Speaking of the office...

...I am almost done putting it back together. I had a collection of odds and ends in here and things were just not working. Quite simply I needed to have better organization, which I couldn't achieve without bigger and better storage. I went searching at different stores trying to get cabinets with a work space, and after seeing how expensive furniture was, I decided to go to Home Depot or Lowe's because I was sure to find a better price- NOT! I just about fell over when I saw how much they wanted for basic cabinets. And then the installation and counter tops were several thousand additional dollars. Yikes! I was definitely not ready to fork out that kind of cash, especially considering that I wouldn't be able to move those things with me.

I ran into one of my friends who directed me to a local store called Potato Barn. I had heard of it, and even tried to go a few times, but they have limited hours so I hadn't ever actually been inside. I was fortunate to be able to go this time when they were open. As soon as I walked in, I could tell that I was in the right place. They had beautiful hard wood furniture for a fraction of the cost of cabinets. It was exactly what I was looking for, and after seeing how much the other stuff would cost, I realized that I was getting a smokin' deal.

I have spent several hours organizing, finding things to throw away and donate in the process. I still have a couple of hours of work to do, but it looks so good already. I have been getting quite a bit of use out of my favorite tool- my label maker. I think this new style of organization will be very conducive to a smooth working atmosphere. It has renewed my interest in being a personal organizer. I have taught classes on organization before, and even consulted with a few people in their homes. I really think that I could do this as a profession and enjoy it quite a bit. So, maybe that will be something I can pursue when the kids are a little older and I wouldn't have to pay for day care...

Anyway, when I am totally done I will post pictures of what it looks like now. I was going to take pictures before I started, but then I thought I would die if anyone saw it like it was before. I am probably not finished with the organization, and will probably change a few things as time goes on, but for now I think this will work tremendously. (And since I have people coming over to scrapbook on Friday night, that will be a good motivator to get things done this week!