Redesign of my Green Office

Making the best of a difficult situation is always a challenge. Sharing space has always been my personal challenge, as I treasure my privacy. After several years away, obligations have required me to adjust (accept) that I will be living in a testosterone filled environment (two grown sons & semi-employed husband separated from for 3 years) for sometime to come... therefore, I MUST redesign my work space to serve me better. My workspace needs to allow me to serve my clients, create audio and video, and have privacy for the creative process. It also must be green and comfortable!

Finances are tight. My life is no different than so many others right now who are making due with less. Yet creativity is boundless! As a green living enthusiast, I'm eager to find recycled materials to use to create my new space.

So, here's the situation. I have a cinder block building that used to be my work space when I was in college. Since then, it has been filled with clutter, becoming a storage space nightmare. It's holding books, remains of the sale of a family home, household items from my last apartment, old clothes, dead electronics and an album collection spanning a lifetime. Some of the stuff is valuable. Some of the stuff has sentimental value. Some of the stuff is recyclable. Some of it is just plain junk!

First, it needs to be emptied and cleaned. Then, anything of value needs to be organized and stored. After that, I'll begin to move my office equipment in and create a productive space to work. It may take a few days, or a few weeks. I'm determined to get this done & get to work!

Why am I sharing this here? with you, dear readers? To hold me accountable, that's why!!! I'll be posting pictures and sharing progress as I get started on Monday, July 9th. If you have ideas, resources, success tips or any advice along the way, please share in the comments. I'm off to the Farmers Market now, to pick up whatever's fresh and inspiring! Enjoy your weekend ;~)

Letting Go for a Lighter Green Life

There is a new movement for reducing the need for stuff, the need for bigger homes and having it all. I am on a quest to purge the unnecessary from my closet, my file cabinet, my book shelf, and get down to what is really serving me, getting me to the life of my dreams.

Graham Hill recently addressed this in a Ted Talk, opening with the "box" of unknown stuff so many of us have, and carry with us from place to place, never opened, never unpacked but somehow important. Maybe not!

Here are Graham's 3 ideas that changed his life, and may change your's.

1. Edit Ruthlessly - Let it go!

2. Small is Sexy - Nest, stack, digitize.

3. Multifunctional Design - the table expands when needed, the bed folds down from the wall and back up into the wall, and the office disappears.

Watch the video. Look around your room. You can do this. I am doing it right now. I want a lighter load to carry and to live a lighter shade of green.