Storage + Styling in Your Home Office

I don't know about you, but I live in a small home. It's little cottage built in the 1940s and I absolutely love the charm of its hardwood floors, the original moulding and windows. You know what I don't love? Apparently in the 1940s people just didn't need closets, like, at all. In fact, we have a few doors in our house that look like they should be closets, but SURPRISE! they just have hot water heaters or air conditioning units in them. Fun stuff. 

AnnaLivDesign-Office-15.jpg

So my home office/guest room (aka a bed in the corner- not pictured for obvious reasons) needed to be multifunctional. I needed places to store beads jewelry supplies (beads, tools, finished jewelry) and calligraphy supplies (ink, nibs, nib holders, paper, lightbox, etc.) not to mention your everyday office and shipping supplies and like, life stuff.  

Behold! The ever functional peg board and cubby system combo. I know that sounds really lame, and like some system your teacher used in pre-school. But newsflash: Teachers are organized as f*ck. I am not. At all. but I try. I really try. 

The cubby baskets are a good way to hide away the mess and stay organized. I use them for gift wrapping, calligraphy supplies, beads and jewelry, paints, paper, cards etc. Then the remaining cubbies can be used to display attractive items and style accordingly. 

Peg board is the easiest way to give everything a home and still be noncommittal about it. Just my style. You can hang files, wrapping paper, art work etc. and then change it all up on a whim. 

 My desk is always being used for something different or multiple things at one time. Translation: clutter. Clutter is the enemy of an organized office space.  When everything has a home, you can put everything back where it's SUPPOSED to live and voila. Clean desk. Now, will you actually put it in its home? That is the question, my friends. 

AnnaLivDesign-Office-38.jpg

So, how do you recreate this look for yourself? Easily. I got the pegboard and cubbies from Lowe's, but you can get them from just about anywhere. These pegboards came with a white plastic coating, so I didn't need to paint them. Yay! My husband installed them using this method, and it was actually pretty easy. I would go into more detail, but DIY network lays it all out for you and with pictures! You can also buy lots of different pegboard hooks and mix and match them for what you need to hang. 

As for the styling, let me know if you are interested in where any particular pieces came from and I will share my secrets! (...There are no secrets. Mostly Target, tbh.) Plus I already shared the cute succulent planter DIY here.  What is your favorite organization tip for someone with storage probs? 

Previous
Previous

Monochrome & Moonstone

Next
Next

DIY Terracotta Pots for under $5