enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

Workspace
Workspace2

WORKSPACE

There were a couple requests last week to explain how I keep my paper products and craft storage organized. I figured the easiest way to share would just be a video tour of my office. I use this room for work (writing posts, making product, packaging product) and play (Project Life, decor projects) so it serves two purposes. I am so thankful for the space, work surfaces & tons of storage.

office tour from elise blaha on Vimeo.

Main tips :

  • Group like items! I keep everything straight by having drawers and boxes that are clearly labeled with what’s in them. Ikea sells cheap, good quality boxes.
  • Use wall space for storage. I don’t know where I would be without the pegboard and clipboard wall. They help me keep things in view and off the actual working surfaces.
  • Go through your stuff and purge often. I need to do this soon.
  • Keep things you use all the time out on the desk top – for me this is business cards, stamps, pens, some tools and smaller embellishments. I like using little bowls to keep this stuff organized.
  • That big wall calendar is my saving grace for keeping blog posts organized and myself on track.

Room details :

  • all furniture from Ikea.
  • wall color is Valspar’s Champagne Gelee
  • I know when I originally set up this office, I said I was going to use the white ladder for plants… well, one thing let to another and now all the other rooms in my house are filled with plants and the office ladder is usually home to piles of paper. There are worse things.

Project links :

Product links :

Questions? Ask in the comments and I’ll respond there. Thanks for taking a tour!

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32 responses to “reader question : how i organize my workspace.”

  1. Joy Avatar

    i like the idea that whatever project you are working on (summer books) you put the materials in a drawer. that makes things so much easier!

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  2. J3SS1C4 Avatar

    Love this tour of your office! I am also a lover of ikea furniture! I don’t own any though. I’m hoping to get one of the big versions of your shelf with the packaging though!
    If you do another Q&A, I’d like to know more details about how you manage your blog posts. You mention that they’re on post it notes, but do you ever get rid of any of the ideas, or do they just keep moving down the days, and how often do the ideas change around and how far in advance you plan the posts, and do you actually write them heaps in advance to, or just have the ideas there… Things like that! πŸ™‚

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  3. Manda Avatar

    Thanks for sharing Elise. I’m a new reader! You’ve totally inspired me to do Project Life which I’ve been posting about on my own blog. So thanks! And I second J3SS1C4. I’d love to know how you manage your posts. You seem really organized and “on top” of your blog. Love to know how you do it!
    Manda
    http://www.mandatownsend.com

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  4. Fiona Avatar

    Thanks for the tour! It’s nice to see your working space. It’s amazing how great organisation really helps the creative process. I am in the process of organising my space now, so thanks for the inspiration! πŸ™‚

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  5. Kristy Avatar

    How fun. I love seeing other people’s creative spaces.

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  6. Merissa Avatar
    Merissa

    I’d love to know what corner rounder you have. I’ve been looking around for one, but can’t seem to find anything. Maybe because I don’t really know what to look for. Any guidance would be great. Thanks!

    Like

  7. Melinda @ LookWhatMomFound Avatar

    really really great set up, very practical yet unique and personal

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  8. oh shoot Avatar

    Thanks for sharing your work space. I love seeing how people organize their space.

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  9. Betsy Avatar
    Betsy

    LOVED the tour!! Thanks for sharing!

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  10. elise blaha Avatar

    it is a fiskars corner rounder. πŸ™‚

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  11. Danielle Avatar

    How fun – thanks for sharing! I am going to have to take a trip to our Ikea store for some Expedite shelves.

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  12. Jaimie Avatar

    Love it! I so wish I had an office for my stuff.. I am always hiding it in random places all over my house.. doesn’t make for a very flowing work life.. but it works for now!!

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  13. Rose Avatar

    Very cool, Elise. I always find it fascinating how other people organize their spaces. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. Ann-Marie Avatar

    Dang girl! This makes me want to get organized! Thanks for sharing πŸ™‚

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  15. Nicole Avatar

    Awesome video Elise. I love all of your different workspaces and your washi desktop looks great!!

    Like

  16. Jessica Rodarte Avatar

    Pretty and efficient!
    Mental note: gotta incorporate clipboards in my craft space. Love!

    Like

  17. Stephanie Avatar

    Hi Elise! I sure love these posts! My question is, where do you store all of your adorable mini books? Also, will and when you offer blog 2.0 again? I’d love to sign up!

    Like

  18. elise blaha Avatar

    Thanks! I talked about that in the video. They are kept it baskets on my office and a few favorites are on the bookshelf downstairs. Hopefully rerunning the workshop next fall. πŸ™‚

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  19. Stephanie Avatar

    Thanks Elise! Can’t wait to watch the video tonight…my employer has some odd rule about not watching videos at work…crazy right πŸ˜‰
    I’ll be on the lookout for Blog 2.0!!

    Like

  20. Rikke Nielsen Avatar
    Rikke Nielsen

    Hey Elsie.
    I love love your office!! And I’m a little jaloux sitting in my little boardingschool room, always trying to figure out where to put the new craft stuff I just needed to buy;)
    Smile from Rikke in Denmark
    Ps. your Blog have inspired me to finaly get some foto printed(actually it became 250) and I know for sure one trip I will try to make my first minibook about. SO now I just wait for them to arrive in the mail.

    Like

  21. JayEssJay Avatar

    Loved the tour! Wish mine was so organized. Maybe someday… However, you’ve convinced me that wall storage is the way to go. Oh… the ideas are brewing now!

    Like

  22. Alice Avatar

    Thanks for the tour. It got me inspired to get organizing and I already started. Grouping like things together, using wall space for storage and purging often are going to be my new focus areas.

    Like

  23. Brooke Avatar

    Thanks for the tour and tips. I downsized my craft space from an entire room to a desk in the corner of an already crowded office over a year ago and I’m still struggling with it. Happy I’m not the only one with a drawer named “technology”.

    Like

  24. mel Avatar
    mel

    thank you for sharing your craft space, I love to see how others organise.
    Is there any chance you could post a photo of your project life drawer so I can study how you organise it. I love to do this πŸ™‚
    I am sure I have the same IKEA desk as you and I bought the glass top from IKEA that is made for the desk. I display a world map under it and I love it. The tape is so colourful and creative.

    Like

  25. alinor Avatar

    thanks for the tour, great space and great deco!

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  26. amanda*rose Avatar

    Adour thee tour. πŸ˜‰
    You’re a mega craft-spiration! ❀ ❀ ❀

    Like

  27. Stacy Edwards Avatar

    Anyone ever told you that you sound like Elizabeth Banks? πŸ™‚ Great tour

    Like

  28. elise blaha Avatar

    I have not! But so cool. πŸ™‚

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  29. Chrystina Avatar

    I loved getting the tour of the work space. I’m moving into a new space soon and you’ve given me a lot of great ideas. Can’t wait to get started!! I think my favorite things are the BIG blog post wall calendar and the peg board. Definitely like the peg board.

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  30. Lindsay Avatar

    WOW. I can not WAIT for an office like this;) We’re military as well, although my man’s job has us moving every 2-3 years so furniture tends to get bashed/apt has difft rules for every place…but eventually I dream of real organization and SPACE. On the super-up side I get to redecorate every 2-3 years (yay!). What an awesome space and you are right…PURGING has to happen…and very soon for me too!

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  31. Jessy Avatar
    Jessy

    I really enjoyed this look inside your space, thank you!

    Like

  32. Clayton Steadham Avatar

    β€œGo through your stuff and purge often” – This is very important. Work space organization very much affects one’s productivity. A bunch of clutter only slows you down physically and mentally. I believe we should learn to define our space by knowing what to remove and add. Visual reminders are better and more functional accessories for me.

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