When you live in a small house and have an even smaller budget, you have to be, shall we say, “creative” with your solutions. Case in point: both Don and I freelance, therefore, all of our work related materials live here. We don’t leave the house and ‘go to an office.’ In my case, I write two blogs here, have tons of reference materials (including books) for my coaching work and my book reviews, all receipts for both the blog and my work away from home are kept here, along with a lot of the other paperwork that goes along with paying household bills.
We have the guest bedroom/office/Don’s studio, where there are two file cabinets – one for me, one for Don. Mine holds dialect research and other ‘must save’ information. Don uses the desk in that room for his work. But the rest of the room is filled with a bed, a linen cabinet, a fax machine, and all of Don’s guitars and music paraphernalia. It can’t simply be an office/studio space. It also has to function as a guest room.
Then I have the ‘studio’ in the upstairs hallway – but that’s where the sewing machines live. (I sometimes fantasize about storing the machines and using that worktop as a desk. We’ll see.)
A few years back, Don came home with a freebie he found on the curb. It was an ugly computer desk. My first response was, “Take it back.” But then I accepted Don’s challenge and reimagined it with paint and vintage fabric. To read more about that, click here. For a while, it sat in the den, but I decided I wanted a separate place to go when I had to do paperwork.
Where is there any extra space in this little cottage? Well, we have a little cupboard under the stairs where we store things that we don’t need to get to very often, which means that most of the time it’s wasted space. So why not put the desk there?
You can see the little closet behind the desk. When I need to access it, I move the desk away from the wall. It’s a bit of a pain, but this is the kind of thing you do when you live in a small space. You compromise.
The chair, by the way, is one of the chairs I am longing to get rid of. Soon.
Monday dawned and I knew I had to tackle this area, which had boxes stacked on top of the desk and baskets overflowing with paperwork. I sat on the floor, pulled out the baskets and sorted like a madwoman.
On the shelves beneath the desk: the wire basket holds all our paid bills, the stack to the right of it holds old agendas and notebooks, the basket on the left on the lower shelf holds all my receipts and paperwork for both the blog and my coaching work, the one on the right holds chargers, cords and my beloved Blackwings. The paint brushes in the cup are used for work on the dollhouse.
2014 paid bills/receipts have been gathered together with a giant rubber band and are now sitting in the big white cupboard in the living room. Everything else has been sorted, rearranged or dumped in the trash.
The top of the desk has been cleaned off and is ready for 2015.
My tins. The green one holds business cards that I want to hang on to.
The coaster was actually a rug made by someone for that mini swap. But it’s out of scale and too thick for the dollhouse, so I thought I’d repurpose it as a coaster. (My watch needs a new battery, that’s why it’s sitting there.)
My lamp find from the Country Living Fair with its temporary lampshade solution. Note to self: get on that. The little cottage with the two birds wall pocket was a gift from Judy.
Instead of trying to fit some sort of pin board in here, at least until I find one that works, I tied some thick trim I had to one of the spindles. Then I used oversized clothespins (I think I found them in the $1 bin at Target) to hold notes, one of which is my upcoming book review schedule. That photo is of Don and I on the beach in San Diego.
The wind chill today is below zero. I’m thinking I’d like to be back on that beach.
The doorstop was an auction find.
And my new tote bag lives on the chair.
No, the desk isn’t elegant. It’s sort of funky. It was free. Total cost? $0. The paint I had on hand, the vintage fabric was in my stash. I’d say you can’t beat the price.
I’ve taken a rarely used space and made it into a work area for a girl with several irons in the fire.
That would be me.
Happy Wednesday.
Missy says
Perfect..Great place for your desk and the clothespins are a super idea..Just have to be a little creative and you are!! It works..
Claudia says
It works and now I just have to keep it neat, Missy!
Donnamae says
Great little desk! Pretty and useful. Love that chair…isn’t stable? And I love that clothespin idea! I think when you have a smallish area to work with, there is always more creativity…and you’ve proven my point! Stay warm…it’s bitter cold here too! ;)
Claudia says
Not at all stable, unfortunately!
Donnamae says
Too bad…I think it’s gorgeous! ;)
Penny says
Hi Claudia, nice to meet you. I found your blog from Chy’s blog ‘Our Little House In The Big Woods’. I have really enjoyed reading back through some of your posts, and love your decorating style, and reading about your cottage and lifestyle.mi am following you now on bloglovin, so I will be able to keep up with your adventures! X
Claudia says
Thank you so much, Penny! Welcome.
Karen says
Thanks for sharing your little space, Claudia. Everything you touch looks so cozy and makes me want to step right into the picture.
Claudia says
That’s such a nice thought, Karen. Thank you!
Linda @ A La Carte says
Small spaces lead to creative solutions! I do like your desk and for a freebie it looks pretty great! I need some sort of creative work space and it’s my next project!
hugs,
Linda
Claudia says
Good luck, Linda!
Shanna says
Looks like a perfect solution to me. Love the ‘found’ objects you’ve used. What about the sweet dog on the floor by the newel post?
Claudia says
It’s a border collie doorstop I got several years ago. Scout is a border collie.
Susan says
I think it is a perfectly charming desk. You have worked your magic and it is now lovely. Love all your wonderful touches and best of all it looks like it belongs to you!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Claudia says
Aw, thank you, Susan!
Debbie says
I’ve been wanting to replace my old computer desk for quite some time, but haven’t found a replacement that I like and can afford. You have inspired me to give my desk a make over & I can’t wait to get started!
Claudia says
Oh good! Go for it, Debbie!
Vera says
Love the look of the desk — doesn’t look like a “computer desk” at all!! And especially love the little cubby/closet behind the desk. There was one like that in my grandparent’s home. It was a great place to store things…or for grandchildren to find things!!
Claudia says
If I was a little kid, I would be crawling in there and making it my secret space!
Lottie says
Claudia, I love all the colors you have used with your white desk! Beautiful!
Claudia says
Thank you so much, Lottie!
Wendy TC says
A smaller house does fire one’s imagination to make possessions fit. I’m in the process (never-ending process) of organizing/cleaning out my house too. I finally got my stitching and knitting supplies pretty much organized. I have to tackle the sewing things.
Claudia says
Oh boy. That’s a project I have yet to tackle, Wendy. Soon!
ladyhawthorne says
To make moving the desk easier why not add wheels to it? You can get some with stops for the front side so it won’t roll when you don’t want it to do so.
I just love your cottage, it’s so cozy & comfortable looking!
Claudia says
It moves easily enough, that’s not a big problem. I just have to move the rug, push the desk away from the wall and make sure the desk is far enough away from the wall for the door to swing open. Then I have to get on my knees to retrieve anything in the closet!
Melanie says
For what it’s worth, I like that desk chair! :-)
Claudia says
It isn’t that I don’t like it, I bought it after all. It’s just poorly made and keeps falling apart. All four of them do.
Lynda Kling says
The little chair is beautiful…has a lot of character!
The desk actually looks terrific!
JP says
You found the perfect spot for that little desk to work, tucked into your adorable staircase. Love the antique flower basket door stop. You really have a great sense of style.
Gillian says
An excellent use of space, I’d say. My brother-in-law has done something very similar in his hall though he has a computer on his desk there.
debbie kirby says
the two spots i love thats one and the other is your sewing area
Mary says
Know how it is fitting everything in, BUT aren’t we lucky to have such cozy small homes for many other reasons!
We have managed to fit in all we really require to live comfortably in just 1200 sq.ft. Of course we are retired – don’t have the work related paraphernalia now that Bob is totally retired even from the consulting years which followed his first retirement. I no longer do scrapbooking or much sewing so have given away a lot of supplies for those hobbies. Sometimes I envy friends who have big sprawling homes with dedicated rooms for particular hobbies and projects, but then think how fortunate I am to have the cottage which I love and is right for us.
Love what you’ve made of your sweet cottage Claudia – you know that by now!
Hugs – Mary X