An Office of Your Own

If you work at home like I do, some sort of office or space of your own is paramount. Whether it be a room you have set up as an office, or if you have made over closet, or small corner of your kitchen, it really does not matter because it is your own space. However, sometimes its not always possible for the office to entirely yours.  The downside is that you have to share space and computer with someone else or even your whole family.

Take myself for instance, and the computer that I use. It so happens that is the only computer in our house with Internet access; all of us need to use it at once in a while. Between the projects that my  daughters do for school, games that they both want to play and my husband using the pc, well you get the picture. Important papers that I may leave lying around inevitably get lost or misplaced.

If you have to share your space, how do you make sure the stuff that you need on a daily basis sticks around doesn’t disappear? From pencils to papers, the key here is organization!

Here in my office, well it is the corner of our kitchen where we have the computer. Nearby, there is a filing cabinet that most of my important papers get filed in.  I have a binder with current articles or information that I need right now near the computer desk. There is a shelf in the desk that holds dictionaries and the thesaurus. I have a magnetic strip (can be bought at an office supply store) that is stuck to the side of the desk with papers on it (access codes) that I use fairly often. I also have a write on/wipe off board that I jot down ideas on subjects that I want to look into for future articles and that too is stuck to the wall right beside the desk. My pens and pencils are in a special box (my kids know that they have to ask before they use them) and these are my own personal stock.

Wicker baskets are a great idea. Use one for each member of the family (if room permits) and each person knows not to disturb the papers in someone else's basket. Start at an early age to teach your children to respect other people's property. If the kids are younger, have a basket for them with their name on it and fill it with crayons, paper, colouring books and stickers (depending on the age, of course.) That way, if they do come in to your space, they have something to do and feel a part of the family too.

If you are lucky enough to have your own office in a room of your house that you can prohibit access to during certain times or deny access all the time depending on your deadlines. Perhaps you can give your family a sign.  For instance, if the door is open, it's ok to come and bug mom or dad, but if the door is closed, stay away unless there it involves blood. But as for me and my office space, it has taken some creative thinking on my part in order to make my space truly mine.