Do you have any spaces in your home that seem to be clutter magnets? I do. The area that I struggle with is my ‘office.’ We need to use that term pretty loosely because, since I work at home, my office is generally the kitchen table and the bar/pass through right by the table. Piles of clutter and papers were always there and they were driving me nuts. So, what’s a girl to do? I’ve got organizing ideas for your office organization today.
In the face of clutter and piles of paper, here is what this girl did. I turned to my coat closet. Sounds weird, right? Since the closet is right by the kitchen table and bar area, I used the unused space on the back of the door to make an organizer. Essentially creating an office on a door. You can make your own office on a door as well. It was pretty simple to make and is working really well to help keep me organized and keep things more clutter/paper free.
Before I made my organizer, I had several areas that were a problem. It normally looked much more cluttered and filled with papers than this.
I had two main problem areas. The bar/pass through area and my ‘in-box’ which is on my husbands desk around the corner in the office. The in-box in particular was a problem because that is where I was putting all those little things that needed attention. The pile was getting so large that if I touched it the whole thing fell over, which made me not want to touch it and means that lots of things weren’t getting done that needed to get done.
Look how the bar and my in box look now! Impressive, right? I love seeing the clean spaces that aren’t filled with paper and clutter. It makes me just a little more peaceful. Where did the stuff go? Because we all know I didn’t get all of my ‘to-do’ list done…don’t think that will ever happen.
Right by our kitchen table is our coat closet. The front of the coat closet is already in use. It has a dry erase board on it for our schooling needs. I decided to use the inside of the door for my little office organization project. I wanted to use this space because I wanted my in-box and papers and such to be close by where I work. As I said earlier, I tend to work at the kitchen table. Using the back of the door, puts it all right where I am, meaning things get done and used! Love that!
I saw this free pattern on Noodlehead to make a mail organizer. {Noodlehead: Mail Organizer Tutorial} I looked many other places to see if I could find something to buy rather than make my own, but nothing seemed to be exactly what I wanted.
The project does require a small amount of sewing. If you can sew a straight (or mostly straight line) you can do this project. On her site, she does a great job showing you a tutorial, so I’m not going to cover that again.
The one thing that was slightly confusing was printing out the pattern. The pattern is larger than a traditional 8.5×11 sheet of paper. In order to print the pattern to scale, you will need to change a print option. When your print dialogue box comes up, change the print option to the ‘Poster’ selection(the pink arrow). Keep the scaling at 100%. You can print this pattern in either portrait or landscape, it makes no difference. Can you see where the blue arrow is pointing? That is how it will print out. Once it prints on the 4 sheets of paper, you will have to cut and tape the pattern together.
I modified my mail organizer to have 3 slots rather than 2 like she makes. I wanted/needed 3 slots. All I did to add the third slot was make a third pocket. There was plenty of room on the canvas to add my much needed third slot. I love how deep the pockets are. They really can hold a good amount of my papers and clutter. Yay!
I’m using file folders in my organizer to keep things together and make them easy to find. In the bottom pocket, closest to my mini clipboard, which I use for my blog, I have a file for my blog related papers and to-do’s. I also have a folder to hold my running paperwork. These are things like upcoming race info. or my current training plan. Now they don’t have to sit out on the bar or kitchen counter.
The middle slot has a folder for homeschool related papers. This is usually things I want to look into or research. I also added a folder here for ‘classes and passes.’ I can keep class calendars here along with free or discount passes to places we may want to go for a field trip.
In the top slot is my new in-box. I love this area. It is my to-do area. As you can see in the picture above, I have a to-do- folder in this slot. I also have folders numbered from 1 to 4 in this slot.
The to-do folder holds all of those little things I need to get to and do. I have a piece of paper on the top of that folder to write things down if they don’t have a paper or something that goes with them.
I use the folders numbered from 1 to 4 as my current items I want to get done. That way when I have a free moment, I can grab folder number 1 and get something done. If it is an amazing day, I might get folder #1 and #2 done in one day! At the end of the day, I can just move items forward so that the #1 folder is ready for action and I have taken something else out of the big to-do folder and moved it into a folder ready for me to get it done.
I’m trying to get one thing done from these folders per day. I would love to get more than that, but it just isn’t realistic with everything else I have going on. There are days nothing gets done. At least, I have it organized and it is right where I need it. I also am not afraid of my to-do pile anymore…it isn’t going to topple over if I try to see what I need to do. That works wonders for my well being.
I hung the whole organizer with command adhesive picture hanging strips
. I used one cute little pink command hook below the organizer to hang a mini clip board. I use half sheets of paper to keep track of my blog work that must get done for the week and all my social media/pinterest posts for the week as well. I print them out double sided and they help keep me on track for the week. I also have a list of all the link parties by day that I link up to. Those things are on this clipboard ready for easy access.
. I used one cute little pink command hook below the organizer to hang a mini clip board. I use half sheets of paper to keep track of my blog work that must get done for the week and all my social media/pinterest posts for the week as well. I print them out double sided and they help keep me on track for the week. I also have a list of all the link parties by day that I link up to. Those things are on this clipboard ready for easy access.
My new organizer is working so well… and it is really cute to look at…which is a great bonus to me. It works so well to have things where I need them and have the folders. It is helping me get a few more things done most days. It is also helping me to be able to quickly find what I need. I love not seeing the in-box about to topple over. I also love having a clean and clutter free table and bar area.
Here are a couple of great sites to order fabric and other supplies for this project.
What kinds of creative use of space have you tried? Any tips for keeping the paper clutter at bay?
More Great Organizing Ideas for You:
Great idea! I live in a NYC apartment and need to use all the extra space I can find. Your before picture looks like my desk right about now!
Yes, this would be great for a small space…gotta maximize the use of the space you’ve got. This was the blog version of the before. I actually made everything got it all organized and remembered I needed before pictures. In reality it was much worse…thank goodness for the organization!
Take care,
KC
thanks for sharing how you are using the ‘to do’ folders 1 to 4. I will implement that idea. Thank so much. C3
Glad to help, Mom!
KC
Looks so pretty! Nicely done! 😉
Thanks, Brenda! They look pretty and the really help me, too…love that!
KC
Fab-U-lous idea! I’m love, love, love organized spaces! BTW, when we met last weekend, I totally missed you are such an organizational genius! Kudos to you!!!
Thanks, Lisa! I love organized spaces, too. They seem to me like they make life easier, but I know not everyone needs to be organized like I like to be. You are so sweet! I love organizing and being organized! It puts a smile on my face…it might not be normal! lol!
Take care,
KC
I love this idea! I’m curious: what’s in the pink case to the left of your laptop?
Thanks! That is my Kindle Fire. I leave it there everyday in hopes that I will actually have time to read, but we also use apps on it for our schooling.
Take care,
KC
Hello KC
New here and glad to have found your lovely blog 😉
This is so pretty!. Just what I need to get my mails and documents organized in tiny apartment. I’m definitely going to try this out. Thanks for sharing!
warmest
dianaruth
So glad you found my blog and that this looks like something that would work well for you. I hope it works out really well for you.
KC
This is great! I am going to have to add this to my “to-do” projects file. I really need something like this too.
Yours is very pretty. Good for you!
Thank you! It is working really well. My to-do list has shrunk considerably, even with me not getting to it every day.
KC
I love this, I need this, and as soon as I get all the supplies, I am so making this! Thanks for the hint on printing it poster style or I would have been all messed up!(I’m a newbie!)
Thanks, Kat! I hope it helps you keep some of that paper clutter at bay…at least if you have paper clutter like I do!
Take care,
KC
This is awesome! You should see my office. I can’t even work in there. Now I have taken over the dining room table too. My goal is to get it under control this summer. I just don’t know if I actually want to work in there. Its closed in and I like being out in the open. But I still want to get it organized!
I hope you make your goal of getting things under control over the summer. I also hope you are able to figure out a place to work that is open…I know what you mean about things feeling closed in. Maybe you could add some extra light or open windows or something.
Hope you are able to create a great works space.
KC
After all this time (holy crap, it’s been 3/4 of a year!!!) I FINALLY have all my materials gathered and I believe I am ready to make this! I will send a pic when I get it done!
That is so awesome, Alexa! I can’t wait to see it. Please send a pic or post it on facebook and tag me or whatever…but I can’t wait to see it! Have fun in the process and let me know if you need any help.
KC