Work in Progress

Last week the room looked like the picture above, today the desk side looks like the picture below. I just don't feel this is the perfect way. I plan to move the desktop down to the floor but not inside the cabinet. I moved this other cabinet to place the copy machine. Is more stable than the file cabinet. On top of the file cabinet is the printer.

Next area that needs work is the homework desk.

I'm working on a few binders. I hope I get to finish today.

Love this baskets I found at the dollar store, 

great for organizing and they stack.

I'm currently using these to hold items

that go elsewhere.

The drawers are used for pantry items and also office supplies storage.

So this is my never ending project that I hope will get finished soon!

With School now in session and no more kids at home for most of the day, I would be able to tackle this projects.  Now let me get to working, so that I can show you later what I was able to accomplish today.  Will be adding the after pictures to this same post.  See you later......

Update on September 6, 2013.

Here are some recent pictures of the spaces above.

I lowered the desktop to the floor. 

Gave me more room on the desk.

Homework desk is cleared. For now! 

There is always some project in progress. 

Quincenera Invitations are being assembled and will soon be mailed out.

There is still more to be done.  

New Gadget

I found this adjustable 2 or 3 hole puncher.  Since I already have a regular 3 hole puncher. I adjusted this new one, to make the perfect holes on my mini planner pages.  I was having a hard time, punching holes, one by one, with a single hole puncher. And when I tried to use the regular 3 hole puncher, I ended with multiple holes on the pages.

To avoid using the wrong puncher on the wrong size pages, I labeled the puncher.  I have a feeling someone would not notice the difference until they see that the holes don't match with the binder rings.  Hahaha!

Another addition to my office is this office chair for the homework desk.  I love that I have space to work on it. Now I just have to get rid of the rest of the clutter on the computer desk.  The chair was just $2 at a yard sale. I practically got it for free! Its in excellent condition.

My goal is to finish organizing the office and son's room this week.  To keep up with the rest of the house, I do quick 5 minute clutter control in each room. I follow the reminders of Clean Mama and the current zone at Flylady.net

I get reminders in my Facebook news feed. Love these two sites!

OFFICE DESK MAKEOVER

Here is a before picture of my desk

I will be honest, its not always as neat as it looks in the picture.  

As I'm writting this post, there are items all over the desk.  So before I continue. I will set my timer for 15 minutes and clear it off. 

In ONLY 15 minutes I went from this:

TO THIS:

Last month I added this nice drawer liner to the backsplash of the desk hutch.

 I even used it to cover the mini clip board. That I use for my daily to-dos

How do I organize papers on my desk?

I use this handy accordion organizer that zips up.

My Goal is to check each section every time I sit at the desk while I wait for my computer to turn on. 

TABS

TO PAY

ACTION

FILE

ERRANDS

PAYSTUBS

TAXES

I KEEP MY INCOMING SORTER HERE

HOW do you keep your desk organized? Please share your ideas in the comments section.

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Home Office Epiphany

Saturday, January 5th, 2013. 

I woke up at 1 AM by noises outside of my home.  I couldn't go back to sleep, so I went to another room, turn my laptop on and read some blogs. One of my favorite, A Bowl full of Lemons.

After a few hours, I got sleepy again and went back to bed.  At almost 8 AM, my cell phone rings.  It was my husband calling me, to remind me that I needed to go to bank.  

So I planned my day, first I will go to the bank, then I will head over to church for the Confirmation class.

Everything went as planned, except for the fact that there was very few cars at church. I called the Faith Formation director to ask her if there was going to be class today.

She said, "Not today." 

I missed going to a very important event in Sacramento, because I didn't want to miss teaching the class for Confirmation.  AHH! I forgot we had two weeks off for the holidays. Forgetful Me.

I was very mad at myself. 

Ok, so now what should I do with the rest of my day?

The home office, the attic or son's room?

I decided on the home office.

Before transformation!

crafts and homework desk,

removed all items,

placed in bins or

put away where it belongs

Next

Computer Desk

After 6 hours of work,

the final result:

Moved Computer desk to opposite wall.

Printer and Copy Machine

on either side.

Opposite Wall

Crafts/Homework desk, Not finished

Pantry Armoire

Hallway towards back door

Things in boxes need to be organized 

Not sure where they will be stored.

Top of the armoire.

Picture of my father 

Wedding Memories

And Greeting Cards Boxes

Jesus Icon (garage sale treasure)

Cross from Party Lite party hosted last year.

I added a magnet of 

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Rosaries 

ready if needed

A reminder to pray often.

With this last picture I conclude this post.

January 6, 2013

Happy Epiphany Day!

May Christ bless this Home

20 CMB 13

The 3 Wise Kings have come to bring gifts.

Blessed Wise Kings,

I ask you to bless everyone reading this post.

Amen!

Make-up Brushes

I got this handy cotton ball organizer at CVS.  It comes with a top.  My idea was to use it, for my eye shadow brushes and other beauty supplies.

The drawers right next to it, contain the rest of the cosmetics.  They now have a home not in the bathroom or my bedroom, in my home office.

This is the homework desk.  Will be used for crafts, and as my vanity on the weekends.  The light in this room is perfect for my eye shadow creations.

I have been viewing tutorials for a while trying to learn how to apply eye shadows.  I learned that I have a hooded eye lid.  Most tutorials are great but, no matter how much I tried, I never got the same result. Until, I tried the tutorials for hooded eye lids.

This was the answer to my dilemma.

Will be linking this post to 

Almost Done!

I should be done by now, but do I ever do my work right? No. I get distracted easily.  And I just have to keep looking for more ideas and inspirations instead of doing the job.

Well here is a little of what I have been doing.

The office

 I started working in sections of the tiny office room, that's located just between the kitchen and main bathroom. In front of master bedroom. This was originally the dinning room. Being to small, I converted it to an office.

 I removed that basket organizer where I keep aprons, bags, grocery bags, and dusters. I took that to the laundry room. Instead I placed the file boxes.  And my new thirtyone tote bag. I will write a separate post to show you what I keep there.

That armoire is the pantry for now.  Until I find a better solution for pantry items. On top I have boxes with greeting cards, scrapbook clippings, and blank envelopes.

Before pictures of computer desk, and copy machine.

 I moved the filing cabinet under the copy machine. And the two door cabinet right next to the window.

 On top of the two door cabinet, I have binders, and the printer.  On the wall a schedule for shredding bills and receipts.

 On the opposite wall, right above the homework desk ( not yet organized) Is the motivational board. Motivation for fitness goals and office organization.

  Here is all the papers that will be tossed in the recycle bin.

Stay tuned for the final reveal of the homework desk and the completed room.  

Office Project #1

Yes, I have done it many times.  The never ending clutter purge.  This summer, I plan to target a few areas in my home, one at a time.

The first area will be the home office.

This is the crafts desk.  Last time that I organized it, this was my end result.  It no longer looks like that.

Office Now!

The office desk look similar to the above pictures.  Not a good place to work, or concentrate.  Well I want to change that.  I want to find a place for everything.  Make new habits, not to pile anything on this desks.  I have to have a motivation, something to inspire me.  So I searched some organizational blogs and found this post at Delightful Order,

Heather shared her craft area project at her blog Timeless and Treasured 

I won't be able to do it exactly like hers, but its inspiration that I can accomplish something similar.  And I'm going to start on it now.  Have a blessed day.

Homework Desk

On Sunday, I worked in the office.  I have been going through piles of paper.  Sorting, filing, and shredding.

Here is the before picture of the craft zone desk.

One hour of going through the piles and designating an area for each item. This how I organized the desk.

I found those round containers at the 99 cents store. They hold color pencils, markers, and highlighters.

The magazine holders contain, magazines for scrap booking and other homework activities.  Our family picture journal is there too.  Have not done much in it in almost a year. Empty folders and folders with clipping from magazines that I want to use for motivation collages.

Did you noticed the collage in the second picture.  I made that  for motivation during my 30 day challenge of Body Gospel. I'm using the large calendar as a magnetic board.  I do not have more space on the side of the fridge.  I was not keeping up with updating the calendar.  I might use it later.

For the white magazine holders, I used a tape I found at Michaels.  R and T are my husband's and mine initials.
Both of our first names start with the letter R.  Our last name starts with the T.

This little area above this small drawers, its what I call my Lent meditation.  The little book has prayers. I have a thimble with the name of the City where I grew up, till the age of 8 years.  "Juarez".  I pray for peace to this city because there is violent crimes there almost every day.

This  is my new incoming mail, sorter.  It has more room then the one I was using before.  I found this one at Salvation Army thrift store. Paid only $2.99 for it. This will help me to not pile papers on top of desk.  I can quickly file it under a category and deal with it later. And in case I'm looking for something in particular it will be easier to find.

I learned about this method at A Bowl full of Lemons.

I will be sharing this post there tomorrow.

Happy Friday!

What can I say.  My kids love me and fight over me.  This was only going to be, Mom and Son picture, but daughter could not resist and joined us.  It actually came out nice. 

On Monday it was picture day at school.  So I started at about 6:20 AM to curl daughter's hair.  Hoping it will stay intact until picture time.  To make things worst it was a rainy day.  Her ride to school arrived before I was done, so I sent them off with Son only.  And I had no other choice but to take daughter to school myself.  She still arrived 15 minutes before the bell rang.

I used a ceramic curling iron, for these curls.  They lasted until picture time, but not all day.

Now remember my goal for this week.  To tackle the paper clutter, mainly in the office room. Yes, I got half of it done.  Just 15 minutes every day.  I sorted, shredded, filed and tossed in recycle bin. Most of the papers that were on my desk, and on top of printer.

I got rid of the boxes on the floor.

Here is another addition to my fall decor.  I got this glass punkin  at CVS.  I filled it with some fabric fall leaves.  I was thinking of filling it with cookies.  Maybe later.

Have a Fantastic Friday!