Or rather, where we scramble around at the last minute hoping to come up with something adequate.
We moved into this house three years ago this month. Since then, the Mister and I, two confirmed work-a-holics, have been without an office. Correction: we have a studio in the backyard with a floor and four walls. Here is what it looked like when we first moved in. As you can see from the above picture, I have had a torrid love affair with books my whole life. All those white boxes? Books. Some of them.
About 6 months ago, the Mister put down laminate floor. We had someone else paint the room and do the electrical. We bought the desks right after the floor, paint and electrical thinking we would have the office by the following month. Not so much. We still haven’t bought the bookshelves, and you already know I need the shelves.
It’s a pile of receipts, supplies, and two empty desks. We have been so busy the last few years that we haven’t been able to devote a large chuck of time or money in order to finish the project. The good thing about dealing with the various succubuses I met on Craigslist is that we now have the money to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Who am I kidding? We don’t even have lights. Now we can afford to buy them. The time issue we’re just going to have to force, because the Mister and I can’t stand to walk through this mess one more day on our way to the office.
I think I still have every book that I have ever read and every book my mom ever read to me. It seems so wrong to get rid of a book. I always worry about it’s new home and if it will be treated well. It’s a book for God’s sake not a child. I really need to get a grip and do what you are doing. Be strong and good luck!
Don’t get me started on the boxes of books. We moved out of state in Nov 2006, only to move back to our old house in May 2007 (don’t ask, long story). Both times, the many boxes were schlepped hither and yon. But it wasn’t until my neighbors here redid their living room and were looking to unload two bookshelves last month (9 months after our return) that I was able to unpack MOST of the boxes. Husband won’t part with the books. He won’t. Not even the paperbacks. Not even the ones he is sure never to read again. Just… can’t.
And I act like I’m above it all, but who in the household orders regularly from Amazon and gets as giddy as a girl on Christmas morning when her new books arrive?
Um, no one I know… ahem. I’m just stealty about my purchases and more clever about where they end up being “stored.” Yeah, that’s it.
I am so pleased to see someone else struggling to get organized! Husband and I share this tiny room for an office in our carriage house and we have those Office Depot boxes stacked high too.
Most of the time my laptop is out on the kitchen counter among half empty bowls of that morning’s cereal and next to piles of random papers and kid artwork. I keep saying, “I need to take this artwork to the framer” but there is never any time.
Ahhhhh, I’m not alone in this desire to organize with no time to do it!
Oh my goodness I can relate – I am obsessed with books…pretty books. I started my own design consulting business in January and turned a guest bedroom into an office with the most amazing storage from Ikea. I spent around $1000 and got a corner desk, 4 floor to ceiling bookcases, a drafting table, 2 chairs, a drawer unit for fabric and paint samples, and a hanging rack for fabrics as well. You just can’t beat it. There is a magazine that I just discovered called Organize – While I don’t find the articles all that inspiring (although I have only gotten one issue so far) I really liked the advertisements – I found lots of great organizing sources. May be worth a look see…