Hey Y’all, it’s Samantha from @thepinkenvelope. It's a brand new year and you know what that means? There's no better time than now to revamp your work from home desk. Whether you have a dedicated home office or a sort of make-shift work space, a work from home facelift can get you on the right track.

To get started, here's my must-have list of home office essentials:

1. Beauty
2. Life
3. Light
4. Organization
5. Fun

The age-old quote, “Dress how you want to be addressed” applies to your work from home office too. Don’t be afraid to jazz it up!  The Decocrated online shop is the PERFECT place to start. When the Decocrated shop first opened up, I immediately ordered the Stella Wall Mirror. I hung it in my office and it brought the room to life. Not to mention, it was gorgeous (see photo below)!  During my “end of 2020 office revamp”, I moved the mirror to my outer office wall so those in my living room could enjoy it.  What did I do to keep my office from feeling dull? I ordered the DecoCrated Decorative Ladder, and it currently sits on the wall behind me alongside a grouping of grasses I cut from the side of a highway.  I am already itching to drape the ladder for Spring.  

Your office supplies can be beautiful too. Take the Magnet Chalk Board and the Gold Tabletop Set from the DecoCrated Spring 2020 box, and the Things to Remember clipboard and the Cherry Lattice Crate from the DecoCrated Spring 2019 box. I have all of these in my home office, and not only are they chic, but they also keep me organized.  I get the functionality I need while bringing beauty to my space.  Included in my Decocrated shop collection is the Messy Bun & Getting Stuff Done double-sided wood plaque, it does nothing more than make me smile!  Take some time to add art and beauty to your space during the revamp.  

Let’s get this party started! When it comes to your desktop background, it’s time to switch things up. I have created this free download for you; it will bring functionality and beauty to your computer.  Download it, add your Word or Phrase for 2021 to the top, and set it as your computer background.  Then every time you look at your screen, you will see the beauty in your artfully designed desktop.  It’s a Canva template so you can go in and change all the text.

Click Here to Download Free Desktop Background

 

How can you add a breath of fresh air to your home office? It’s simple: add an air-cleaning plant or a succulent! Studies show that plants help people feel calmer and more relaxed (decreasing anxiety). Plants also increase attentiveness and memory. Being around plants will help improve your memory, attention span, concentration, and is just plain happiness.  I have a mix of real and faux plants throughout my space, and every time I revamp my office space to match the season, I swap my plants around too. 

Including plants in your home office will not only bring life to your home office, but it will bring a new perspective. I have blogged a lot about plant subscriptions and you can check it out here Best Succulent and Air Plant Subscriptions. 

Pro-Tip: think outside the box with the pot you choose for your plant and have some fun with it!  In the Decocrated Shop I’m crushing on the Soho Plant Stand, the Rattan Plant Stand, and the Two Toned Distressed Vase to mix with my Macrame Hanging Planter from the Deco Shop. 

  

Fill Your Home Office with Light

If you can revamp your work from home space to be near a window, do it!  Natural light can increase your mood and productivity, keeps you on a better schedule, helps fight disease, and reduces costs for electricity and HVAC (which is essential since you are footing the bill for these).

I have four sources of light in my office – the window, a lamp, candles, and the main overhead lights. I keep an energy-efficient bulb in my lamp, and I leave it on 24/7.  It makes early mornings and late nights in the office more pleasant and creates a chill ambiance in the space when not in use. I have the lantern from the Decocrated Christmas 2020 box for aesthetics and then a candle in a jar with a lid (the lid is crucial to keep smoke contained). The flickering of the candle is peaceful plus my office always smells so nice!  Giving yourself these options feels luxurious and increases the beauty of the space and your efficiency while working.

 

How to Organize Your Home Office

I love this Albert Einstein quote, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what then, is an empty desk a sign of?” It is true that you can’t really work in a space and have it look exactly like Pinterest. But it is also true that organization saves time and increases efficiency. So, this is what you should strive for!  

Have the papers on your desk, but in chic, wire file folders.  Have reminders on the wall but hanging on a designated board like the Magnet Chalk Board from the DecoCrated Spring 2019 box.  I personally hate the way my file cabinet looks, so that is the space I’m using for my little indoor garden. I draped the top with a cloth and stacked plants on top. As an unboxer and reviewer, I receive dozens of boxes a month; having these in my office is required, so I build floating shelves in an unused corner in my office space to store them. Ready to get organized? Here’s how to start:

Step 1 – Pick a stack & start organizing.

Step 2 - Make a list of supplies to purchase to increase organization.

Step 3 – Once finished organizing, place supply list order.

Step 4 – While waiting for your supplies, Clean your space.

Step 5 – Install your new organization supplies in your organized, clean office!

 

Revamping your work from home desk to be organized will make you more productive, reduce work-related stress, and will save you time. And after the craziness of last year, we all can use a little more form.

 

Don’t Forget to Have Fun!

Have yourself some fun!  On average, Americans work 44 hours a week. If you’re going to be in this space of yours for over 25% of the week, it needs to be a fun space to be!  So, first thing’s first: what is a passion of yours? Implement it into your space. I personally love music; it relaxes me when I’m stressed and wakes me up when I’m sleepy. So, I have an Apple HomePod Mini in my office and I listen to jazz music almost every single day. Another love of mine? Art, I have a friend who draws and writes the most beautiful calligraphy sketches and they made one for me. Seeing it reminds me why I do what I do, and it makes me smile.

The Deco shop is stacked with excellent options for just about every look.  Check out this black and white look I have on my wishlist.

 

  

About the Author

Samantha is a mid 30’s mom of two and wife to a commercial photographer.  She thrives on her DIY home remodel, wine, subscription boxes, Curly Girl Method, and empowering other women to be their best selves. She loves animals and the great outdoors, including her cats, fish, turtle, and her backyard chickens. Honest, sincere, and tons of fun, Samantha loves her Jesus and attributes all joy and success to Him!

The Pink Envelope is an online community that follows the journey of Samantha as she reviews subscription boxes, shows how to renovate your home on a budget, tips, and tricks to tackling the Curly Girl Method (and only washing your hair once a week), as well as San Antonio’s charm to add intentionality and joy to her family and yours.  See more on Samantha’s blog www.thepinkenvelope.com and on her YouTube channel www.youtube.com/c/thepinkenvelope