One of the factors we considered when we were deciding whether or not we needed a bigger house was the fact that I could potentially have an office. It would be a family office – a place to put paper files and work items and computers.
When decided to stay in our currently home, I accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to have a cute, pretty, chic office space to call my own. However, I knew deep down it wasn’t really an issue – The family computer is a laptop, and my work computer is a laptop. They are portable and movable. I tend to work either at the kitchen table or on the couch. I like being able to move around.
While working wherever is fine, the fact is I can’t leave my laptop at the kitchen table all day and the paper work is piling up with no where to go except the moving box I’ve been putting it in.
So I have to make some decisions about storage. The main floor that we just had redone is where I do my work – but leaving papers around is not an option and adding more furniture is tricky. We are loving the minimal amount we have after the renovations and things are looking pretty! I could open and close the laptop each time I use it, but I still need a small table or storage of some sort for it. Tucked in the corner of the dining room?
Our family computer gets moved to the table sometimes but primarily is in the basement which is also the play room and tv room. We have limited space down there for more furniture, so a slim table might work. There’s currently an older, too-tall table that it sits on.
Everything else – sewing items, papers, blog goodies – could find a new home with a shelving unit, filing cabinet and space in my master closet that I do have.
Here are a few things I’m considering:
This table has another little shelf that folds out:
This skinny table for the basement that could hold at least one laptop and maybe the sewing machine, although there’s little sew space. 
This table has folding leaves and if I needed the space it could just fold down and tuck away:
This mini table could work to hold my laptop upstairs and I could tuck it in the corner.
Anything for my laptop has to be on the small side because it will be on the main floor likely. I want it to still look pretty!
What do you do, if you don’t have a formal office? How do you manage your electronics and papers and everything else ‘stuff’ related to work? Pictures, links, advice would be great!
*all images from ikea.ca
Although we have an actual office, it’s in the basement and I don’t like to work down there. So I put a very small desk in our living room. It doesn’t go with the decor (right now, it was a desk we already had) but it’s small and light enough that I can move it if I really wanted to. It’s less than perfect but gives me a “space” to put papers and things that pile up… Ideally, I’d love to get new living room furniture with a desk and bookshelf that matches.
I definitely need something for my paper work…
I had the same problem in my house. I purchased a fold down desk that attaches to the wall. Lots of storage and space saving. They also sell filing cabinets on wheels with a desktop that might be an option. They are a bit pricey though.
that’s a really good idea! Still haven’t decided where to go with this…
We have two desks in the basement. One for the computer and one for sewing projects. The spare desk is the top one you pictured. It is also our play room, tv room, laundry folding, etc. It is where we live most of the winter. When we were in the townhouse our basement was the same with less than half the space. We had a corner desk then that had doors that closed and hid it all away.