This desk floats in my world.
Why?
Well you can't see it here, but my houses and collection are in complete disarray right now and I wish I could float above it all. I feel so guilty about the sad state of my things, and really need to buckle down and clean it all up into some semblance of organization.
Any good tips to get me started?? It's not like I haven't done this before, but I think I need some new ideas. How do you motivate to clean it all up?
The precariously slanted desk is courtesy of Staples, specifically a clear plastic business card holder...see?
The desk rises above a neat little floor, created from a cut-up place mat from Marshall's. Once I snipped off a few of the strings holding it together, they cascaded down, dashing my hopes for a neat little square.
So, I picked up pieces randomly and quickly laid them out, hoping they would fit neatly. Notice the random assortment of stuff lurking outside the house. Yup.
Wish me luck as I conquer the mess.
Credits: Chair is Reac; desk is a business card holder from Staples; credenzas are vintage German; light is a vintage Lundby floor lamp; plant is an eBay find; side table and wastebasket are Re-ment; flooring is a cut-up place mat; large wall artwork is a key holder turned upside down with charms from Michael's. Accessories are Re-ment, Manor House Miniatures, handmade by The Shopping Sherpa, ELF Miniatures, dollhouse show finds, and beads from Michael's and Jo Ann Fabric.
The time it took me: 35 minutes
i always love looking in to your blog...don't comment much though...but this desk-idea today is just perfect!!! congratulations! and good luck with organizing..i am trying to do the same right now! best Greetings from Greece. Anne
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Anna! I am glad to hear that I am not alone in my mess :)
Delete"How do you motivate to clean it all up?"
ReplyDeletePerformance-enhancing drugs, of course. I stick to a tried and true combo of caffeine and alcohol.
The office looks lovely! And the lucite floating desk looks fab.
You're one smart cookie! Sounds like a good formula ;) Glad you like my floating desk -- nice coming from such a crafty DIY gal as yourself!
DeleteFantastic little desk! You are SO creative!
ReplyDeleteI love the floor too. Think I might have one of those place mats? Great idea!
Thanks much, Kathi! These place mats are quite handy and affordable, so I didn't feel too bad when the whole thing broke apart!!!
DeleteBrilliant idea for the desk! I like this room.
ReplyDeleteBye Faby
Hiya, Fabi! My desk likes you back :)
DeleteI, too, am in the must clean soon predicament. I'll have to just dive in since I need work space...that's my motivator.
ReplyDeleteThe desk is ingenious! :D
The work space issue is really a problem for me and is one of my main motivators. I have no place to properly cut new wallpapers for my Artply Highland and everything is coming out wonky...serves me right!
DeleteI love the whole feel of this room. Is that scrapbook paper on the walls?
ReplyDeleteOrganizing? Whaazzat? I have nothing to give other than to offer to send you pics of my own huge mess...mebbe that would make you feel better ;)
I did buy a closet organizer thing, has cubbies - like a downsized Expedit. It's filled with a bunch of those compartmentalized, plastic organizers for small parts. Ahem, at first it was all neat and organized and sorted...now, not so much. Maybe we could create a support group? hehehe
Hi, Daphne! The wallpaper is actual vintage wallpaper from the UK. I purchased a few precious sheets a couple of years ago and they are sadly all gone...I did manage to wallpaper this room and a room in my Artply Highland, though :) Ha! I'd love to see some pics of your mess. I think we do need a support group. I have empty organizers just waiting for my Re-ment and other minis...
DeleteI love that green chair! It really pops against the darker colors of the room. And the clear desk is very clever. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm frequently without motivation to clean up my own area/stuff, especially after a long day of work, then catching up on laundry, grocery shopping, cooking dinner, etc. By the time the weekend hits I just want to knit, or sew, or read, or anything but the practical necessity of organizing.
But when I am in danger of being buried by the piles of yarn, fabric, and doll items, and can't find *anything*, I'll start with one shelf on a bookcase. I'll clear that off completely, tossing what I know I won't use into a donate bag/box, and the rest in a "keep" box. That empty space somehow lets me reorganize then. I'm able to move things I sat on other shelves just because there wasn't a better spot for them, and the rest flows from there. In an hour or so, I can get one entire bookcase cleared of clutter/organized.
But the key to success is getting that "donate" box out the door and to Goodwill or Value Village the same day! Otherwise things start creeping out of it and back onto the shelf, because I "might" use it after all... :D
Thanks, Sherri, for your great idea! I do like the concept of starting small and then getting motivated by those results. I do have three boxes of dollhouse furniture that I was planning to sell at a local flea market, but haven't gotten around to renting a table. I think I need to commit to a date and just do it so that those boxes stop staring at me :) I have also given some pieces away to a young daughter of a friend who is starting her collection. Thanks again for sharing your idea!
DeleteThat is so cute (sorry I use the word cute a lot) and to tell you the truth I don't clean up I just move to a different work space like the kitchen table or the patio table (if it's a nice day) Im one of your bad followers
ReplyDeleteLove
Marisa
PS the idea of using a b card holder for a desk is wonderful I have to try that :)
Haha, Marisa! That is exactly what I am guilty of right now, but I have run out of places. Soon my family will kick me out of the house. Please let me know if you try the business card holder for a mini scene!
DeleteI don't know you, but I hear you. I have the same issues, and I learned a long time ago how to get started on something that seems to let the air out of you before you even begin.
ReplyDeleteStart with one thing. Just one. Or, as my art teacher said one day- pick a brick.
After a big project, I always have an even bigger mess. I start with my paints- I put them in order and I put them away. Then I can move on to the next thing. And music- I always put music on.
So, pick a brick.
Thanks so much, PB! Like Sherri, you have shared the wonderful idea of starting small -- "pick a brick" -- and it makes so much sense. I agree about music, too. It really keeps the momentum going and I like getting caught up in just listening and doing without really thinking about it. Thanks again!
DeleteThanks so much for being bold enough to show the cr*^ that sometimes is in front of, behind, or on top of scenes. We've all got some. As for clean up ideas. I usually find I do it when I take apart an old scene...but I have so little space. Good luck. The other thing is...who really cares???
ReplyDeleteDory
Hey, Dory! And that crap I showed is just the tip of the iceberg, believe me. It's a horror show around here. I rarely take apart my scenes and file things away...I tend to move them into another house or borrow them for another scene. I feel like there must be so much I am not using that actually is stored away!!!
DeleteI tried to organize my miniature a year ago, and it's still all upside down. The least I could do was put them in a portion of the room.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this room! The floor has that vintage office look... Adn the desk and the chair are so good together. I am curious anyway, did you put the wood in front of the door differently from the other portion, was it planned? 'Cause I can see a little square in front of the door.
Love, love, love it.
I admire that you were able to put your minis to one part of a room! Mine like to multiply :0 The wood was organized like that in front of the door because the door frame sticks out a bit farther into the room, so they had to fit around it accordingly. They were very cooperative!
DeleteThe business card holder is genius! Now I will be looking at those differently...
ReplyDeleteDear Lord, hmm...cleaning up. I'm afraid that I am of not much help. I usually sweep everything into a basket and then only file things away when I'm procrastinating doing other chores or blog tasks. For awhile, I was good and disassembled a scene--putting everything in it's place before starting a new one but these days, it's "crazy gone loco" with small pieces of furniture scattered from house to house to desk to island to shelving units. Sometimes I am motivated to clean up when I see prized pieces out unprotected and my oldest accidentally sends a ball or other object hurdling in that direction. We already know I'll cry over miniatures... :)
Staples has become my little wonderland...! I tend to walk out with a little something. Baskets for me would be progress. I don't get to that stage until I am trying to clean up. I usually put things precariously into a large box and pray nothing breaks. The kids are generally really good around my stuff, and I really cannot blame them once my minis invade the living space and they knock something over. Even the new dog stays away from my stuff, although I did find her chewing on my Lundby ottoman last week!!
DeleteFantastica idea....non ci avrei mai pensato! Questo succede quando si è artiste!!!
ReplyDeletela scrivania è a dir poco fantastica!
grazie è un'idea originalissima....
Angelina
Grazie, Angelina! Quando vedo qualcosa di chiaro e piccolo mi fermo a pensare a come potrei utilizzarlo per una delle mie case! E 'bene questo era così poco, troppo!
DeleteINGENIUS !
ReplyDeleteHigh praise coming from you -- thanks!!! :)
DeleteGreat idea! A wonderful study!The chair is made of what? I'm glad I found your blog!We'll wait for my blog, if you desire to feel :) ANDA
ReplyDeleteThanks, ANDA! The chair is by Reac and is made of plastic. The chairs look very realistic! Reac makes a whole series of them; see http://www.reacjapan.com/shop/product/dic.html. You can also find them on eBay.
Deletebeautiful! Love floating furniture, easier to sweep/vacuum (provided the space beneath isn't taken up by more of my junk LOL)
ReplyDeleteas to cleaning/organizing, i'm a little OCD and you know that saying, "a place for everything and everything in its place"? i have found that it makes for easier cleaning up...especially since i often seem to be looking for more of these places for my new stuff -_-""""
I am SO impressed that you stick to your organization! You are so right that it makes for easier cleanup, especially because we are dealing with the very small! ;)
DeleteLove the floating shelves. I like the random clutter lurking around, it's like home for me. I spent months trying to find a credenza to fit under my antrim to try to organize like you did with your CB outlet find, but no luck. One of these days I'll find the right piece, until then it's clutter central. :D
ReplyDeleteGood to know I am not alone. :) I had a feeling that with this hobby, it's hard not to be somewhat surrounded by tiny little things that amount to a big mess. Keep checking for that right piece! It will come.
Delete