Project: Desk

Part 4: I’ll show you my drawers

Faithful readers will recall that last week’s Project: Desk was rudely interrupted by a medical issue, and I had to traipse off to the urgent care clinic with my drawers all akimbo. I know what you are thinking. But also, my DESK drawers were akimbo with no relief in sight.

Cut to: A week at home with little or no extra curricular activities, except for painting my hallway under the influence of Vicodin. It hurt to sit and it hurt to get up. Which meant puttering, and lots of it. In that time, I managed to separate things to toss, things to recycle and things to keep. I put mystery electronic equipment in a separate box, which I will date and squirrel away. If in one year I can’t use or match any of that stuff, it goes.

But then I was stuck on the process for how to decide what to exactly do with my stuff, so turned to one of my favorite people, who happens to be very nonjudgmental. She also is a professional organizer. And she is my cousin, Elizabeth McGrady. She told me these essential tips:

*Only things you use daily go on or in the desk.
*If you use things weekly store on a shelf, closet or  in a drawer.
*Things you use monthly can be stored away in an attic or basement.
*Keep an in-out box and update it weekly.

“Things have to earn the right to be where they are — so look around see if the daily, weekly or monthly tips apply,” she said. “The idea is to make your desk welcoming, not something you fear, stress or get apprehensive about when you come closer to it.”

The drawers look good now, especially with the help of two bamboo silverware organizers. Things I reach for daily go on the right side; electronic cords and chargers etc. go on the left.  My husband Steve told me to tell you he fixed the shelf so it is flush against the wall as Ikea intended. And I also bought a pretty rug so I don’t do further damage to the floor from rolling my chair around.

Next stop: The hundreds of DVDs, CDs, envelopes, cards and different kinds of papers I have smushed in an antique sheet-music cabinet. But today, I love my desk.

Part 3 -  Emptying the Drawers

Part 2 – Decluttering the Surface

Part 1 – The Problem