It’s not a whole room, but it’s a spacious corner with a desk of my own. Technically it’s an actual room with a door that closes, but since I share the space with the kids, I’m more comfortable calling it my corner. The truth is, I will still do most of my laptop time in coffeeshops between kid pickups. But I’ve been craving a desk where I can do some work at home then leave my notes, pens, etc., in a spot where they will remain untouched. I wanted a bulletin board and a bookshelf for my craft books, favorite essay collections, and the binders, anthologies, magazines, and newspapers containing my own work. Now I have a corner with all of the above, and I am so excited!
And guess what? The whole operation took three hours tops. The lesson here? I tend to make things more complicated in my mind than they are in reality. This part of the room has been here for the taking for three years, ever since Nathan, our fourth child, moved out of the nursery and into a “big boy room” on the lower level next to his three older siblings. (We have a two-story rambler with a walkout lower level, which is common in our neighborhood.)
I’m not sure why it took me three years to claim a part of this former nursery on the main floor next to our bedroom. Maybe it’s because some of Rebecca’s and Elissa’s things spilled into the extra space once we moved them into one bedroom. Maybe it’s because when Rebecca took up sewing we put the sewing machine on the only remaining desk in the house and dragged the desk along with all her supplies into the former nursery. The kids’ various gadgets charge there with twisted cords sprawled on top of the former changing table. The old nursing gliding chair was in there, too, which I kept because it’s still a great reading and writing chair. (It’s where I’ve been writing first thing in the morning since Nate moved downstairs.) So yes, I’ve been using that chair as my “office” for years, but I had nowhere to keep my stuff and at this point in my career, it felt undignified.
A few days ago I decided enough was enough. In three hours flat, I went to a store specilizing in ergonomic chairs, got Nathan on time from camp, then shlepped him to an office store to grab a big bulletin board. When we got home, I gave away half of the girls’ toys in that room and put the rest in another corner. Then I freed up the desk by packing up the sewing machine Rebecca hasn’t touched in a year.
I moved the bookshelf that once held board books next to the desk and moved my craft books and binders from various places in the house to this one spot. I collected all my fancy pens from next to my bed, my purse, the kitchen junk drawer, and other black holes in the house and put them in a mug. I found two old wicker baskets in a closet that once held diapers and wipes and made the kids’ iGadget thingies look nicer on the old changing table. For the final touch, I begged Bryan, who would normally put off such a task, to hang the bulletin board that very evening. And because he could see the crazy in my eyes, he got out the tools and became my favorite husband ever.
This room has had various nursery versions over the past thirteen years. You might enjoy the transformations below.
Do you have a dedicated space at home? I’d love to hear about it.
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21 Responses
Yay for your corner! Such a good reminder that tasks don’t need to take all day or be built up into daunting (easy to say no to) things. xoxo
Good for you! Claim it! I already have a writing office, but I’m secretly coveting my older daughter’s room so I can also have a meditation space when she moves out. Is that wrong? 😉
So glad you did this for yourself. As you know, I have a space of my own too (though arguably the smallest in the house) and though I don’t work in it 100% of the time, I like knowing my “stuff” is in there, untouched by others. Having it directly off of the living room also makes it unavoidable so I feel more compelled to write regularly rather than maybe if I had taken the larger unused room upstairs. Enjoy your organized pens! 🙂
Congratulations, Nina!
Yes, the global headquarters for Koppel&Co is located in the space once known as Clare’s room. It’s a great space with a bay window, plenty of walls for framed art, mirrors, photos – meaningful things to me.
But a heads up – the idea that your pens, and markers, and paper, and stuff will remain untouched? – well-ordered spaces always attract projects – yours and the kids’. So relish in their presence – they will move out soon enough.
Congratulations on your space Nina! It looks great — and seems like that room has a ton of memories (tangible and intangible) in it, which makes it even more special. All I wanted for Hanukkah this year was a writing desk. The only place in our house to put it was in our bedroom but it fits perfectly. It’s not quite a corner, but it’s a dedicated space — and I’ll take it! We have a small side patio that is useless and I’m trying to convince my husband that we should have it enclosed and convert it into a little office alcove. He keeps muttering some nonsense about how that costs money! Maybe one day….
I’m not sure why it took me three years to claim a part of this former nursery on the main floor next to our bedroom.!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks great! I make things more complicated in my mind too. I laughed when you wrote “the crazy in my eyes” – my husband knows that look well!
So beautiful! I have a desk in the home office — but the reality is that the whole room is mine all day (while my husband is at work). The irony is I work at the kitchen table or on the couch. But like Kristen, I have a place of my own where I can keep things. It’s not nearly as tidy or uncluttered a your new area, and you’ve inspired me! Thank you!
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I am so excited for you!! You DEFINITELY deserve it. Now let’s fill up more of those shelves with your wonderful writing. 🙂 Your spot looks amazing.
A space of your own. Wonderful and so well done.
That is a lovely corner!! Everyone deserves a space all their own. Enjoy it! 💛
This is great Nina! I have a little corner of the kitchen as my desk, but it’s more utilitarian (paying bills) than creative (writing). For writing I still prefer curling up on THAT COUCH with a blanket, with the light streaming in the window…
For years I found myself hunched over my laptop while working on the dinner table. Or I’d be slumped into the couch at weird angles. Then, like you, I wondered why. It’s hard to take yourself seriously when you’re working like that. Last year I splurged on a all-in-one desk/cabinet/shelves and it revolutionized my attitude toward writing, not to mention my aching back.
Enjoy your new space. (Love the sign on your bulletin board!)
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I love your corner! 🙂 My husband and I share an office, but I still end up doing most of my writing on the couch. That way Buffy can sleep next to me while I write.
I can relate to all of this so much. I also have a corner — a desk, shelves with writing projects, and note cards hung on string. I also scavenge bits — pens, paper, time — from the rest of the house, the kids, the pets. Here’s to juggling, and to corners!
Way to make a change and claim a corner just for you. I can’t even believe how much you’ve accomplished without one! I did this, too, maybe about a year ago. I claimed a corner in our front room. Until then, I shared a messy table with my husband in the porch, that’s freezing in the winter and steaming hot in the summer. Finally, like you, I said enough. My husband and I drove to a furniture store. We picked out a desk, a bookcase, and a filing cabinet. I tucked it all into the corner across from the piano, and I’ve been swooning over having my own space ever since.
Nina, help me. I am nearly 100% convinced I left a comment on this post? Is it stuck in your approval queue?
But if not, I LOVE YOUR CORNER. Your desk is gorgeous and so is the bookcase.
You’ve seen my yellow desk on Instagram – I love it because it makes me happy 🙂 Technically, we have a study but because my yellow desk stays clean (computer is in another corner), I find the kids’ things there all the time (they have their own crafting area!) so I think I need a sign above my desk too!
So satisfying – congrats!
I definitely make things much more complicated and long and drawn out, than they need to be.
I love it. Everytime I try to do this someone (husband, kids )take over my area. It’s infuriating. I was just thinking of buying a small desk and putting in my bedroom but I don’t want to associate my room with work.
I love that B (can I call him that? I feel like I can) saw the crazy in your eyes and got right to work for you. Your space looks great. I have a little corner in the basement and it’s too messy (my own fault) but it’s mine. My husband asked if I missed having my own office. I do, sure, but I also know that it wouldn’t really protect me from kids barging in/knocking like crazy like they do on my husband’s home office door:)
Really lat reading here, but this is awesome, Nina. So glad you have your own organized space! It looks lovely — so great when you can repurpose existing furniture and organization baskets! Hope you’re rocking and rolling in there!