I’m a New Yorker; my oven is used for storage
~ Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne, my prince would tell you that storage in an oven is a very bad idea! Honestly, I would be lying through my teeth if I didn’t admit to shoving a pile of papers or drawings under my temporary ‘work from home desk’ earlier this year when I knew a Zoom meeting was going to start! Thank goodness the kitchen was far enough away and under construction so that the oven was never an option!
In the second chapter of my Work from Home Series I’ve decided to take on one of the next biggest challenges of our WFH participants from across the country: storage!
It was feast or famine with the needs for storage. 50% of our participates said nada, zilch, noting, that everything is online or stored on USB sticks. Congratulations to these progressive work-from-homers… ‘homers’... is that even a proper description?! I, for one, have trouble making the leap to USB sticks and a cloud for my storage, so I live in the other 50% world of paper documentation.
While realistically many don’t need the storage of the late 90’s, at the very least a file drawer is still needed, as well as storage for scanners and/or printers.
Following the flavor of the kick off blog, I still maintain that having a work space that can be tucked away is very important. As Lisa from Texas pointed out, “The downside of working from home is that you are always at the office. Instead of a 30 minute drive (to the office) it is a 2 second walk to your computer and suddenly you are back at work. It is really easy to get sucked back in, especially when you have customers in very different time zones.”
This transitional home office space designed for clients in Naples offers printer storage in the lower cabinets, two lateral files, and plenty of miscellaneous storage while still maintaining the sleek, clean, and transitional styling the clients requested. The desk top is designed with a Mocket pop up USB and outlet gromet, and a chase for cords inside the desk top. This allows the desk to remain polished and presentable when not being used as a work horse! I personally love the waterfall countertop detail we added to define the cabinetry! I guess falling victim to being ‘sucked back into work’, as Lisa from Texas stated, would be at least somewhat enjoyable in this space!
Nestled into the corner of this Connecticut shoreline family room, Kathleen designed a workstation for a very special client. Hidden away in the two towers that flank the desk are a printer, file drawer, and storage for office supplies! Kathleen’s clever use of beadboard offers a layer of character and texture that is a nod to a cottage feel while still maintaining an air of elegance. A cozy little window seat adjoins this space, offering an opportunity for a change of scenery during the workday too! I’d venture to say that working from this space is nothing short of delightful.
Custom built ins may not be an option for everyone. For those on a smaller, tighter budget, consider commandeering a closet! With a few extra shelves and coordinated storage boxes and baskets you’ll find yourself with a great little office storage oasis!
Coming up next week… ergonomics. Our corporate offices pay close attention to our health and comfort, and we need to do the same at home!