how to create a home office – Karen Creamer Author, Coach, Speaker

post purge bookcase — Post purge office bookcase

It took several days and lots of cold hard decision-making, but the purge is (almost) complete. It was interesting (and sad) for me to note that I had no less than 5 books about Simplifying My Life.

We don’t know when we’ll be transitioned to working at home but we’ve pretty much been told to be on standby for a couple of weeks already. This is stressful because I”m still waiting for the desk to be delivered! It would be really helpful if the desk arrives before person who is installing the ergonomic keyboard tray does! Hopefully that will come next week.

First I had the thought that I had to get honest about the books. How many are there, really? I got all the books from all the hiding places…I thought. When I was done I remembered a few more places that I was keeping books in the house and ferreted them out and added them to the (rapidly increasing) pile.

The next thought I had was this: I almost never reread a book (I definitely won’t re-read a novel). This thought was followed by an epiphany: why, then, was I keeping any book I was sure I would never read again?

I didn’t know.

Next I thought, wouldn’t having at least one bookshelf containing only books that I haven’t yet read be wonderful? As would having empty space on the shelf to receive new books. Heaven.

Anyway, back to the book purge. Here’s what I did with them:

I put a box out at the end of my driveway with a sign: “free to a good home”.
I brought some to the library for their annual book sale.
I made a gift of some of them to several friends.
I brought some to Annie’s Book Stop, where they give you store credits in exchange for your used books.

Then I took the what was left, organized and shelved them. When I was done, I felt fabulous. Every time I’m missing one of the books I gave away, I remember the shelf on the book case that contains a little empty space now.

Bliss.

Choosing the desk was the next step. I have to be ready when the tech person comes out to set up my computer equipment so I must have a place for them to set it up on! Finding a desk sounds easy enough on paper, doesn’t it?

It’s not. Well, if your space can accommodate a desk that is 6 feet by 6 feet then you’re good to go. If it can’t, then your starting off at a distinct disadvantage. Distinct. Disadvantage. We were told that there was a chance we could buy our desks from our current job, so I waited a couple of weeks, but then the word came down that we should act “as if” we would not be able to buy them, so off I went: Target, Staples, Bob’s Discount Furniture…I checked online after someone mentioned that Overstock.com had desks (they do, but they aren’t cheap).

Then my husband remembered a store on Rt 1: Fisher James. I walked in, looked around, then…I saw it. The desk that had been in my mind’s eye whenever I saw myself working from my home office.

It was love at first sight.

For some reason I envisioned a wooden work surface with black metal filing cabinets for a base, which this desk had. Alas, my room couldn’t accommodate the size of the floor model, but it turned out that having it custom-made was cheaper. I would lose one of the filing cabinets but I could live with that. I use one of my filing cabinets at work right now mostly as a pantry anyway…but I digress. We ordered the desk. It will take 3-5 weeks to arrive. I’m saving some money because my husband will pick it up and assemble it. You gotta love a man who knows how to use tools…

Other considerations are setting up an ergonomically friendly work space, a chair, a tray for the keyboard and mouse, a coffee source…all still TBD…but since right now I’m sitting on a yoga block on my kitchen chair, it shouldn’t be too hard to improve on that!