Better Homes and Gardens One Room Challenge: How to Refresh your Home Office in Three Easy Steps
BETTER HOMES & GARDENS ONE ROOM CHALLENGE: HOME OFFICE
I did it! I finished the Better Homes and Gardens One Room Challenge week 8! Ugh, what a mission. Trying to redo a room and style it during Covid was a serious challenge. With stores being closed, little or no stock in items, and quarantine… holy moly. I couldn’t just go and pick up some rugs, try them out, and take them back. Every trip outside the house has been an ordeal, and usually has included a long ass line. Totally first world problems though, 100%. I am super grateful though for my friend @thecottageboundblog for making me do this and cheering me on along the way. Otherwise, I probably would have gone another year in an uninspiring, lackluster office. And I mean, I’ve always #WFH, but so many more people are right now, so I figured why not share a little #Homeoffice Inspo.
My first mission was to find Home Office accessories that didn’t feel like typical Office Supplies. I started searching around and discovered @GirlFridayHome on Etsy. She makes these incredible acrylic custom calendars, that are beautiful enough to hang in any room of your house. She even put my Turquoise + Tobacco logo on it and used my brand’s colors!
If I were going to tell you how to refresh your own home work space in three easy steps, here’s what I would tell you.
Remove and get rid of all of the clutter. Donate it/sell it, whatever it takes, but get rid of all of your crap and clutter!!! That means every little miscellaneous pile, every half-finished project, just purge!!!
Find storage solutions. Whether it be investing a little bit of money in a bookshelf, or cabinet where you can tuck things away, do it! It will make your day to day operations so much easier if you have a place to put things.
Make it beautiful! Add some art, personal photos that bring you joy, something that will inspire you! If there’s an ugly light fixture, or gross tile that is just making you cringe every morning when you walk in there, either replace it, or think of a clever way to cover it.
I brought in some plants, and pretty decor that made the space feel lighter and cozier.
I also discovered @Ubrands. A Southern California brand who makes the chicest office supplies. No more ugly black pens and neon notebooks. Say hello to gold scissors and cement tape dispensers.
Astrology pens, yes please!
I’m a huge believer in Manifestation and Vision Boards, so laugh at me all you want, but yes, I put them all over my bulletin board. One thing I’ve noticed about being an entrepreneur, is that there are many highs and lows. Some days I’m so inspired, motivated and confident. Other days, I feel like no one likes my designs, I can’t focus, and can’t motivate. I’ve found it helps to list out my accomplishments I’m most proud of, my vision board, and my niches, or what makes me and my brand special. I swear it works to get me out of those funks!
The light fixture was kind of a funny ordeal. I couldn’t find one anywhere I liked, I finally found one I loved from West Elm, but could not order it, or find it in a store to save my life until the last second. Finally found one, drove to Costa Mesa to pick it up, but then discovered that Incandescent light bulbs are no longer for sale in the state of California. After scouring several Home Depot’s though, I found some. Bye Bye Victorian mini ceding fan.
But like I said, if a light fixture is driving you nuts, and you have to look at the damn thing every day, just wait for a sale like I did and swoop up a fixture that’s going to make your space beautiful.
I also love these little stackable storage cubbies from The Container Store. They’re perfect for storing my jewelry inventory because they stack, and I can label them too! I also use them in the garage for keeping screws and nails tidy.
Who knew I could get so excited about a tape dispenser, but it’s concrete!!!
How rad!?!
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AFTER
And how pretty is this Ikea storage cabinet? Way better than my old situation, a janky old step stool housing my printer, shipping scale and cable modem. Now everything is perfectly and neatly tucked away.
I can’t say enough about @Vitruvi. First thing I do, when I walk into my office every morning is fill it up with whatever scent I’m feeling that day. It instantly gets me inspired, and feeling like I’m at a chic spa or something. For 20% off your purchase, click on this LINK, and use my code: BLANCOBUNGALOW.
Rogue and Coyote are both huge fans of the rug. Rogue comes and lays on it, and Coyote loves to bring his toys in and play on the floor while I’m working, so it’s now become kind of their new hangout spot. I’m dying to change out the tile, but for now, a rug works just fine. This one is from Target.
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AFTER
@Betterhomesandgardens @OneroomChallenge
FURNITURE: BOOKSHELF, STORAGE CABINET, OFFICE CHAIR (mine is CB2 and no longer available, but I linked the newer version), DESK (mine was made by a friend, but I’ve linked a similar version) FILING CABINET
ACCESSORIES: RUG, BRASS CHANDELIER, ACRYLIC CALENDAR, WOOD AIR PLANT HANGER, VITRUVI DIFFUSER (20% off when you use my code: BlancoBungalow), SHEEPSKIN, YES,SEA PRINT, GALLERY FRAMES
#WFH HOME OFFICE SUPPLIES: CONCRETE TAPE DISPENSER, ASTROLOGY PENS, ARC TAPE DISPENSER, ARC FILE ORGANIZER, ARC PEN CUP, ARC PAPER TRAY, GOLD TAPE DISPENSER, GOLD STAPLER,
STACKABLE STORAGE BINS, LETTER TRAYS, LETTER SORTER
