We are on week 3 of sheltering in place…at least I think it’s week 3…the days and weeks are blending into one another aren’t they? I daresay we are starting to settle into a bit of a flow at our house and we have a loose schedule in place that is working pretty well for our family.
What has been slower to come together is me figuring out how to create some balance for myself and my business now that I am taking care of the kids full time and supervising their distance learning. This week I created a new office space for myself in our bedroom and I am excited to share it with you today!
One of the things that brings me so much joy is blogging…it is a creative outlet for me, and my sanity kind of depends on it, especially right now. I used to carve out time while the kids were at school to write blog posts and then shoot and edit the corresponding photos. I loved sitting at my desk in our bright and cozy Living Room and working away on my laptop.
The Problem
Now with everyone at home, my desk in our Living Room is not working out so well anymore. I was feeling really uninspired and definitely not creative during the first few weeks of “sheltering in place”. Part of that was because of the emotional climate of this pandemic, but the other challenge for me was not having a quiet place to work.
When I did try to do some administrative tasks for my business or write a blog post at my desk in our Living Room, I was constantly being interrupted and/or distracted by the family. In order to find the peace and quiet that I needed, I was hiding out in my room and writing on my laptop in my bed. Not only was this killing my back, but I wasn’t feeling very productive working in this way.
This past Monday morning I woke up and had to acknowledge that there is a good chance the kids won’t be going back to school this year and we could be sheltering in place for awhile. Knowing how important it is for me to be able to blog and work on my business, I decided that I needed to create a different work space for myself and started brainstorming options.
The solution
In order for me to concentrate, I need a quiet and tidy space. I also need to be able to close the door when I am working so I don’t have to listen to the kids zoom chatting with their friends or fighting over who ate the last of the crackers. My husband has taken over our basement, there are no rooms with doors on our main floor, so my bedroom was the only option.
Deciding that I would have to use my bedroom solved the question of “where” but I was left with the “how”….there was nowhere to put a desk in my bedroom, it was already full of furniture pieces. I have a vintage dresser against the wall by our sliding door that is purely decorative. The drawers don’t open and close very easily so I don’t use it for day to day items.
Photo by Tracey Ayton
I decided to temporarily move this piece into my closet and set a desk up here instead. I just happened to have a desk from IKEA in my old office space in our basement, which has been taken over by my daughter for her playmobil collection. With the help of my husband and a quick furniture swap, I now have a new office space in our bedroom and I couldn’t be happier about it!
While having a desk in my bedroom wasn’t part of my original design plan, nor would it be my first choice to have this particular desk in my room, it is very functional and that is what matters most right now.
Adding some style
Once I got my head wrapped around the idea of having a makeshift home office in my bedroom, I got excited to style my desk and make it a place that I would look forward to using every day while stuck at home with my fam-damily.
I had a blank slate to work with and my favorite Juniper Print Shop hanging above the desk, so things were off to a good start. I collected a few decorative objects from around the house and had this space feeling “like me” in no time at all.
I added a faux fern for some greenery and life, and then plugged in my essential oil diffuser beside that. Next up were some pretty books stacked on the other corner.
This particular desk doesn’t have any drawers, so I brought the pen holder from my desk in the Living Room and then placed a pretty scented candle beside that. The last thing I added was this cute task lamp, one of my favorite IKEA items, which I stole from the desk area in my family room.
Now I have a bright, cheerful and tidy makeshift office and it didn’t cost me a thing! Having a place where I can sit down for a few hours a day and feel creative and productive has already done wonders for my mental health.
It all came together because I was able to shift my mindset over what my bedroom “should” look like and find a decorative solution to my work space problem. One of the hardest things for me about this pandemic is dealing with all of the uncertainty and feeling a lack of control over the situation. Creating this space for myself was something I could control, and it made me feel less powerless.
I started blogging a few years ago to promote my business, but then I fell in love with the process itself and I try and share home inspiration here once a week. Blogging feels like a small thing I can continue to do right now, while I am unable to work with clients and it’s giving me something positive and constructive to focus on.
Sources
If you are looking to create a similar look for yourself, here is a list of the items I used, and I am linking exact sources where possible.
desk – IKEA has the most affordable options in my opinion, and mine is made by using this tabletop and base
task lamp – I love this style, the fabric cord and brass detailing make this seem more expensive than it is
decorative books – I am a sucker for pretty books! I adore Reese Witherspoon and her book; this book about French Vintage Decor is written by a blogger who is a North Vancouver local, I just bought it and can’t wait to read it cover to cover; another new book by a Vancouver local and the title “Gather at Home” couldn’t be more relevant right now!
candle – mine was a score from Homesense/Marshalls but this one is my favorite budget friendly scented candle…it smells so good!
desk organizer – my Rae Dunn cupholder was another Homesense/Marshalls find, but this one looks cute and I like the phone holding feature
Please note:Little Nest Design is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Little Nest Design may earn a small commission at no extra charge to the purchaser, on linked items.
If you are looking for some ideas or inspiration about how to create a home office space for yourself, you can check out this board on my Pinterest Account.
Thanks so much for reading and if you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you below!
xo, Kerri
