Home Office

We use our kitchen table for a lot more than just eating. Since our internet hook-up is by the table, this is where we use our computer, so this is also where Seth does his homework, and it's also where I do most of my household stuff - banking, budgeting, bill-paying, etc. Because of this, our table is often filled with papers, books, etc. So when it comes time to eat, we have to clear the table, usually piling the stuff on the couch because there isn't any where else for it to go. So I've been trying to think of a way to make things simpler for us, to allow us to be able to do the work we need to do at the table, but also help us keep it a little cleaner so we can use it for meals easier, too. So I've come up with a solution that has really worked for us. I already had the basket on the left, and I thought that would be a great place to be able to put papers that we're using, and it also has a place for pens and notepads. But I also needed something to put my household notebook in, and I really didn't know what would work for that. We decided to go to Ikea a few days ago (one of my favorite stores), and I found the basket on the right. It was absolutely perfect for my notebook. Now we're easily able to put everything away so the table stays pretty clean, but at the same time, everything is easily accessible for when we need it. The mini bulletin board above the right basket is something I made years ago - I just put a small piece of cork from a craft store into a small frame, and that works well for reminders, since it's something that I look at often. I've been really happy with this set up!