The Tiny Workspace Life Hack

I have to admit that there are "workspace" photos on the internet that make me melt: humble minimalist spaces with exposed rafters, industrial finishes, floor-to-ceiling windows, sheepskin rugs. Seriously, many of these home offices are bigger than the entire main floor of my house, completely bathed in natural light, with tidy shelves filled with woven baskets full of yarn or paintbrushes or whatever. I could be so productive in a space like that, I tell myself. I could run a great business, or run laps. Or take a very pleasant nap. Here is a phone grab of one of thousands of disgustingly lovely workspaces that I don't have:

Yeah. Well, here's my workspace: approximately 9 square feet of tabletop wedged snugly into a corner of the dining room, next to the kids' art supply cubbies and the computer desk. I won't even mention what lives underneath my work table. 

This is what I wish my work table looked like:

And most days, this is what it actually looks like:

Part of the problem is that there are too many people living with too much stuff in too little space in my house. There are also other problems, like the fact that it seems like everyone just walks around constantly dropping things in random places, or the fact that flat surfaces have a tendency to collect things. But the real problem is this: I do not have a dedicated work space.

 But I have come up with an ingenious, slightly pathetic, but mercifully simple way to cope:

When I'm not working, I put the drop-leaf on the table down (see photo above). Remember: things can only accumulate on flat surfaces. Then when I'm ready to work, I put the drop-leaf up (see photo below), and when I do, I instantly have a tiny, entirely neat, clean space to work!!

We could all find plenty of excuses for not being as productive as we wish we were, or for not working on projects that we've always wanted to try. But if you really want to do something, a little ingenuity can go a long way, and you can find a way to carve out the time or energy or workspace that you need to get going! There is always room for you in your life.

Good luck,
Ecoquirky

Ecoquirky Shop