Stylish Organizing Products for the Contemporary Home Office
By

Julie Morgenstern

Does your organized home office look more like a corporate cubicle than an energizing environment where you track your household information?  It is easy for an organized space to feel sterile when it isn’t created around your vibrant personality.  When you get organized from the inside out, your space should be a reflection of who you are and a catalyst for your creativity. 

In my S.P.A.C.E. Formula for organizing, (Sort, Purge, Assign a Home, Containerize, Equalize) the CONTAINERIZE step offers the richest opportunity for infusing your space with your unique style.  As you select appropriate containers, keep the following in mind: 

Aesthetics.  Choose containers that you love.  They should be delightful to use and blend attractively with the décor you’ve chosen for your space, whether it’s shabby chic, country cozy, or high tech steel.

Sturdiness.  Don’t be tempted to economize.  Your containers must be tough enough to withstand repeated use.  If they fall apart, break, or feel flimsy, you’ll stop using them. 

Manageability.  Containers should be easy to handle.  If you’ll be storing a lot of items in them, consider their weight when full.

Size.  Make sure they are a proper fit for the number of items you will be storing, without overcrowding.  Consider leaving a little room for growth—but not much. 

Here are some of my favorite containers to add style in a home office:

·         Wooden two-drawer filing cabinets – usually the perfect size for household papers.  Seek attractive wood designs; cheap metal filing cabinets bend and rust easily, and will make filing too difficult.

·         Portable file boxes – a perfect alternative if you have no space for a file cabinet. They also add a stylish and practical touch to any shelf.  Look for boxes in plastic, rattan, wicker, faux leather, and galvanized steel.

·         Wood and wicker basket drawers – an effective way to store office supplies on a countertop or bureau without creating visual clutter.

·         Letter trays – an attractive tool for sorting mail and messages by person.  They come in rattan, wood, wicker, mesh, and steel.

·         Wicker or wire telephone and answering machine stand – a wonderful space saver.

·         Paper-covered boxes – an attractive way to sort and store receipts, kids’ artwork, and banking supplies on shelves.

·         Wall calendar/message center – great for keeping every member of your active family in the loop; consolidates all important information in one location. 

Once you have designed your system from the inside out, enjoy the energy you will gain from your space.  Your home office should reflect and support who you are, what you want, and where you are going.