Move Over, Martha

I find myself overjoyed this very minute because it has remained snowless and--GASP!--sunny and warm for two entire days in a row.

Is that too much to ask on a consistent basis in spring/summer? I think not, but the Denver meteorologists seem to think so.

On top of all that, my desk situation has been remedied!

In case you don't recall, my desk was in our bedroom along with the gym equipment and a filing system that involved glancing at bills and throwing them in a pile underneath the stability ball (for safe keeping).

Well, since Brad's employment change, he no longer works out of our home for the first time in nine years. He has an actual office! With a desk! And office supplies! And the ugliest bookshelf you've ever seen!

At first, he tried to talk me into keeping a home office for himself. That lasted about ten seconds and was discontinued when I started moving all of my belongings into what was formerly known as his.

After the big move, when there were endless piles of paper and bills, receipts dating from 2004, and a stack of catalogs over a foot high to sort, things got overwhelming.

Which is why it was very important to properly decorate the space before I began actually organizing "important" papers. I'm sure our mortgage lender understands when I call to tell them the bills are going to be late because I was busy making the inbox for our mortgage statement really cute. 

Creativity is not bound by due dates and money.

So hopefully over the next few days I can post some pictures of the cleaned-out bedroom (still rejoicing over that one) and MY OFFICE. Boo-yah! (Does anyone even say that anymore?)

But first things first.

I was serious about needing stylish places to file things. Corrugated cardboard and ugly metal racks hurt me in the depths of my soul. They really do.

Earlier last week, I priced some magazine files at every place in town and on the internet. The slightly trendy ones were either slightly ugly or slightly pricey. The super-functional ones looked like they belonged at Dunder-Mifflin.

Then, an epiphany: the solution to all of my filing woes came to me in the mail directly from Martha Stewart herself.

At Christmas, Brad somehow won a bunch of magazine subscriptions and Martha Stewart Living happened to be one of them. It's not a magazine I usually read, but I figured a quick glance through it (for free!) couldn't hurt.

As much as I love decor and shopping, I am WAY OUT on craftiness. Scrapbooks give me the shakes and most of Martha's "good things" seem like "small nightmares" to me.

But this little gem was the (economical!) answer to my prayers!

First, my inspiration...the colors in this cute pencil holder:

I'm positive each pen and pencil cries out (in a very silent, stoic way) to be placed in something more comforting and beautiful than a dated coffee mug from a previous employer. Trust me.

Back to Martha.

So, I opened the magazine and saw this:

Y'all, it's directions on how to create cute magazine files! They suggest using wallpaper, but since I don't have any readily available and am way too impulsive to order some, I went with scrapbooking paper. (ironic, eh?)

Then, I bought these:

In case you are not sure what to make of that hideousness, they are magazine file holders with fakey-wood paneling awfulness. 

It shocks me that you can buy something that ugly (wouldn't it be cheaper and less offensive to make it plain white?) in this day and age. Who goes to the office supply store looking for some sturdy cardboard with a 70's basement paneling effect?

Dwight Shrute. I forgot.

This is when I got all crafty and covered them in some amazing papers:

Then I found those label-stickers (I am not sure on the names of all these crafty items because I don't frequent those sections at the local Hobby Lobby) and labeled each of the most important files:

Dwight wouldn't know what to do with this amazing craft revolution, but I think Pam would appreciate my hard work.

And before you panic, I did organize all those bills into actual hanging files. I even used the label maker because it's a) fun and b) fun. 

Then I spent two days accessorizing the bookshelf. Y'all, I am all about the Big Picture and priorities. Be ye not fooled.

Speaking of which, there is some more design fun to come...