As promised, here’s a clear rundown of how we organized the six new shelves and eight new drawers in our office, along with the drawers in my floating desk and the filing/printer cabinet on the far side of the room. In short: what lives where and why.
Having so much more storage—both open shelving and closed cabinets—has made a big difference. Let’s start at the desk/bookcase wall and move left to right so it’s easy to follow.
Between the open shelves on both sides of the desk we fitted eight magazine storage boxes (from Target) to hold press clippings and magazine mentions about the site. Instead of shoving issues into various cabinets in the dining room buffet like we used to, everything is now organized by year with labeled tabs. It’s faster to find a specific feature and keeps those clippings out of the way.
We also pulled several books that had been tucked into kitchen cabinets and added a few decorative boxes we already owned (the blue ones from Bed Bath & Beyond and a cream box from HomeGoods) to hold office supplies that we didn’t want cluttering the desk surfaces. These boxes keep everyday items within reach but out of sight, which makes the workspace feel calmer.
Some shelves display product samples and a few copies of our book—both the English edition and the Korean edition—so we have examples on hand for meetings or quick photos. A stack of nice notebooks and colorful post-its lives out in the open because they’re too pretty to hide and are used often. We also created an “inbox” for magazine tear sheets that used to pile up on the kitchen table or couch; these sit in a drop zone until I file them into binders with clear sleeves. One of our octopus hooks even doubles as a paperweight.
Several decorative objects are actually working pieces of storage. For example, a spiky yellow HomeGoods vase hides extra chargers, earbuds, and camera upload cords so a jumble of wires stays discreet but easily accessible. A small zebra dish holds magnets for our magnetic frame wall, and a pink vase keeps dry-erase markers handy. My yellow horse-head bookends add a pop of color while reliably holding books in place.
We added a few sentimental items to the shelves too: a wonky little painting of our first house, a painting of our second house by a friend, and a replica of our fireplace made by Lisa. There’s a small bee painting and a catalog tear-out that reads “Squeeze the day” for a bit of daily office cheer. Family yearbooks are stacked together and paired with a cup of Young House Love pencils in every color—little touches that make the workspace feel personal and inspiring.
While we sorted shelves and drawers, our daughter spent time at her little desk making bead necklaces and playing dress-up—proof that offices should be both functional and family-friendly.
The drawers to the right of John’s desk include two empty drawers (room to grow!), one partially filled with paint decks, and another that holds magazines and catalogs we often reference. On the left side of his desk we keep more office-focused items: two drawers with design prototypes we’re developing, a top drawer with tax-related paperwork (receipts, past-quarter forms, and the like), and a bottom drawer with external hard drives, old notebooks, and a Ziplock bag of instruction manuals and warranties for devices like the printer and camera.
The printer/file cabinet is organized for document storage and daily use. Paper and the camera case are on the top left, the wireless printer sits on the top right, and our active files live in the bottom drawer. It’s an efficient setup for printing, scanning, and quick file access.
My floating desk by the window, which we scored used, gives me four more drawers and a large desktop I’m intentionally keeping mostly clear. The top right drawer holds scissors, a stapler, and frequently used tools. The right middle drawer stores stationery and thank-you cards. I left the skinny middle drawer and the bottom right drawer empty for future needs, and the left-side cabinet is also empty—more empty space equals a happy feeling.
So that’s the full where-it-all-went tour of the office. It took a while to get everything in its place, but now that each item has a designated home, the day-to-day flow is easier and tidier. I’m enjoying the calm while it lasts—because even the best systems need occasional upkeep as things inevitably multiply.
Psst—Teddy’s eight-week photo is up (we couldn’t resist that Spoonflower fabric).