Here I am, in the business of organizing home offices, and I felt like the cobbler’s child.  I’ve been working out of my own home office for years and there were problems in my set-up I could no longer ignore.

I needed to treat myself like a client and re-define my workspace.  Other posts have detailed the project, but today I want to tell you about lessons I learned or were reinforced through the process.

Know what you want.  I had a clear idea of how I wanted my office to change.  I considered logistics and my workflow.  I sat in the current space and visualized different arrangements. I knew that while I like sleek, uncluttered surfaces, I also wanted the space to be inviting and allow it to get a little messy.  Color is important to me so I paid attention to color choices. I wanted to keep most of the existing furniture but thought about ways I could make the old pieces fresh. I spent a lot of time thinking before doing anything.

Plan ahead.  Once I knew what I wanted, I made a list of everything that needed to get done.  Everything!  I brainstormed and wrote down whatever came to mind without worrying about sequence.  I measured everything. Everything!  I measured the current bookshelf to determine the minimum linear inches I needed. I measured the largest items I was planning to shelve to determine shelf depth.  I measured furniture so I could draw a floor plan.  I thought about where I could work while the office was in flux, and how to accomplish that.  I estimated how long the project might take and what I needed to do ahead of time to miminize disruptions or delays.

Expect the unexpected.  No matter how well you plan, something will not go as expected.  I tend to beat myself up if I forget something in my planning, or if I don’t have a Plan B.  But, hey!  You just have to roll with it and re-group.  I didn’t try out the sander I borrowed before using it on a closet door.  The damn thing ate through four layers of old paint when all I wanted to do was rough up the surface.  So I smoothed the edges as well as I could and knew that only I would notice the flaw after it was repainted.

Pat yourself on the back. When you are the client, you have to remember thank yourself for a job well done.  Focus on what went right.  Step back and admire your work. Take pictures and show off!  Be your own best testimonial – you deserve it.