Office Space*

While at home celebrating Big Dad’s birthday this weekend, I introduced my parents to Hoarders. I’m slightly addicted to the show, and every time I watch it I feel the need to purge and clean. It can be quite motivating.

I hate when things are cluttered… it makes me feel like I can’t function in a space. However, when I get busy (or lazy) things keep building up and I find myself surrounded in it.

How does this happen?

My desk is a magnet for clutter. Actually, our whole office is. When we lived in Senior’s City, the Hubster and I had our desks in separate rooms. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to have them together, it just made the most sense “space-wise” as we only had a one-bedroom apartment.

When we moved into our two-bedroom to Pretty City last spring, we decided to make our second bedroom an office. As a software / computer guy, the Hubster needs to have a desk / work station to work and relax. As a teacher / blogger, I also have loved having my own big desk to fill with my books and other personal junk. So, each having our own desk is amazing, but it also takes up quite a bit of space. Hence the need for an “office”.

However, as we downsized when we moved here (even though moving from a one bedroom apartment into a two bedroom apartment sounds like it would be bigger) I feel like I’m continually trying to find places to “hide things” and our office becomes our catch-all.

If the living room isn’t tidy and I know someone is coming over but won’t have time to properly put everything away, it all goes into the office, and half of the time it ends up somewhere on my desk.

In fact, until earlier this evening (when I forced myself to clear it off) there was so much crap piled onto one side of my desk that I couldn’t even access my keyboard.

The sad thing? It’s been like that for over a week.

It’s not that I don’t want to put it away, I just don’t feel like I have the space to do it. I’m constantly rearranging things trying to make them fit when all I desperately want is the IKEA commercial guy to come over, wave a magic wand and organize my office space for me. I need a clear desk so that I can write without trying to uncover my keyboard every time.

I find it impossible to blog when my space is cluttered.

I cannot wait for the day when we buy our first home and I can really organize a work space.I’m not quite sure how I’ll do it, but this is my dream:

1) Teacher space. While supply teaching is all kinds of fun, my real goal is to land full-time employment. And while I have next to no paperwork and books right now, I know that with a real job comes all kinds of things I’ll need space for–from curriculum documents, to novels for English courses and planning binders for every course I teach. I’d  LOVE to have a set of shelves and space just for all my teacher stuff. I’d also probably need a little filing cabinet.

2) Writing Space. I need a clear, clutter free, distraction free space to write. My dream for this is an organized desk that I can simply sit down at and write whenever I feel inspired. I get urges to blog at the most random times, and right now I feel like every time I get the urge to write, by the time I’ve cleared off enough space to do so, I’ve lost the desire. I hate it.

3) Craft Space. Did I mention that I’ve started crafting a little bit?  I will be posting photos of what I’m making on my Facebook page, so watch for that. :) I would love a space where I could access everything I needed easily on shelves nearby, without having to transition from teacher-space to craft-space. For this one I may eventually need a separate little table or crafting nook… I have so many ideas!

Someday I’ll have the best office ever. I really do love organizing, I just prefer it when I have the space and tools / equipment to do so.

What does your dream office space look like?