Customize your office with little money

Back to work after a well deserved holiday, customize your home office without spending much money and parts made ​​by you.

Here are some ideas:

• Reuse the cans of tomatoes to put pens. With pliers flatten the area where the lid was and if you don´t like the outside of the can paint it with a color or glue a tissue, paper or ribbon to your liking.
• Reuse the tuna cans to put the clips and rubber bands. With pliers flatten the area where the lid was and  if you don´t like the outside of the can paint it with a color or glue a tissue, paper or ribbon to your liking.

• Give new life to your bookshelf with glass doors add a plain or patterned fabric to your taste. After choosing the fabric, cut it to the measure of the door, make a sheath. Glue the fabric to the door with double duct tape, not to damage the door.
• Use the glass cabinet as a pinboard. Write notes of encouragement or errands.

• Modify your chair, apply a patterned paper or fabric to customize it. See how in the link.

• You have a smooth carpet that you dislike, customize it by painting it with a pattern at your liking. Choose a pattern and acrylic paint, if you find the the pattern in stencil will be easier and faster to paint your carpet. See how in the link.

• Make your own mouse pad. Use the protections for the drawers and fabric. See how the link.
• Create your own magnetic rocks to put the clips. There are magnetic paint you can buy to apply, the rocks are free. See the idea.
• Make a magnetic calendar. Use balsa wood or model cardboard to create the base. Create a calendar for the week or month depending on your organization. See the idea.

Enhance your energy with some Feng Shui tips for your office:

• Do not forget that the desk should stay in a position to view the entrance door.
• Do not put the desk on the line between the entrance door and window to the space, because is where the most harmful energy will be.

And now to improve your posture leave some tips ergonomics for your office:

• The screen of your computer should be in front and not the on the side. I extend the same advice to the keyboard.
• The mouse should be close to the keyboard so you do not make big moves to work with it.
• Sit in your chair with your back straight and shoulders relaxed but upright.
• Use a chair that allows you to put your feet on the ground.
• The chair should follow the curvature of your spine.
• Your elbows should be supported on the table or chair.
• Make sure that the natural lighting comes form the side of your work plan.
• Have a desk lamp to enable you to have a good lighting in the work plan.

Children's bedroom in the return to school

With the end of the holidays comes time to start preparing the start of school. Buy books, notebooks, pens, backpack, etc..

Why not also prepare the room of your children for the start of the school year?

Image courtesy of (by photostock) / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

An organized room helps to have a successful school year.

We must make room for files, books, papers, without forgetting the leisure time are also needed.

Although the living room depends on the age of the child, the older they get the more space they need for your privacy, study and leisure.

Here are some general tips for organizing your kids' bedroom:

• talk to them and try to understand their needs for space and their organization method. Try to involve them in the organization of the room so they feel responsible to keep it clean and organized.

• do a cleanup of outdated items. This cleansing allows to make room for things to come and will bring new energy to the space. Donate some items to associations or sell online.

Image courtesy of (by photostock) / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• arrange space on the shelf for storing all the books and files to come.

• on the south side of the room arrange a special space to display trophies and honors that your child received.

• arrange the items from bottom to top, the most used items on the bottom shelves and the least used on the top shelves.

• if your child is a todler. use boxes to pack small toys. The more used toys can stay on the shelf.

• associate the toys pack up with fun time, arrange labels with pictures and words to help the little ones realize where they can pack up and learn new words. 

Image courtesy of (by Phaitoon) / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• the desk should be functional and don´t forget the accessories, cups for pens, lamp, etc. If your child has a desktop computer get yourself a cable organizer, will be easier to clean the room.

• the desk chair should not be with his back to the entrance of the room.

• remember that the little ones need to have their most valuable assets accessible, if they can not reach it they can not pack it. Clothes can be accessible, so they learn to develop their independence.

• put a hook behind the door. It's easier for them to come and hang their coats, it´s out of sight and tucked away behind the door.

• don´t forget to get a basket for recycling paper and one for trash. This way they seize from little to value the environment.

Image courtesy of (by nuchylee) / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

• arrange a corner with a beanbag away from distractions for the recreation area and reading, with good lighting.

• the bed shouldn´t be in the line between the window and the door, so that your sleep is not disturbed by fast energy. When lying in bed you should be able to see the entrance door.

• with regard to the decoration don´t forget that it´s your child room, it is space in the house, let him put his personality into the space.

One last note, remember that an organized and airy room is a step towards the well being and success of their inhabitants.

Designing small offices

The office of a company is its their business card. Companies offices do not need to be big to be comfortable what matters is the design and functionality of the space.

Is it possible to put an office in a small space and not look like a cluttered storage? That was the question that the IP Solutions CEO asked me when he seeked my expertise to install one of the company´s office in a 5 square meters area (53 ft2).

The space needs were a desk to work and meeting, cabinets to store files, printer and desktop computer space, it all would have to work in harmony and look good.

A key aspect when designing a small space is to combine all the functions inherent to a work space, work surfaces, storage area and do not forget the areas occupied by the furniture, circulation, and the space of the chair in use.

In this case there was already furniture, so there was a survey to ascertain what furniture and computer equipment would go to the space and their dimensions. This allowed me to make a layout planning of the best space arrangement.

The best and most rational layout is one that allows you to receive the greatest flow of light sideways on the work plan, is more comfortable because it does not create so many shadows.

Another important point for comfort in an office is to see the entrance door to the space, a person feels more secure and can be focused in work because it can maintain control of the space around them. In this case, the layout puts the chairs for guests close to the entrance door, preventing people to walk around the office.

Making use of an existing desk was suggested that it should be installed a smaller desk to make an L shape work plan. The small desk will be occupied by the desktop computer and leaves the rest of the desk space to work and meetings. The L shape desk is positioned so that the first thing the client sees is a clean and organize work plan.

The storage space is achieved by placing bookshelves to support the desk and also high shelves. The bookshelf that supports the desk will have a niche for the printer, allowing it to be within the reach of an arm. On the shelves along the floor are closed boxes, for storing small items and documents.

The color in a small space is very important, small spaces do not carry dark colors. Light colors make the room lighter and larger, dark colors make it small and crammed. Attention to the color of the furniture and walls.

In this case the furniture was white, which lightens space, given its size. The touches of color are given with small notes. The lampshade and small plants in pots confers naturalness and freshness to the space.

To customize and add some color to the space, the company logo was placed on the wall opposite the front door of the cabinet.

A peculiarity in the design space is the creation of a “whiteboard wall” very useful for meetings and work organization or even for placing motivation phrases or pinboard.

Of course all this planning will do nothing if one is not careful with their space. In small spaces you have to be organized and tidy, especially in the workplace where image sells more than words.