year long enough?
I know I was giving it some time before writing up a big post to see how we work in this space. What works here and what doesn't. If I've learned anything over the years of home offices/creative spaces it's that things that work in one house or at one point in time don't always work again or continue working the same way over time.
So last week I had Katie go around and just take a bunch of photos of exactly what's happening in here right now. Just like I did back in 2011 - holy moly check out the difference between then and now here.
Remember, my goal is to not spend a lot of time organizing stuff. My goal is to make stuff. I don't want to be constantly organizing or thinking about organizing or worried that it's not organized enough to get to work.
My other goal, that you might know or not know, is not to have mass amounts of product. I want options and I want selection but not excess. I don't need every color of album, every letter sticker option, etc. I want breathing room in here. I want space to work with what I have and not always be wishing for something else or wanting more.
I'm so thankful for this space. For the light and the white walls and the floors. We feel good in here. Things are happening in here. We are documenting and creating and making stuff and having fun and providing for my family.
Here's a look at what's happening in here right now:
Nothing much new in this area which you walk past as you enter the office.
The shelves hold all my 12x12 albums. Along the top right now you can see my collection of December Daily® albums that need to be put into one or two of those plastic bins on the bottom and put into storage for next December. I like to put those away during the year and bring them out in December.
The albums you see on those shelves are either from American Crafts or We R Memory Keepers and they include family albums (such as Ali & Chris, Ali childhood, Anna's First Year), annual albums (like 2012, 2013), Simon albums (which basically runs from 2002 up until 2008 - it was around that time that I started just keeping annual family albums), and Project Life® albums (2011-2014).
If you're interested in reading more about album organization you can read a series of posts I did about organizing all my layouts into albums here: Part One | Part Two | Part Three.
There's a stack of layouts there that need to be organized into the correct albums.
Here's a view from the opposite side of the office looking back towards the door:
The Varde tables from Ikea are awesome. They have worked perfectly in this space. The work area is nice and big and there's room on the top for us to keep some supplies with most things being stored in the drawers or in baskets below.
I've always been one of those people that stands up to create my projects (unless of course I'm sitting at my computer desk) and these tables are just the right height. I'm 5'9 and Katie is 5'2 and the height has been fine for both of us.
Here's a look at my side of the work table (there's two islands put together there and we just refer to it as the "table"). Katie keeps her Project Life® album out on the other side most of the time. My Project Life lives on top of a shelf unit as you'll see below.
On top of the table at any given time are layouts in progress, a bucket that holds rolling stamps + scissors + the Crop-A-Dile + the Corner Chomper + the Tiny Attacher.
I also usually have a couple small baskets with products I love and/or want to remember to use.
We recently went through everything on the table and moved off anything that wasn't a regularly used item - it basically had just become too cluttered. It looks messy right now because I'm in the middle of a couple projects.
Here's a look inside the three large drawers. The left drawer holds Project Life® cards, washi tape, and metal rimmed tags. The middle draw is for adhesives, corner rounders, etc. The right drawer holds my most used mists, paints, inks, etc.
A close up look inside the Project Life® card drawer. I've got a few different boxes and little metal bins in there. This is more of a storage vs. a working drawer.
Katie's got some of the boxes on her side of the table. Those little boxes are from Ikea.
These tables have shelves under the drawers. Right now I've got baskets that hold letter stickers and Display Dynamics 12x12 trays to hold cardstock. The other baskets hold my collection of punches and scraps of pattern paper.
The punches. I still love them. The baskets are from a variety of sources over the years - Target, Goodwill, Ikea, etc.
Along both walls are Ikea Expedit shelves on wheels. These have been renamed Kallax if you go looking for them at Ikea. They are awesome on their own but having them on wheels makes them that much more awesome.
This unit which is closest to my computer desk includes work binders for my online workshops and other business-related stuff.
On top of this shelf is where my 2014 Project Life® album sits. I add to it throughout the week and then move it over onto the table when I'm actually completing weeks. The surface area on top of this shelf has been a great home for that album.
One of the things you'll find in that shelf are these great pull-out Kvissle Letter Trays from Ikea. We use them to store the current Studio Calico Project Life® kits each month.
After I complete my page(s) using those kits and new ones come in the mail we rotate the products out. At that time I make a decision if I want to hang onto anything for future use (if there's much left after) or put things in the donation box that gets shared with local friends or Anna's school.
I love that I can pull the whole tray out and move it over to the work table and then move it back when I'm done and it keeps all the kit contents together. It's similar to the way I'm using my unfinished projects trays.
The second shelf unit is full of those Display Dynamics 12x12 trays and all my pattern paper and page protectors. Right now the pattern paper is organized by manufacturer and the page protectors are separated by style.
On top of this shelf are some new products that need to be organized/put away, my 2013 Project Life® album, my Brother sewing machine (I have to have it out in order to remember to use it) and my heat gun.
Next to that shelf, along the back wall, is my beloved set of lockers. Over the years I've talked about painting them but I'm currently super happy with the metal grey color.
Inside those doors you'll find inks, paints, ribbons, sewing supplies, etc. Most of those things I don't use every time I'm making something so I like having something like the lockers to hide away some of the stuff.
On the opposite side of the room from the lockers, right next to the windows, is our computer desks. We love this set up where we sit across from each other - it's worked out great. We've also been really happy with the choice of these white tables - also from Ikea.
Next to my side I have a Pottery Barn filing cabinet that I've made good use of over the years. You can also see that my scanner and my Epson Picturemate printer sit on top of that filing cabinet.
The white chairs are also a recent addition I picked up at Ikea.
Along the other wall is the third Expedit/Kallax (not sure I can get used to the new name) unit. Next to it is a long white table that used to be in Simon's room. Right now it's a dumping spot (hate that) so I need to decide whether we really need it in here or what. I like that it could be a third computer station (the monitor is sitting there waiting to be hooked up to something) but I don't love it in that space.
The artwork above the shelf is from Minted (The Worldwide Web, Organic Pebbles, You Are My Rising Sunshine). This shelf is currently a random collection of things (including empty baskets and albums). There's a few more of the Display Dynamics 12x12 trays holding some past projects and a few other products. One basket includes letterpress supplies from Studio Calico that we plan to test out one of these days. Another basket includes coloring books, stamps and pens for Anna when she wants to hang out in here.
On top of this shelf are my stamps from Technique Tuesday overflowing out of that great red wood box + a typewriter we use from time to time and a couple frames that need some attention.
This whole shelf and it's current contents need some attention. Ha. In progress, right?
A tour of this space wouldn't be complete without including Charlotte. This is Katie's baby and she's an almost daily fixture in the office.
Overall, I love this space.
It's happy and white and bright and I know where stuff is located. As I said in the beginning of the post I'm still finding rhythms with certain parts and making changes when I can.
You can see the other office project posts here. Want more on organization? Check out my organization archives here.
I am so glad we can still get the (expedit)Kallax shelves! I had heard they were no longer supplying them. SO GLAD! It's hard to find a shelf with the dimensions we need for our albums and supplies. Yeah! LOVE the clean bright office space you have!
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Thanks for the tour and update! I can see how much lighter and brighter your room is now... I love the white walls and wood floor.
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Thanks for sharing your office update and thoughts with us! Lovely space. :) Take care you.
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The best thing about your space: Charlotte! What a cutie!
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My favorite part is Charlotte! :)
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Wonderful space!!! Love the ikea islands!
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Wow. Each time I see pictures of your space the thing that strikes me more than any of the awesome organisational wonders is the light. The bright natural light coming though the windows. you are very fortunate. Thank you for sharing.
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Wow. I'm bowing before my computer screen Wayne's World "We're not worthy"-style! This is amazing and I'm completely envious. I don't have 1/100th the amount of supplies you have, but this space inspires me to re-do my office and organize what I do have. Love the light, love the spaciousness, love the table space. Just love.
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Looks great! Love the white... What do you use for the project life/stamp dividers?
Hey Melissa - not sure what you mean - can you clarify your question?
The clear tabs to divide things
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Seriously love your set up! I especially love that your room is white...so much brighter than you previous post about your room. I have a few questions. Please forgive me, if this has been asked or you've explain/talked about it... I have been following your blog throughout the years, but I haven't been on it for a while or any blogs for that much. Who is Katie (hope that doesn't sound strange or rude.) does she work for you or is she a friend that scraps with you? I think if one, she's your friend that scraps with you...how cool. And two, if she works for you and she's your friend...way cooler than number 1...lol! I love the fact that she brings her dog to work/scrap...what an awesome job for both of you! LOL! Thanks for sharing your awesome space!
Thanks Ali! Katie has an awesome job! (^_^)
Hi Claudette - Katie is my assistant. She was originally hired as a nanny and now works for my business - she's been around since 2009. And she's my very good friend too :).
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Your space is looking great Ali! (and Katie!) I have been working on my studio lately as well, and it feels so good to purge and re-arrange and get settled. Definitely gets the creative juices flowing! Thanks for the tour
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The letter trays are brilliant! I have a mix of Expedit and Besta (with the windowed doors) - and have to say I love how you've customized those. I think the next time I head north, I need to stop in to Ikea and snag me those trays. TFS.
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Ali...I know you told us when you first did your office but here goes again. What color paint did you use? We are going to paint soon. My walls have been dark for years and I want to go light. Thanks. Robyn
It's Decorator's White from Benjamin Moore.
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Love your space OMG, the light and the White is so beautiful. Could you please do a how to post (a video would be wonderful) on letter pressing please. I've been following you for years and years even bought myself a goco machine when I read you had one, sadly it's still in the box have no idea how to use it. Would love to see more videos from you Ali. Thanks so much
Hi! I've got plans to do something about that in the future once I start playing with it :). Katie used the Gocco for her wedding invitations (she watched some you tube videos to figure it out).
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What a great space you have! And it must be so wonderful to work with Katie all day. The white is so fresh and I like that's it's an eclectic mix of the ikea new stuff and the grey lockers that are old. Very cool! Thanks for sharing.
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Great tour, I love looking at all the containers you use to hold your materials. I have been looking for a little oval metal bucket like the one you have on top of your table; do you remember where you got yours? I've seen bigger sizes around, but not the smaller ones....
Hi Kathy - I think those might have come from Target. Often the "dollar spot" has fun little containers that work great for homes for all this stuff.
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Thanks for sharing your space with us. Never tire of seeing your office. Love the work table!
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Love seeing how you organize all the varied items we all use. Great space! Thanks for sharing.
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Charlotte coordinates with your wood floors and some of your baskets!!!
Thanks for the update, I'm one of the ones who mentioned an office update in your recent survey. I also appreciate the links contained in this update.
You are welcome! Thank you again for filling that out.
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Such a nice bright office space with wonderful organization ideas! I live in the Pacific NW too and we need all the sunlight we can get!!! I am wondering what filing labels you used to attach to the Kvissle letter trays and it looks like you used them for your project life cards as well.
On the trays we use some sticky labels we got at the office supply story - not sure the brand. On the project life cards I use Avery Index Tabs :) - I use those a lot in my actual project life album too.
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I LOVE your office. Thanks so much for the update. Wish I could spend my days working in a space like this.
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So organized! Ugh! Mine is atrocious! :) Yours is inspiring! I shall strive to get organized in the next few months!!! Beautiful office Ali!
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[…] I’ve been thinking about how to set up my craft room when we move and this office organization has some awesome […]
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Love it!--How inspiring to be so light and clean. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks so much for sharing! You're inspiring me to organize and clean up the mess that's sitting in the corner of my room. Scrapbooking will be a whole lot more fun when I can spend my time on creating and making, not searching for stuff.
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