… and how to work the family in. I can certainly relate to the ‘being apart’ part. Multiple workspaces for the win.
(If you’d like to know what led to Workspace Wednesdays, or how you can be a part of it, read this post.)
Blaine D. Arden, everyone:
“My post is less about what I need in my physical space, but more about where I need that physical space to be.
Four years ago, my husband made me this gorgeous spacious desk in my office. I absolutely loved it, and after this picture was taken, it has never looked quite this…organised. I thought it was everything I’d ever wanted…needed.
But… there’s always a but. Through the years little annoyances started to build up. Not about the desk, I adore that desk, but my office shares a floor with my boys’ bedrooms and doesn’t have an actual door. Do any of you know how loud boys (all 20+ now) can be when they’re playing games while I’m trying to work? Next to that, I found myself spending more and more time upstairs. I worked there, had skype chats with friends, and played games (which I got into via abovementioned friends).
Meanwhile, my husband would be on his own (not counting the dog, who also spent most of her time downstairs) in the living room, while I spent more and more time upstairs, especially in the evenings. Having my office, as lovely as it was, just didn’t seem all that important anymore. So, one night, I came downstairs for a drink and mentioned to my husband that I didn’t enjoy how we spent all that time in different rooms, and that I’d been mulling over moving my computer back into the living room. Guess what? He looked up and said, “I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
Within two weeks, we had rearranged the living room, and I had a new desk (we so didn’t want to wreck his lovely desk), a new workspace downstairs.
Now… this desk may not be as large—it doesn’t matter to me how large my desk it, I’ll manage to clutter it up in no time, and I’ll always feel I don’t have enough space. My wall may not be bedecked with inspirational posters, but… I love it here. Even though both my husband and I love spending our evenings doing our own things, we’re in the same room, can talk to each other, show each other things we’re working on, or funny things we see on the net without having to mail each other.
We basically turned our living room into a space we feel at home in, together, whether we’re plugging away at our computers, or watching a film. I’d still love more desk space, but I value the companionship and warmth I feel in this room more.
And it has the added bonus that I’m not in hearing distance of the boys’ loud gaming habits anymore (well… with some exceptions).
— the sofa is where I sometimes sit to do my ‘hard copy’ edits (on my e-reader), and the chair next to the bookcase is my husband’s ‘office’.”
