Hi, it’s Morgan from The Patient Mom blog (aka @the_patientmom on Instagram). I am a busy, working mom of three kids, three and under who loves to share her crazy-beautiful, chaotic life in a way that is relatable to the masses. Today I am here in the Decocrated blog to tell you a bit about how I turned an unfinished room in my house into a make-shift, but functional, home office in little-to-no-time. 

This is me! Headshot courtesy of Caitlin Breann Photography and here are my crazy kids on Easter!

My life, like everyone else’s, was recently flipped upside down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With what seemed like little warning, many Americans lost their jobs; and those blessed with the ability to continue to work during the stay at home order (like myself) had to adapt to a new work from home environment. And not just any work from home environment, but one in which our partners, children, pets, etc. were home with us!

Frustrated Parks And Recreation GIF
(what life feels like now)

As a mother with like, a lot of little kids, I knew that in order to be productive I needed a space away from the “every day”. We didn’t have a home office or free space for me to just plop my laptop down and set up shop, and our home is a fixer-upper so I had to improvise. The only feasible office option was our spare bedroom; a room with a bed, random miss-matched dressers filled with my “overflow clothes” (please tell me I’m not the only one who has clothes stored in other rooms), an antique vanity needing refinishing, and a closet. The basics of the room are still from the previous owners’ style which includes but is not limited to: yellow carpet, walls that need a fresh coat of paint and window treatments reminiscent of a pair of worn-out jeans. So, basically the room’s saving grace is that it is large, upstairs and has an ensuite bathroom. 

On March 17, 2020, I packed up my office and carted it home and up to the spare bedroom. I sat on the bed and stared at all the “stuff” wondering how I was ever going to make this work. I cleared off the bedside table dresser and set up my iMac on it. It was a perfect fit and since I don’t use that device heavily (mainly for creative jobs like video editing and graphic design, although I’ve recently taken to streaming the news on it throughout the day to keep up with the current status of my city/state) it wasn’t a big deal that it wasn’t at a desk. 

That left the old vanity as the only real option for my daily work station. I moved my perfume collection to another location, removed the mirror and cleared out the drawers. Once wiped down, though small, I could see it working. I configured my Dell laptop with docking station and extra monitor and filled the drawers with office supplies like Post-Its, headphones, a stapler and my planner(s). To give myself more “desk” space, I pulled the two drawers halfway out and set my wireless keyboard right on top. Perfect!

All of my equipment was set up, which was great, but the room was so blah. I did treat myself to a new white and gold (give me all the gold!) office chair which brought in some sophistication, but that was the only “new” thing that I bought for this room. I needed to add in some decor to make the space a place I enjoyed going to; it needed some life! After all, I was going to spend 40 hours a week there. So I busted out some pieces from my past #Decocrated boxes and got to work. 

CHALKBOARD

Transitioning from an office with multiple whiteboards to a guest bedroom with none was not easy. Thank goodness I had this adorable hanging chalkboard from my spring box for adding reminders, brainstorming notes or just for nice words of encouragement or self-affirmation. I hung it on the wall directly behind my computer so the reminders are constantly in front of me. 

FEATURED ARTIST ARTWORK AND ARTWORK MAGNETS

The chalkboard served as the perfect opportunity to add some pops of color to the otherwise grey-blue wall. I can use the magnets to secure notes and the featured artist artwork that says “Love every little thing you do” serves as a constant reminder to love my work and feel blessed that I have a job amidst all of this chaos. 

BURLAP TOTE BAG

I keep the burlap tote bag from the spring box in my “office” at all times. I load it up with my laptop, keyboard, mouse, planner, etc. when I want to move my work station to another room. Like to the kitchen to assist with breakfast or lunch, or to the back deck when the weather allows. It fits a ton and looks cute just hanging on the back of my desk chair. 

GREEN THROW BLANKET

This super cozy green throw blanket from the winter box is always within reach. I am one of those people who is constantly cold, no matter the temperature outside (or inside at that matter), so it is great to grab this lightweight blanket and snuggle up in my chair and crank out the day’s tasks. I’m currently using the blanket as I write this blog and watch the snowfall in APRIL in Northwest Ohio. Happy Spring, ya’ll.


GOLD TABLE TOP SET

This is by far my favorite item I have ever received from Decocrated. As I mentioned earlier, gold is my absolute favorite. This item is SO versatile. Before my work from home life commenced, I was using this to hold makeup brushes and hair ties. Now it resides on top of my vanity-desk and holds my pens, highlighters, earbuds, hand lotion and sanitizer, and more. I also added an artificial white hydrangea for a touch of elegance. 

After adding a few more items I had lying around the house, like a mint green desk lamp, dried flowers in milk glass vases, and a wall calendar of my kids; I was ready to get to work. Check out the finished product of my desk area below. 


So, while working from home has been an adjustment, I have a quiet space that I was able to make into a “work oasis” with the help of Decocrated. I hope you are all hanging in there and staying healthy and safe! I invite you to join me on my journey by following me on Instagram and subscribing to my blog.

Cheers!