A lot of homes have a spare room that serves multiple purposes. For many, one of the unintended purposes is as a catch-all for "homeless" items. This spare room is no different. It serves as a home office, guest room, and the dreaded catch-all.
While the bones of this room were good, the clutter clearly detracts from the space. It wasn't an enjoyable space to work in, and the guest bed wasn't being used.
With the clutter cleared, the space is much more serene. It provides a soothing environment to work in and it is also a space the residents are proud to offer to guests.
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Let's take a closer look at each section of the room.
Entrance
This is the view from the door as you walk by the room. The residents had previously installed a cool display of concert souvenirs. Unfortunately, the clutter built up on the floor and surfaces draws the eye away from the display. Clearing the clutter let the collection shine!
Desk
The desk is one of the most used spaces in this room. While it was easy to hide the mess inside the desk by simply closing it up, we knew it needed some attention. We sorted through the papers on/in the desk - most were trash. We moved the old notebooks to a box elsewhere because they were referenced infrequently. Finally, we added some dividers to the drawer to help corral pens, pencils, and other small items. Now, no one has to dig through things to find the specific item they need.
We also moved the lamp from the right side to the left side. While this was a minor change, it had a big impact. The wall switch controls the outlet on the wall rather than the overhead light. So, every time someone walked out of the room and instinctually flipped the switch off, they were cutting power to the laptop, phone charger, TV, etc. Moving the lamp let's them switch the light off at the lamp as they walk out, leaving the wall switch on. A seemingly small change that has had a positive impact on the room's function and flow.
Empty corner
The other corner of this room was also collecting clutter. Basically, items that didn't have a home elsewhere were relegated to this corner. Removing the clutter revealed a perfect spot for a bookshelf (that was previously in the attic). The bookshelf now holds their professional books which cleared some space on a bookshelf elsewhere in the home. It also doubles as a TV stand, so guests have the option of
You may notice we left the backpack out. While some would prefer to have items like that out of sight, the residents preferred to have it incorporated into the space by the desk. (As I always say, organizing is personal. What works for one person/family may not work for another.)
Closet
The closet contained a mixture of guest room needs (like extra bedding), clothes, occasional use items (like the suitcase), gift bags/mailers, items for sale, and paper that needed to be sorted.
We sorted the paper (most of it was trash), moved the clothes into the residents' bedroom closet, donated the extra bedding, and corralled the sale items. While this closet still may not be pin-worthy, it is far more functional and that is what it is important.
Finally, you may have noticed some of the wall art moved. The photos above the bed were used as part of a gallery wall in another room, so it gave us the opportunity to move the other pieces around in the room.
Now, after a short afternoon of work, this spare room is a space that actually encourages productivity for the resident and restfulness for the occasional guest!
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