Sunday, July 6, 2008

PROJECT: Office Annihilation & Creative Reconfiguration

I am SO excited. The time has finally come to...makeover our home office! It is something we've been talking about...well, ever since we moved in this house 8 years ago. We plan to add on at some point and the walls of the office will go down for the future addition, but ...you know what? Sometimes, it is good to enjoy the space that you do have and make it yours - rather than sitting around when the HELL is that DAY coming??!!!dreaming of "someday...someday." Kind of like when you gain weight and you punish yourself by not buying any new, fun clothes in your larger size because you tell yourself you'll fit back into your "skinny" clothes. And so you go around feeling like crapola never treating yourself to clothes that fit well and look good. Viva la Zaftig!! So, in the spirit of embracing what you DO have instead of thinking about what you don't have, I am ATTACKING the office. E and I both dream of a desk space that we can each call our very own. He is building us a desk and my job is to get the office CLEARED.

I am sure that you think I'm EXAGGERATING, per my usual, when I use the words "attack" and "clear." Unfortunately, NO. What I'm about to reveal to you is intensely personal. More difficult than putting myself in a bathing suit on the internets. Yes, what I am about to show you is like flipping my skirt up to reveal...that I'm not really a woman? No, not that. But... the no good, terrible, horrible, terrible truth is that I have let our office go. It's beyond SLOB. X 2 billion, trillion. Or is that 2 trillion, billion? Mommy Brain. Yeah...

And so...without further ado... please sit down, pour yourself a stiff one, and prepare to be SHOCKED, APPALLED, and INCREDULOUS. And I'm not just speaking of Jenn. Or, that Bad Mom revealing her deliciously clean tub in the interview by our dear, very own Mrs. G. I'm all of these ...shocked, appalled, and incredulous, but I drink. And eat chocolate. It helps. Usually.

OK, here is the desk space with books to the ceiling. We've got a few books. I adore being surrounded by books. My maternal grandparents always had a library and someday I hope we'll have one, too. A library....oooh, gets me all hot and bothered.
Another view revealing the printer and hinting of things under the shelves. Oh, yes...MUCH is below the shelves. The walls of the office are very WHITE. If we are up to the task, we will paint the office a color. I'm lusting for red.

This is a closer look at our shared computer area space. Lovely, I know. Just makes you want to CREATE. Doesn't it?
Then we have the file cabinet and a small bulletin board propped up. This is where my first rejection "letter" is posted, as well as other things related to Motherscribe. That pile on the chair? No idea.
Then just past the file cabinet we have boxes and bags full of paper to be shredded (from 1999.) As well as the infamous feather duster that I use as a boa. It looks a bit sad lying there all alone - hasn't been used in a while. We plan to turn this corner into a small reading nook. We'll put a comfy chair here to face the window, with a view of the backyard. This way we can see firsthand what trouble BOY & GIRL are attempting. Like a live video!Behind my chair are more book shelves and things that have run riot. Including the large bin of children's artwork. There is also my old easel (took up acrylic painting when I was going through IVF), which is covered in years of dust. To the right of that corner is a deep closet that we he will do and do and DO!...oops, I'm getting confused with Project: Fishnets redo. We plan to put the file cabinet in the closet and do shelves around it- giving us more floor space for the reading nook.

So, while I take on this monumental task...CAN SHE DO IT? YES! SHE CAN! So glad the Bob the Builder stage was quick and relatively painless...

E is building us a desk!

Here are the legs: just cut & shaped

...and after the stain. Notice the sweet curves. God, I wish I had gams like that! They might be a little distracting in the office...

And then here are the table tops. He is still doing the coats of stain, which is quite laborious. Perhaps most exciting of all, we will no longer be sharing a computer. No more ..."I need the computer" ,"No, I need the computer" ,"No, I really need the computer" ,"No, I really, really need the computer." It is done. No more Whaaaa WHaaaa, because...I am waiting for her to arrive. She of the red sheath, with cool keys and slim lines. My lovAH...
So, this is it...

Project: Office Annihilation & Creative Reconfiguration.

I could have called it Project: Office Redo, but why??


P.S. Now that you've seen my true underbelly, I'm sure you feel better about yourself. As you should.


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30 comments:

  1. I have my own computer, but Brad's took a dive a cocuple months ago. And of course he can't just replace the one part it needs, he has to redo the whole thing, which we can't afford, which means we're sharing MY computer. Blargh!

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  2. I love that you posted this. Even more than your swimsuit photos! haha

    Good luck with all this. It looks like you may be a bit busy today, but if you have a moment, come visit because I have something for you at my place.

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  3. Can you see the green glow from where you are? A WHOLE ROOM FOR AN OFFICE! And LINED WITH BOOKSHELVES. I'm drooling on my keyboard. Our office is a computer table in the corner of our bedroom. And we still have books in boxes in the closet. The five-year-plan is for a house addition off the dining room that will include an office. Unfortunately, the 5-year-plan always seems to be 5 years away and isn't getting closer.
    I look forward to seeing the "new" space!

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  4. What does it mean that your office does not in the least appal me? I am jealous of your new computer!

    The shoes posted, btw (!!)

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  5. I'm not sure what this says about my own state of clutter, but that office does not look the least bit out of the ordinary to me.

    Your underbelly wasn't so unseemly! (If that's any consolation).

    BUT, I love the beginnings of what you're doing to the place. And ooo la la, those legs!

    Deb
    sandiegomomma.com

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  6. That office looks exactly like one in which I would expect to find a brillant creative genius at work!

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  7. You're right--I would totally break out in bitch if it was in my own house. I'm okay with it being in yours! But right now I wish I lived next door to you--nothing feeds my soul like attacking the clutter and transforming a room into an organized oasis.

    The desks are fantastic.

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  8. Seeing the task you have in front of you makes me want to go lie down. And this is why I still haven't finished unpacking from when we moved in (Nov. 2006); because I go look at my piles of boxes, and then I go lie down.

    My excuse is that I can't get anything done with all these kids always in the house. How do you do it?

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  9. First I was all, at least her clutter looks academic with all the books. Then I was all, her husband takes on and completes home improvement projects?!? Now I'm positively pea green with envy that you're going to have your own laptop.

    I'm happy for you. Yeah, happy, that's it.

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  10. Oh my, a RED COMPUTER!!! Glorious.

    Looking at your office I realize that mine - that I thought was okay - is crowded and cluttered and in need of, well, something too.

    Oh, no, wait, I just panicked, and then I realized that the piles on every single surface distracted me from the fact that I just reorganized half the room three weeks ago.

    Good luck to you.

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  11. I cannot wait to see the after pics :)

    This post is a riot too--I can totally feel your excitement!

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  12. But does this project involve cow manure?

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  13. Muy jealous of the new computer. She looks svelte. I'm going to cheer you on. That looks like a daunting task. Ugh.

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  14. Here's some solidarity: My office looks very much like that. Except the books are packed. Otherwise, very very similar. I'm so excited for you that you're making over the space! Those desks are going to be beautiful, and your new laptop is hot. I would have picked red, too. (I'm with you on red paint for the walls!)

    Can't wait to see the after pictures.

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  15. I love to see how people live, BUT, right now I am really wishing I took a picture of our studio before preparing the house to sell, because it would put these to shame!
    I hope you will show the after pictures! The reading nook sounds heavenly.

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  16. RED RED!! Make it RED!

    And OMG you went through IVF?? I did too. Three times!! :o)

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  17. You are such a nut. I love it

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  18. Oh, man....I love your red laptop!!

    But seriously, Jennifer, this doesn't look too bad. Where, after all, are the cobwebs????

    Seriously - I think we all need some kind of regulated period of time each year to get our lives together. Between brush clearance, laundry, kid home from school, and book-shelf re-organization, there are way too many things for me to do!!

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  19. Now I'm certain we can be best friends. My home office space is in DIRE need of straightening, organizing, dusting, and trash-can-busting. I'm hoping you will show us step-by-step pics and inspire me.

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  20. I can't wait to see the finished project - what fun!!!

    And ... I'm a bit jealous of your new beautiful red Dell - mine is just an ugly little grey one - I want a red one!

    Take care - Kellan

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  21. Oh my gosh! Your bookshelf reminds me of the library!

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  22. That little red laptop that could! It's so you! Hubs and I are finally going to each have our own laptops, too, but I am trying to decide between a Dell or a sexay, sexay MacBook Air . . .

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  23. Your office is not that bad. You should see mine, its a complete disaster area.

    I am jealous of the remodel. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

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  24. Your office is not that bad. You should see mine, its a complete disaster area.

    I am jealous of the remodel. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

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  25. What lovely windows! It's going to be an absolutely gorgeous room, and I say YES to red walls! I'm still trying to convince my husband that at least one wall in our home should be red.

    So, red walls, books, a comfy reading chair, shelves, new desks and that sexy red laptop...when it's done we must all come over to toast your success!

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  26. Maybe one red accent wall and the others taupe? That's one of my favorite combos & it doesn't overwhelm...very warm and inviting. Love the red laptop...that's a dream that I will not be indulging in for a long time.
    Have a blast!
    Blessings, E

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  27. I think you should have just flipped up your skirt to show us that you're not really a woman.

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  28. Oooh I love the shelves with the books everywhere. When I get my dream house, I'm going to have a library with floor to ceiling bookcases and the rolling ladder to hit the high shelves. Now all I need is funding. Anyone? Anyone?

    Have you seen the feature in Real Simple magazine where you submit pictures of a room you want redone and they, if they pick you, will remake it for you. I have to get my crap together so I can actually enter our magic room (where we keep inventory for our online store) so they can help me figure out what the hell to do with all the stuff.

    By the way - love your desk. There's something about a wide, open expanse of desk that just gets me all twittery. Until I fill it with all my crap that is:{

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