If you work at home, you know how important it is to have a functional home office space. Creating a home office that meets your needs can be challenging if you have limited space. However, even with limited space, it is possible to create a home office that you will feel comfortable with.

Choose a Space

As you walk through your home, you may feel frustrated by the lack of space for a home office. However, you may just need to reconsider the way you think about your work space. If you are picturing a spacious desk, filing cabinets, a credenza, and the other accoutrements of a traditional office, pause for a moment. Think about what you really need to get your work done. You will likely discover that you could make do with a much smaller space and fewer pieces of furniture.

With this discovery in mind, take another stroll through your home. Is there a space in the bedroom that could accommodate a desk? Maybe a corner of the dining room would work for you. As you consider possible spaces, think about your work surface, as well. A corner desk might give you new options as far as using space effectively. If you do not want to mar the loveliness of a room with an unsightly desk, consider searching for an armoire that can be closed to conceal your computer and other office materials. A beautiful desk could also be an option in a case like this. If you find a desk you love, you will not mind its presence so much.

Adapting to a Small Space

When you choose your space, you will need to think about how to organize it for maximum efficiency. Keep in mind that you want to make the space attractive and inviting, as well, so you will not mind working there. As you choose your desk, remember that the available space is a key factor in your search and do not forget that garage sales can provide an array of inexpensive options. Bring a tape measure so you can measure the desk.

After you place your desk in the space you have chosen, think about your storage needs. Shelves over the desk would provide you with excellent storage space. If you prefer to keep your materials hidden, you could install a cabinet over the desk so you could close it when you are not using it. A small filing cabinet on the floor next to your desk would keep your files neat and easily accessible.

No Space?

If you cannot find space in your house for a home office, consider making your work space mobile. This is very feasible if you have a laptop. Start by stocking a tote bag, box, or rolling cart with paper, a stapler, pens, pencils, and any other supplies you may need. Store it in a closet or cupboard with your laptop and get it out when you are ready to work. Your mobile office can go wherever you are in the mood to work. Make yourself comfortable against the headboard of your bed if you feel like lounging. Set yourself up in a living room chair if you want to keep an eye on your kids while they do homework. Make use of the dining room table if you need a solid work surface.

A home office does not have to be grand or gorgeous to be functional. You can make use of a small space to create a comfortable and efficient work area.

The WSJ has an interesting article on employers raising workers health insurance rates. As companies struggle to cut costs amid difficult economic times, more of them are reducing benefits they offer workers or making workers pay more for them. Still, companies are paying nearly three-quarters of workers’ health-care premiums. Where do you stand on the issue? Some are happy just to still be employed in these times. Others feel like they and their families are getting the short end of the stick. Read more.

The process of moving can feel like one big drag, and it can also be cathartic because every time we actually move from one home to another we start afresh. In fact, moving offers a marvelous opportunity for practicing mindfulness.Having a home is good, but better yet is the realization that having the capacity to make a home — in any one of many different houses — is what truly travels with us and provides protection.
Huffington Post has an article on staying present and in the moment while moving. Read more.

August 27, 2010

Wow, it is getting hard to walk around our house! There are boxes everywhere and we’re just trying to stay as organized as we can. There’s still a lot to do. I had hoped to be a little further ahead at this point. We are doing the best we can, but I am getting sick of packing.

I’m not getting enough sleep. As soon as I get into bed, I start thinking about what is left to do tomorrow, worrying that we did not get enough done today, and trying to figure out how we are going to have everything done on time.

Cannot wait to get there and get settled!

August 28, 2010

I feel better today. There’s still a lot left to do, but we are getting there. We are trying to find the humor in each situation and I am very fortunate that my husband makes me laugh. He’s a pretty funny guy and he is making this move a whole lot easier.

Whether your child is just beginning college or looking forward to graduation, a problem with a roommate can arise at any time. What should you do? Begin by listening to your child. Is your college student just venting about an annoying roommate or is there a serious problem? If the purpose of the call is to vent, your role may simply be to listen. You could offer advice or share experiences from your own life, too, if necessary and appropriate. Listen objectively; if you feel that your child is being unreasonable, you could steer the conversation to help your young academic figure out a way to deal with the situation more effectively.

Getting Along

Many roommate problems stem from petty issues. Perhaps one person likes the music loud during study time while the other prefers a quieter environment. Or maybe one roommate likes to have friends over constantly while the others think socializing should be limited to common areas. If your college student is dealing with issues like these, you can listen and advise as you see fit.

Let your child know that you are always willing to listen. Tell your child to call you if the situation becomes more serious. Make sure your college student knows that you are supportive and always available. Your child will be more likely to keep you informed if you are a good listener, do not judge, and provide support.

Some Situations are Extremely Serious

Unfortunately, some college students encounter roommate situations that are of a very serious nature. If your child calls with concerns about a roommate who speaks of suicide or abuses drugs or alcohol, you will need to examine the situation with greater care. Begin by assessing whether your child is in any danger; you will need to question your child carefully about the specifics to determine this.

If your child is in immediate danger, it would be appropriate to contact campus police and the office that deals with residence life issues. Your child may have a resident assistant, hall monitor, graduate assistant or other college employee who lives and works among the resident students and acts as a liaison with residence life officials.

Your Role Will Depend on the Situation

Although you may want to grab your car keys or hop on a plane, you need to take your cue from your child. Your child is in the situation and may not appreciate it if you show up uninvited. It would embarrass your young adult if you arrived to deal with a petty situation. If your child is in a very serious situation, though, you might prefer to remain in contact with the college’s residence life office until the situation is resolved satisfactorily.

College is where your teenager will become an adult. During this time, your young student may look to you for advice, an ear to listen, or a shoulder to lean on. Roommate situations will surely arise from time to time; follow your student’s lead and your own instincts to figure out how to handle each situation.

August 23, 2010
My daughter is creative and very artistic. When we were discussing her room, she said she would like to have a place to hang pictures. I had an idea that she is going to LOVE. We are going to a home improvement store to get a sheet of metal and my husband is going to create a very basic frame. We will present her with paints and brushes and she can add her own artistic touch to it. We’ll hang it on her wall and present her with magnets. It will be a picture board, artwork, and conversation piece all in one. She doesn’t know yet, so this will be a fun surprise!

August 25, 2010
The place we are moving into is smaller than our current apartment but I like it better. The space reduction, however, is forcing me to become rather creative about arranging and organizing our furniture and other belongings. I need a home office and could not figure out where it was going to fit. Solution: a small desk and small cabinet in our bedroom. It’s kind of funny because it started out as a necessity given the space, but the idea has really grown on me.

The scenario: You have been invited to a housewarming party and you are not sure what to give as a gift. The good news is that the solution does not have to be complicated. With a little imagination, you can be creative to personalize the gift and make it extra special.

Is the Party for a Close Family Member or Friend?

If the housewarming party is for a friend or family member with whom you are close, you should begin by thinking about that person. If you know the person well, you may recall a particular item, such as a lamp, vase, or picture frame this person admired. If so, you are all set. If not, you may know that your friend or loved one is fond of a particular store. You could look there for something that seems like the person’s style. Just be sure to ask about the store’s return policy and request a gift receipt.

Your knowledge of this person gives you insight into whether they might appreciate a different type of gift. Does your friend or relative hate to clean? You could pay in advance for a professional cleaning service to come once or twice; someone who dislikes cleaning would be very appreciative of your thoughtfulness and generosity. If the recipient is somewhat insecure about working with furniture and accessories, you could give a gift of an hour or two with an interior decorator. The decorator could offer valuable insight about placement of furniture and use of accessories or advise your friend or family member about pieces to purchase.

Don’t Know the Recipient as Well?

You may be invited to a housewarming party for someone you do not know as well. Whether the person is a friend from work, a more distant relative, or a new friend, you can still give a gift that will help the recipient make the new house feel like home.

If you are not as close with the person, you may want to think about a gift card. Your options in this area are unlimited. You could give a gift card to a home décor store, where the recipient could choose from an extensive array of items. A gift card to a grocery store would enable the new homeowner to stock the pantry. Everyone needs a break from unpacking and getting settled. Why not provide that break in the form of a gift card to a nice restaurant?

Think Presentation

Use your creativity! Attach a packet of seeds to your gift so the new homeowner can plant flowers to make the exterior of the home feel as welcoming as the interior. If you are giving a gift card or money, place it in something other than an envelope. A small keepsake box would give the recipient a place to keep pictures of the new house, as well as other mementoes of the occasion. Attach the gift card to a bouquet of flowers. Take a picture of the exterior of the house, frame it, and attach the gift card to it. No matter what you give or how you give it, the new homeowner will appreciate the fact that you shared in celebrating this momentous occasion.

The ideal of what it means to own a home may never be the same again and many more American’s are seeing the value in renting. Could this be the age of saying goodbye to entire neighborhoods of McMansions? The NY Times has an article asserting that the days of generations passing down home buying as a good investment may be gone. Generations of families have built wealth off the theory of buying a home, waiting a few years and then selling it for a profit later. That profit paid many college tuitions, bought summer homes, sailing yachts, family vacations and more. Are those days really over? If not, how much longer do we have to wait?Read more here.

If you can, buy now… and live in it for as long as you can. Ride out the storm and become a folk hero to your granchildren who will hear about the housing disaster from 2008- ? in their economic classes.

August 7, 2010

Packing is not fun when it is so warm outside. We are drinking a lot of water so we stay hydrated and we are eating healthy foods to keep our energy up. A break for ice cream later sounds wonderful.

August 9, 2010

All this packing is making me kind of reflective, especially as I come across sentimental items in unexpected places. I was cleaning out a drawer and I found a list of guests for a party. It contained the name of a loved one who has since died. It made me miss her but I reminisced about some wonderful memories, too.

August 10, 2010

My daughter is a budding artist and she is happiest when she can spend at least part of each day being creative. Her new bedroom will be smaller than her current one so I came up with a plan. Rather than take precious floor space away by putting a cabinet in her room for all of her art supplies, I am going to use a cabinet in the kitchen, where space is not quite so limited. It is an attractive cabinet with doors. When the doors are closed, no one will know that it houses a treasure trove of paint, paper, glue, yarn, stickers, and more. When she is inspired, we will grab a plastic tablecloth from the cabinet to cover the table and she can get to work. It is a solution that works for everybody, especially because she can make her masterpiece a few steps away from my husband and me while we cook dinner, do the dishes, or make the next day’s lunches.

August 11, 2010

It is so humid today, which makes packing even less fun. We are drinking a lot of water.

Today is for packing the rest of the clothes and I am still making an effort to eliminate things we no longer wear. We will be dropping several bags off to a local thrift shop, which will give us a welcome tax deduction. I kept our favorite things out and set them aside so we have enough clothes to last us until we move. When we move, we will pack them in suitcases. This way, when we arrive, we will be able to find clothes quickly and easily without sorting through boxes. As a veteran of the moving process, I know how hectic the first few days in the new place can be and I do everything I can to make things a little easier.

August 12, 2010

We need to change our mailing address. I went to the post office and got a form to have our mail forwarded. I use the internet for this, too; many websites have a page that makes address changes as simple as filling in an electronic form. I always forget a magazine, though, so I’m making a list. The best part about this is that I can go online at night when I need a break from packing and just fill out the forms.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Yikes! In the midst of all this packing, sorting, planning, and donating, I almost forgot about preparing our current apartment to be shown to prospective tenants. Glad we thought of it ahead, because we got a call from our landlord’s real estate agent saying that they will be starting to show it in a few days. Our crazy schedule of the last couple of weeks has made us less fastidious about housekeeping than normal, so we had to catch up a little. The agent told us not to worry about boxes all over the house because the people walking through obviously know that we are moving. Her advice was to keep everything neat other than the boxes and to keep the bathroom and kitchen sparkling clean. After we clean, I’m going to walk through and try to look at it objectively to see if there’s anything else we need to address before anybody comes through. It seems like just yesterday that we were prospective tenants looking at this place!

August 18, 2010

We found out that the people who are moving out of our new place have finally closed on their house and will be moving into it soon. That means that we will be able to move soon, as well. I’m very excited and eager to get settled.

We still have some things to pack, but there is not as much left to do as I thought there might be at this point. We have one closet left to go through. It’s a catch-all kind of place, like the junk drawer everyone has in the kitchen, so it might take a while but I’m hoping that we will be able to donate a lot of the stuff in it. I have been trying to follow the old adage that if you have not used something in a year, you no longer need it.

We have to pack up the kitchen, too. We are using up the remaining food so there will be less to pack. I’m going to use clean plastic bags for non-breakable items.

As we pack, we are labeling everything very carefully. We chose neon pink labels because the color stands out against the boxes. At the top of the label, we write the destination: basement, bedroom, or whatever. Underneath that, we write the contents and I try to be as specific as possible to reduce headaches later.

Surprise… Surprise… I don’t know about you but I feel like we’ve all been tricked into the quick value of homeownership. I’m sure 10 or even 5 years ago I wouldn’t have this position but I’ve learned that unless you plan to stay in your home for 10 years plus or use it for a rental property… it maybe better to rent and I’m not alone. The Chicago Sun Times has an article with very interesting statistics. 76 percent of consumers now believe renting to be a better option than homeownership. Half of those respondents cited financial reasons, while 64 percent cited having no responsibility for maintenance and major repairs. As a result, rents in the Chicago area are rising again and landlords are smiling.

Is this happening in your area of the world too?