Friday, November 03, 2017

Beautiful desks for work-at-home mamas

If you work from home like I do, you probably drool over those beautiful #deskgoals photos on Instagram (as I do haha). Pottery Barn sent me an article, "How To Organize Your Home Office for Increased Productivity," which I will publish below in a bit, but before I do that, lemme just show you mamas the desks and work tables available now at Pottery Barn. They are sooo nice!

This is the Juno Desk. I like its iron and wood aesthetic. As I get older and my life more full, I've found that I prefer to be surrounded by streamlined things—in design and function.


Although there is a thing about being too simple. I don't know how to feel about this Pittsburgh Crank Desk. It looks like it used to be a sewing machine. I do appreciate its lines. I think it appeals to the simplest design lovers, or steampunk fans.

Modern elegance—that's the Ava Metal Desk. It's so sleek and, my goodness, you have really keep this kind of table clear and uncluttered!

And this is me. My escritoire looks just like this except that mine doesn't have drawers. This Toulose Secretary Desk is right up my alley. It's simple and functional, has tons of storage space, and when my life gets too messy and chaotic, I can just hide it and lock it away hahaha. Totally love this desk!

Now here's the article Pottery Barn wants me to share with you, working mamas. Happy weekend, and rest well. Love lots from working mama me to working mama you!


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How To Organize Your Home Office for Increased Productivity

PRESS RELEASE - If you work from home, you know that the setup of a home office space can directly influence how productive you are. Working from home has its challenges, as it can be much harder to focus than it is in a traditional office environment. With a few simple design changes, you can increase your focus and productivity, even if your space is full of distractions. Pottery Barn has the organizational tools you need to organize your home office and increase your output.

OPTIMIZE YOUR DESK SPACE
The desk is the area where most or all of work gets done, so it is the most important element of creating a productive home office. Declutter the space by removing unnecessary papers and objects from the desktop. Only keep what is necessary, like your computer and a notepad, and stow everything else in bins or drawers. A desktop organizer can keep pens and post-its in order, without overwhelming the space.

USE BINS
Clearing your desk space is important, but it can be counterproductive if you simply move everything that was on top of your desk into one of the side drawers. Use bins within your desk drawers to stay organized. Keep necessary items like scissors, highlighters, and tape in their own compartment close by, and then sort the rest of your items based on how often you need them.

ORGANIZE YOUR FILES
Deal with the paperwork every day by filing those things that are important and tossing the others. Use a paper tray for paperwork that needs to be addressed in the short term, and get a filing cabinet for organizing papers you need to save. 

USE THE RIGHT STORAGE
One obstacle of having a home office is that many people want the space to look more personal than what you might find in an office building. This can make designing the space tricky, but it doesn't have to be. Using stylish bins or wicker baskets for storage can soften the space. An attractive storage bin can play double-duty, holding cords or office items while giving the room a homey feeling.

FIND THE RIGHT LIGHTING
Lighting also plays a big role in staying organized and focused. If possible, place your desk by a window to maximize the use of natural light. Use lamps with soft lighting throughout the room to create a space that makes you comfortable and inspired to work.

USE BOOKSHELVES
If you have books or materials you depend on for your work, bookshelves are a must. Categorize your books to keep everything handy and easy to access. Also take advantage of open space to display photos or other items that can tie-in the office decor with the rest of your home.

ADD VARIETY
If you have the room, add an additional chair or sofa to your home office to give yourself a different view from time to time. If you don't have this option, rotate the lamp on your desk or occasionally switch out pictures on the wall. Even subtle changes can shift your brain and help you stay focused.

MAKE IT LOOK NICE
Sometimes, putting in the effort to make an area look nice can be a big boost to productivity. Use attractive items throughout the home office to help you stay motivated to keep the area clean. Use bookends to make a bookshelf more attractive, or opt for matching desk accessories to give the area a coordinated look.

In the Philippines, Pottery Barn is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. and is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central and at Estancia in Capitol Commons. 

Visit or follow www.facebook.com/PotteryBarnPH and @potterybarnPH on Instagram for more information.

*To be featured on Press Release Tuesdays, send it to frances@topazhorizon.com. Photos courtesy of Visions & Expressions.

10 comments:

  1. Hi Ms Frances,

    I agree having your own beautiful space and desk for work-at-home mamas is a must. For it creates a boundary for your work life even while you are working at home. It takes a lot of energy and high motivation to work at home.


    Happiest birth month, Ms. Frances! Keep sharing and writing your wonderful stories as a working mama. You're such an inspiration!

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  2. Thanks for this blog post, Miss Frances! I am inspired to have a decent work station at home. Currently living in a tiny unit with all our stuff (we have let go of a lot before moving in to this tiny home), and I have no proper desk yet. My craft materials and planner stuff (washi tapes, stationery, etc) are in one corner in a bag and before I begin a project, it takes several minutes before I get what I need bec I have to rummage through my pile. These desk-inspo are so nice and my favourite is the Toulouse Secretary Desk! It has so many compartments and looks cozy. With a desk like that, I'd be more motivated to do crafts, write, prepare for homeschool, etc. :)

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  3. Thank you for these tips Ms. Frances. I've been planning to work from home but I just can't fit it in my schedule now. No yaya or maid to help me take care of 2 girls (6y/o and 9 months old) and do chores. Instead of complaining about the endless tasks, I just try my best to do simple things at a time so clutter do not pile up and I also remind myself to just enjoy this phase since they won't be little girls forever. This helps me a lot though in the study area where my daughter and I "work" together.

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  4. I love the Ava Metal desk! Lakas maka CEO ng dating..:-)

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  5. Beautiful pieces. I would love to have one. Pero bago siguro kami bumili, we need a home to put it where it should be. Yan ang wala pa kami, we are still staying with my family but I hope we could fine one home soon that we can call our own. Thanks for the tips, kahit wala pa akong bahay, i need to apply it na haha

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  6. wow! nakasimple yet elegant po ng design mommy :) ang aliwalas sa mata. sana ganyan din ang interior design ng house namin in the future...:)

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  7. Thank you for this review! We live in a tiny space but moving out to our new unit next year. I wish to have a decent work station and these desks inspire me. My favoritr so far is the Toulose Secretary Desk. Looks cozy plus I love the storages. Perfect for my craft materials, planner stuff, and other knick-knacks. I'd be more motivated to craft, work as an ESL, fill up my journal pages and prepare homeschool activities in this type of desk. ��

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  8. Very helpful article for those who wants to revamp their workstations and rooms! I fell inlove with Pottery Barn's furniture. They have wide range of furniture that is suitable for every personality, preferences of a person. I believe that beautiful workstation leads to better works. ❤️

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  9. Our workspace has a lot to contribute with how we do our jobs. I remember when I was on corporate pa, I'm easily pissed when my desk items are displaced after the regular weekend cleaning of the maintenance guys LOL. I remember putting a signage that says DO NOT TOUCH when I leave for the weekend or vacations para hindi maiiba yung order of things. Very recently I started working at home dahil wala househelp, and I want a chic office-like work station din. I'm saving up for it, gusto ko din yung maraming drawers because I buy a lot of pens, papers and other office suplies kahit di talaga kailangan LOL

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  10. Very helpful article for those who wants to revamp their workstations and rooms! I fell inlove with Pottery Barn's furniture. They have wide range of furniture that is suitable for every personality, preferences of a person. I believe that beautiful workstation leads to better works.work from home

    ReplyDelete

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