I’m sure after over a year and half of working remotely a lot of y’all were also thinking about ways to improve your work spaces and workflow. With going freelance full time looming on the horizon, I needed to have a comfortable and quiet place to focus and get work done. For me I need a spot that also inspires me. Being able to look around and see my “tray-sures” really motivates me. I knew I wanted it to be a celebration of all the things that have influenced my aesthetic, so: pink, retro, and cute. I have massive Sailor Moon and Hello Kitty collections, and this would be where I could showcase them artfully along with all the practical stuff like art supplies and a ton of books. I needed to make it happen quickly, so I came up with a game plan. I decided to break it down in a few bite sized pieces so I wouldn’t get overwhelmed with how massive it was going to be.
Pick an aesthetic & inspiration
I find pink to be a really soothing and energizing color. Following that vein, I thought about some of my favorite pink rooms. The two that came to mind were Usagi’s bedroom from Sailor Moon and Clarissa’s from Clarissa Explains It All. The vibes are very different but they both are fun mishmashes of a lot of stuff. I decided my principle color would be pink, with black and white as accents, and for fixtures I’d try to stick to something brassy.
Take everything out of the room
We separated my stuff from Mike’s and moved all his stuff into his own space, which is now his home office. Eventually that space will double as a guest room but that’s a project for another day.
Paint and purge
Next I picked the perfect calming shade of pink to go with the new vibe. I chose Valspar Soft Pink. Between coats of paint I sorted through all my stuff and started donating old items that could be reused, and tossed the rest. I tend to hoard a lot of stuff for future projects that I never make time for. Other artists are probably pretty familiar with that trap. I tried to fight that urge and it served me well.
Move back in furniture & arrange for good workflow
The previous step freed me up to rethink the entire layout and do something more in tune with my own workflow. I needed a solid storage system for my hoard of books and toys. Also a dual desk situation where I could work on my iMac and a big flat surface to draw at. Lastly a comfy chair that I’d be comfortable enough in to draw for hours, but also double as a quick fix for a guest sleeping over. I decided what pieces were worth keeping for my need planned workflow and moved those in. Then I sold the old stuff on Facebook marketplace to help cover the some of the cost for the next step…
I converted a 1930s kitchen table given to me by my mother into my new drawing desk. I had a drafting table but I’ve hardly used it in some time, it was huge and didn’t really go with the new aesthetic.
Pick out new furniture
This is a good point to start thinking about what additional pieces you would like, and start measuring. Think about your current workflow and what annoys you about it. I prefer to do most of my iPad drawing in a comfy chair. I found the perfect chaise lounge, measured everything up and made sure it ticked all the boxes. I’m a big believer in form AND function. Making it cute is how I trick my brain into loving spending time in this space. Exploit anything you can figure out to trick yourself into loving your workspace, as long as it doesn’t hurt your productivity. Here’s links to the pieces I ordered online if you are curious:
Pro tip: Caster wheels!
I learned this life hack years ago and it has served me well. I love adding a set of caster wheels to certain furniture that I wanna move around easily like my end table. These casters fit perfectly, I had just had to pop them on all at once which might be a little tricky. You might want a second pair of hands to help but I did ok on my own. I got this set here.
Get organized
Everything I moved back in had to find its proper home. I wanted my art supplies to be easily accessible and easy to clean up. I sorted all my pencils and drawing implements into old tea tins. I tried to match up the color of the tins with the colors of the implements to keep me sane. I was able to fit most of the other supplies into my art cart. I love this thing. I got it ages ago at IKEA. All my paper goes into my paper sorter. Without this item my office would be chaos. I also use a planner and a field notes journal to try and keep my schedule on track and to take notes. This is where properly planning furniture choices really pays off.
Upgrade lighting & fixtures
I had a creaky, loud ceiling fan from the 90s that had to go. My in-laws kindly gifted me the rad Sputnik with the swanky Edison bulbs. I wanted the big light to be something soft and cozy, while my desk lamps are cool tones. If you fancy a bit of mood lighting I highly recommend a dimmer switch. You can find kits at your local hardware store they are pretty simple to install.
Research & Upgrade tech
I already had my trusty iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, but I needed a proper workstation for some of the programs I use and what not. I also needed a good back up solution. In a past life I worked in IT, so that background makes navigating this stuff simpler for me. Be sure to read specs and ensure that the gear you are buying is compatible with each other. For me, one way to minimize headaches is to stick to Apple products. For the most part everything works and is well made. It can be a bit more costly, but if I don’t have to deal with Windows I’m willing to pay a premium. Also, with the new iMac being pink, what more did I need to know? Here’s a list of my tech gear if you are curious.
iMac 24 inch M1 2021
iPad Pro 11 inch (2nd Gen) & Apple Pencil 2
Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB
Add plants
A bit of greenery really livens up the space and can help purify the air. I go for easy plants that don’t require much maintenance. Pothos, spider plants, and bamboo tend to work well for me. There are a few terrariums that I’ve made out of old spice jars too, just moss grows in them, mostly an excuse to show off cute figurines.
I also love to bring in roses from my garden. They can make a simple day seem a bit more fancy. Plus it’s a good excuse to take a break and get some fresh air.
Final thoughts…
My biggest piece of advice is to try and set yourself up for success when it comes to staying organized. What I mean when I say that is, assume you will be lazy, and be realistic with yourself. Most of us are not firing on all cylinders at all times. Make it easy for you. I know I have a tendency to let papers get outta hand, so I try to circumvent this by using notebooks for daily notes, and a planner. I use a paper sorter and file folders obsessively. I also have had a long standing rule about not bringing in junk mail at all. I sort it on my way from the mailbox to the trash can. That was a game changer back when I first started it about ten years ago. Happiness is really just small positive incremental changes sustained over time.
I wanted my office to feel like a completely different space separate from the rest of the house. A true Amandaland. Somewhere I could put on some podcasts and focus for hours. I feel like I accomplished that and then some. Which is so satisfying knowing how intimidated I was by it all at the beginning. I hope by breaking down here maybe it’ll help someone else do it for themselves and make their own little work haven.
The pack approves.