(due to popular request: truck is from Costco from a few years back)
I recently had someone ask me if my home was always so tidy like. My reply? I couldn’t stop laughing!
If anyone thinks that, they’ve never been through my front door. If you can open it all the way to get in, it’s a good day. And from there, it all goes downhill.
One neighbor saw a palette laying on my sofa one day, and after a quick glance, she turned to me and said, “Huh… only in your house is a palette on your sofa normal.” And off we went happy as larks.
So how do I take pretty photo shoots you ask? Well, I decide what room I want clean and mess up the others in order to achieve it. Honestly? I just don’t think creative people ever have clean homes. We’re always ripping something up! 🙂
Anyway, there’s a room I haven’t shown you which is one of my downstairs offices. It’s a bookeeping type office with wall to ceiling bulletin boards. It’s all about ugly paperwork and I aim to change that.
Are you ready?!? Ugh… hate this part. Closing eyes and jumping into the deep end…
Check it out. My camera is in so much shock the pic went blurry. And you KNOW I don’t post blurry pics. But it’s the only one I took of the before. So even my photography’s ugly to match. Lovely.
The area has great potential! These are french doors that lead to worse off zones. The curtains were there when we moved in which I LOVE. It’s a really cool feature.
And, while this ceiling has some gorgeous pine tongue and groove, I have never finished painting it! I think this primer is… 2 years old? No idea. Total disservice to a room that’s got a great future.
This is part of the 6 room redo I’ve been talking about. My wish is to turn this room into a crafting and photography area.
So, the first thing I did was clean up the desk so I could take pictures for craigslist. If I go ahead with these plans, I’ll be selling this massive Ikea desk that snaps together lickety split like.
Much better! The plan is to put wall to ceiling shelving on the clock wall, then my farm table in front of the window where that little truck sits. This room would make a nice out of the way craft room and is astonishingly awesome for photography at nearly any time of day because of all the natural light.
While it’s a nice room, it’s rather weird. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter so it isn’t a room you really wish to hang in for great lengths of time. That’s why I’d love to put my staging stuff on the shelving. Junk doesn’t care. 🙂
Next? My son and I need to get to Ikea to look at shelving. I really can’t go much further until then. It’s only after I get it and try things out that I’ll know if I’m selling this desk. It would actually be a pretty awesome crafting desk except that it’s too big to accommodate the shelving needed.
Anyone in the lower mainland BC Canada need a big honkin’ Ikea desk? Lemme know! 🙂
signmakergirl@hotmail.com
Why am I sharing an undone room?
Because a certain link party is totally encouraging me to pursue this office wreck.
I’m linking up today to Songbirds Gitter Done – Volume 1! This party is all about getting long overdue procrastinated projects done. They can be DIY or simple cleaning up type posts of non pretty things. Anything! Click the button to see what’s up!
You can read my post on the NEW Gitter Done HERE.
SongBird’s welcome to Gitter Done is HERE.
So tell me.. is your house always a blast of creativity (mess) too?
In other news, I’d just like to welcome all the new followers that have hopped on in the past day! The flip over to start the Copy Me! Challenge happened sooner than Miss Mustard Seed and I anticipated.
I’ve asked on FJI Facebook when you’d be ready to join the party, so we’re discussing it HERE. Hop on over and voice what you’d like and we’ll set a date or leave your feedback in comments here.
Don’t know what I’m talking about? You can read about the Copy Me! Challenge HERE.
I’ve been messing around with my own place, MMS style. While it’s MMS pretty, it’s weird. It’s like she came over. 🙂
Am I really first? Yay! Jeez, when you said you were posting pics of an ugly and/or messy room, I was expecting something really bad! Yours was just a little disorganized, but what a great room! The windows, the ceiling, those French doors! I actually really like that IKEA desk; for a huge desk, its actually stylish and I best it is all kinds of functional. I only wish I had space enough for that kind of desktop.
I canNOT wait to see how you and MMS swap identities. Its like Face/Off! This should be a lot of fun!
Best to you,
Kimberly
This is a great room and not too bad either messy wise. I can’t wait to see what you end up with. I know it will be fabulous and something to drool over FJI style.
I love it! We had an absolute mess in our office until I got hold of it. I got rid of a hideous desk and actually used an Ikea kitchen counter top to create a long workspace against the wall. It is awesome for working and for my craft projects. Here is the post so you can check it out.
http://jandjhome.blogspot.com/2011/01/office-makeover.html
Donna,
YAYYYY you go girl !!
I totally agree with you
that creative people
have something torn up
in quite a few places ~
I was showing my disasterized
closet on my blog and finished
it and am moving on to the next
disaster closet ~
Have a great day !
xoxo
Lori
Oh my gosh! I am so jealous! That room is awesome and the light!!! God bless America…the light is fantastic!!!
Can’t wait to see what tricks you have up your sleeve.
Hugs
SueAnn
Hahaha – I wrote my post before I read yours, but I posted one (possibly two, the 2nd one was an accident) blurry photo & made a comment about the room making me dizzy. Great minds think alike:) Can’t wait to stay motivated & see both of us make progress in our office/craft rooms.
Blessings,
Jen
Aren’t you the big secret keeper! I feel so much better about my basement and garage now, whew. Can’t wait to see what you do with it, I know it will be amazing. Have fun.
Thanks for being real about your house. I like everyone else; wish my house was always show room ready. I have a similar smaller scale messy office and it drives me crazy but seems like an impossible task. I think your current desk is HUGE and I agree it needs to go. I think it is taking up so much valuable space. Plus if you don’t have clutter on a desk how much space do you need?
Love the toy truck.
And, I’m still smiling at the half primed ceiling.
Why?
Because I have one of my own!
But, mine is…can I really admit this?
15 years old.
But, the good news is that in the past month we’ve been painting fiends. We’ve finished the pantry – I should post that one. We’ll be revealing our kitchen soon. And, other rooms are sure to follow.
Thanks for being so real…and posting 🙂
Luv the little truck. I saw the picture of the cows. Have fun with the redo. U R so energetic even when it’s cold outside. Luv it.
#8 banclothing, that desk IS indeed massive. But the office was designed to use the entire room for bookwork. And trust me, I messed up every square inch and then some. 🙂 It was wonderfully productive and I miss it already.
But after one of my work computers bit the dust, I now have the opportunity to tighten things up. I so need a dedicated craft room like you have no idea! More than a big paperwork office for certain. 🙂
Donna
I should add, I run a business, so one’s needs are abit different than simply paying a few bills at the end of the day. You need LOTS of space! Still scratching head on how I’ll pull it off with my redesign…
Donna
I have so many need to do and half started projects it’s down right sad… but the one that bothers me the most, and is first on my I can do it myself list is: the bathroom…no sink for three years people omg Ihave an entire BR in boxes in my shed. I’m gonna gitter done and I’m giving myself 3 weeks…starting Monday.
I struggle with mess and what I should put first; my creative projects or a clean house?
But most importantly, WHERE did you find that wonderful little truck? Oh how I would love to have one!
I also love the little truck with the business cards – such an adorable idea. The pine ceiling? WOW..that is complete character architecture! ALL super nice!! I think we would all agree…much rather have a sweet, cozy and creative home that is welcoming than a clean house with no personality : )
I am dying to redo my office / studio too – this has inspired me! I have been putting it off because for the last year I’ve been saying, “Well, we’re going to move soon, so why bother!” But if I’d have just done it last year at this time, I’d be sitting in a pretty space right now instead of a yucky, junk-filled room.
Good luck with this project. I’m sure it will be great.
Bless you for writing a creative people don’t have clean homes!!! Every time I manage to get an area clean, I’m dragging out the next project. Your room has a lot of great light and windows–let’s see you rock it out! ..or would that be junk it out? Hugs & stay warm, Kim
I didn’t even realize the desk was in there already, I had to scroll back up to make sure! Looking good! 🙂
#19 Bcraftie, I don’t wish to keep the Ikea desk if I make these changes. I have a farm table that is achin’ to grab some of that prime real estate. 🙂
#15 FinsFan, the truck is from a toy store a few years back. No wait… actually, I think Costco carried this line. I’d think any toystore would carry something similar. They’re pretty cool. 🙂
Donna