Small Spaces - Organization Ideas needed

[penguins_dont_fly]

It has been over a year since my Business partner and I went our separate ways.

With the split, I lost my dedicated 500 square foot space and have moved all operations into my home (which is not large at all).

My office space (pictures, research and listing) feels claustrophobic to me and I find myself not even wanting to go in there ... which results in me not listing anything or only listing one or two items before "escaping".

I have good inventory storage space and a good shipping workstation separate from the office, so I'm (mostly) OK there ... it's just the all-important "desk time" that's killing me.

I've been watching "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo" on Netflix (you should ... really ... she's wonderful).

Her basic principles work for the rest of my house and personal items ... but I can't seem to make them work in the office ... mostly because everything in there is necessary, even if it doesn't "spark joy". And at this point, it is the opposite of joy.

I need some ideas, gurus, videos ... something. Anybody got any?

[dhbookds]

My office space (pictures, research and listing) feels claustrophobic to me and I find myself not even wanting to go in there ... which results in me not listing anything or only listing one or two items before "escaping".

You're going to have to explain more fully (only 1/2 cup of coffee) for me to understand......  You have inventory stored elsewhere so that's not a problem?  This sounds like to me you have a computer with desk somewhere else, but something is cluttering up the space? around it? on it? no filing system? 

[luckythewinner]

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

I find myself not even wanting to go in there

{snip}

only listing one or two items before "escaping"

{snip}

it's just the all-important "desk time" that's killing me. 

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You title says you need "organization ideas", but everything in your post about screams that the real issue is motivation. It sounds a little like a carpenter blaming his tools ...

[penguins_dont_fly]

I'm on coffee #3 🙂

My spaces are all dual-use, of necessity (except for dedicated inventory storage, which is separate, but easily accessible, from my small apartment)

My shipping is my laundry/mud room (slightly messy because I just finished my shipping) This works for me 🙂

 

My "office" is also the spare room ... which is also the fishing tackle room ... it's terrible in there and it just keeps getting worse because I keep running from it 😞

The stuff on the floor and in the light box is the unlisted stuff that needs to get done ... 

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

I find myself not even wanting to go in there

{snip}

only listing one or two items before "escaping"

{snip}

it's just the all-important "desk time" that's killing me. 

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You title says you need "organization ideas", but everything in your post about screams that the real issue is motivation. It sounds a little like a carpenter blaming his tools ...

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No. Not at all.

I go in there everyday and I try to list ... And then get feeling claustrophobic 😞

When I have elbow room, I get things done ... When I don't, I get anxious and edgy and don't function very well.

I don't shop in Wal-Mart at Christmas or big sales times. I have abandoned carts in the aisle. I don't do large concerts or other places where people are just too close.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

I wouldn't like it either. Move your desk in front of the window and don't obstruct the view to the outdoors except for the space your monitor takes up, which I would put off to the right or left side of the window as much as possible without straining your neck. Move the light box and filing cabinet to where the desk is. Now you will have a pleasant place to sit where you can also see outside. It feels claustrophobic because you're currently staring at a wall when you're at your desk, and the window view is obstructed. Clean up the notepads and whatnots on the desk area and put them in an open box the size of a shoebox or similar so that you don't feel that clutter around you. 

[dhbookds]

So the desk is the problem?   you have a LOT of unused space to organize and use, lol   That corner could accommodate open shelves to put listing stuff on........that shelf just above the desk looks like it might hold alot of stuff you don't use, beads, file boxes?  .......

What I would do is figure out how that corner could be used.....even a simple brick/plywood shelf system  if you don't what to shop for a "unit" that would fit, build it up high.....to the top of your desk.......out to the edge of the desk....  Plywood is cheap/price to get it cut at a hardware store isn't much......

I'd put everything on that upper shelf in a box, then put it back, depending on what's needed AT the desk........  think about boxes/containers......LABEL them

Then take everything OFF the desk into a box......and put it back deciding what you need......you have alot of paper......if that's info to list, get a spiral notebook, staple pieces of paper in it, if you're the type that can't write in a note book.......  If it's info to keep for whatever, credit card statements, receipts, etc.......put an open box under your desk and pitch it there.  I keep all info for taxes in a box under my desk.......pull it out when I'm ready to do taxes and then put it in a folder with the completed tax forms in the file cabinet, so the box gets cleaned out once a yr.  Of course, if you're really organized you can file somewhere as you go.......I'm not that kind, frankly it doesn't look like you are either. 

If the rest of the room bothers you.......think UP space.......shelves everywhere.  We have 8" tall, 48", units on wheels........that can be shoved together and then pulled out...to get to them......

If motivation is the problem, make a short list of what to do first, set a timer for 15 min everyday and do pieces of the list.  Once I do the 15 min, I usually get motivated to continue..........make another list BEFORE you finish the first........so you don't lose momentum. 

just some ideas.......

[dhbookds]

Ahhhhh.............like the idea of the desk in front of the window......but that may be a tall unit.  If so, I'd consider getting something else for a desk at that window

[readabouthorses]

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@dhbookds wrote:

Ahhhhh.............like the idea of the desk in front of the window......but that may be a tall unit.  If so, I'd consider getting something else for a desk at that window

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I also like the idea of a desk in front of the window and then put up bird feeders outside the window to give you some breaks from work.

My inventory space looks a lot like the OP's and when I go in there I can't wait to get out but my desk is in my living room where I can work, watch TV, watch the cat, watch the birds. 

And don't try to attack it all at once. Set a few easy to reach goals on improving your office space and then once you get started on that and finish it, go on to the next one ... like eating an elephant ... one bite at a time.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

A room witha view....

[mcdougle4248]

I would start by clearing everything off of your desk and then move your desk in front of the window.  Organize all of the "stuff" that was on your desk into task specific clear plastic shoe boxes and label them.  I do this and keep the shoe boxes easily accessible under my desk.  

Can you hang your fishing poles on the wall?  Is there any personal items in your office that you can relocate?

You may also want to try bringing in only one or two items at a time to take pictures of and list.  That will cause extra steps back and forth to where your inventory is stored, but will also relieve some of the clutter and keep you moving.  Or can you move your light box to where your inventory is stored and take the pictures there?

I hope this helps.

[lacemaker3]

Hi @penguins_dont_fly, I can understand what you're saying about this. I'm going to focus on the pictures of the office, because that's what you're asking for help with.

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

I'm on coffee #3 🙂

 ...

My "office" is also the spare room ... which is also the fishing tackle room ... it's terrible in there and it just keeps getting worse because I keep running from it 😞

The stuff on the floor and in the light box is the unlisted stuff that needs to get done ... 

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I think you have way too much going on in this space.

My first thought when I looked at the pictures was ... get rid of the fishing poles.  They are just too much. They take up a great deal of visual space, and they aren't displayed attractively, which might help. You said it's the spare room too ...  but I don't see a bed or anything for a guest room, so hopefully that isn't there too. 

I think it would help to dedicate this room to a single purpose, for now at least, and move everything else out. You need this to be your working space, where you will spend more than half of your awake time. Also, it looks like there's too much "stuff" in the cubbies and on the shelves above the desk. Are those ribbons draped on the shelf? Can you store those in a drawer somewhere else? Too much visual confusion.

A lot of the stuff looks like papers, and you should minimize papers. Most of your records are better off stored digitally, with a backup on an external hard drive that you copy to at least once a week. Papers, bills, should be tossed once you're done with them. If you leave it for later, you'll waste too much time sorting and evaluating them later.

A good rule for paper work is, touch it once only. Open it, deal with it, then file it or toss it. Don't touch it again.

If YOU can't stand being in your office, then you need to change it so that YOU want to be in there, rather than something else.

[penguins_dont_fly]

@dhbookds

That corner is the closet, with sliding doors ... that is full of DH's "stuff", golf clubs, misc fishing tackle and boat stuff, extra ammunition (gun safe is in the bedroom) shooting targets, etc.

"Up" is already taken 🙂

The desk is a tall unit ... I probably should replace it, move it to the other side and then put shelves on that wall over the light box....switching my view 🙂

I share the desk with hubby ... our household gets run from there, too. Which makes it a bit more difficult ... but not impossible LOL

Motivation isn't my issue ... it's claustrophobic anxiety, compounded when I know I'm going to get anxious when going in there ... I just need to break the anxiety circle.

I would love to just rip everything out of there and start over ... I did that with our outdoor storage cubby this past weekend. Everything got listed as "free" on local sales sites. Anything leftover got put in the dumpster last night and picked up in the trash today. The bikes got sold last week (we never ride them).

I also set all of my local sales stuff to "free" and the last of that stuff went, too 🙂

I'm on a mission ... organization, a calm, inspiring household, or bust! My bedroom and kitchen are in the middle of being "Kon-Marie'd" (joy, trash or donate), but on a modified schedule ... I'm taking it a piece at a time LOL

This room just makes me insane ...

looking "up" 🙂

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Two thoughts. First off, it's messy right now but you can get the idea. I bought a couple of shoe racks, the type where shoes balance on rungs. Turned them sideways and use them to support my different type of boxes.

Second thought was about Marie Kondo. I've been a fan of her theory and have used it for a while. I'm not folding my shirts weird or anything like that but the way you think about things is very important. I have been hanging on to inventory I bought when my Mom died and I had major surgery. I realized that I was never going to sell it and it was stressing me out. It was mostly toddler tutus (don't ask). I realized that buying them helped me through a rough time and keeping them around was stressing me out. I gave some to a friend with a toddler and donated the rest to a charity dance program run by a friend of a friend. Not that this will work for everyone, I could afford to let them go, but sometimes just changing the way you think about things is a lifesaver.

[bsarafian]

I love the old typewriter. Desk looks pretty impressive too.