Amazing Office Redo on a $500 Budget! {With a Tutorial!}

Today’s guest post is for those of us who have dreamed of having an office or hobby room with tons of built-ins, but thought they’d never have it because a room like that would be too expensive.  Not so, my friends!  Our guest blogger is going to show you how she added loads of storage and functionality to her office space for $500.  Plus, she’s sharing a tutorial and some organization tips for you.

Not everyone has enough room in their home for a designated office or craft room.  If you are lucky enough to have it, take advantage of it!  Do whatever you can—within your own budget—to get it clean and organized, and you’ll be amazed at how your productivity will increase.  Here are a few office makeovers that I like:

Shared Craft and Office Space | Directions Not Included featured at Remodelaholic

Bright White Office | A Place 2 Call Home featured at Remodelaholic

Small Office Design |  Until Tomorrow featured at Remodelaholic

Home Office Makeover | Live Love DIY featured at Remodelaholic

Craft Room Storage | Lolly Jane

What I love about our guest blogger’s office redo is all the creative storage options that she added to the room.  Not all of them were originally designed to be office furniture, but she figured out ways to make them work and have a really cohesive design.  Let’s go check it out!

Submitted by Batchelors Way

I’m Ronda a busy mom of six kids.  I love DIY! And I especially love DIY on a DIME!  I can find anything I need at a second hand shop, according to my sister.  (I think that’s a little exaggerated  but pretty darn close.)  Come on over to Batchelors Way and let me show how I decorate for less!!   I am so excited to be here on Remodelaholic, I love Cassity and her adorable family.  Today Cassity is letting me share my Office/Craft room with you.

I’m so excited to show you!!  

It’s been a long journey,

but all my rooms are a journey on my super tight BUDGETS and busy life with 6 kids!

Let’s just take it all in!!

Did you take it all in?

It’s sooo bright and light!!  And I love that’s it’s functional, organized and pretty!!  My favorite combination!!!

I was able to get all those built-ins while sticking to my $500 budget.  If you’d like to know how, click over here.

Just for fun, I want to show you just how far this room has come:

Now, I know you want to know all my sources for the things in this office.  Most bloggers list what stores their decor comes from so you can go buy it.

Yeah, I don’t quite work that way. If you know me, you know they are almost all used or sale items. 

The big baskets, though, were one of my splurges at $19.69 each.

I think number tags look great on baskets even if they are just for looks.  It just so happens I needed to label my baskets in the office with a numbering system.

(I will show you why in just a minute.)

Not only did I need to number them I wanted them to look cute, so when I saw some number plaques over at Confessions of A Plate Addict I knew what I wanted to do!

I did mine a little different.

Here is what I did.

Like Debbie, I used the Modern No. 20 font to create my graphics.  I printed them out on card stock; she used poster board, but I wanted my a little thicker.  After I cut them out I cut out matching shapes from my leftover scraps of cork from my pin board.  I used a hole punch tool to punch holes on either end of the oval tag and corresponding cork.  Next I used craft paint and a sharpie to make the edges of the cork black. 

I glued them to the cork using spray adhesive.  Then I used clear gloss spray paint over the top.  I did a lot of layers to get a thick glossy layer.  I did learn I should have done that in reverse order; spray the gloss coat first and glue second, other wise the wetness from the paint causes the card stock and cork to separate and you will have to re-glue it after it all dries.

I liked how they turned out with the thickness and shine.

To attache them to my baskets I used brads, like we all used back in grade school.  I just pushed them through the holes and into the basket and spread the ends out on the inside of the basket to hold them in place.

Oh, as promised I will tell you what I needed these spiffy baskets with numbers on them for!!

If any of you sew you totally understand the frustration of trying to put a pattern back into the envelope after you use it!   It’s pretty much impossible and usually ends up ripping the envelope.

So, I just cut up my pattern envelopes from the start.  I lay them out flat so I can see both the front and the back and insert them into a page protector.  I then file them by category in binders. 

When I need a pattern I flip through the binder like a pattern book until I find the one I want.  I can then take that page to the fabric store.

I know you are wondering what I do with the pattern pieces and directions.

I put them into manila files folders with the pattern number and pattern company on the folder tab.  I then file them in numerical order.  I had to search for the right sized baskets that would fit a file folder. When I’m ready to cut out and sew my project I just pull the folder out and can easily put it all back in and refile it when I’m done.

This system works great for me. 

Here’s one more view of all the baskets in my office with my faux enamel tags.

I looked up enamel tags and found then for about $3-$6 each on line. 

Mine were free!!  (cause I used leftover scraps from other projects!!) Saving myself $12-$24!!!

I love free things that help me stay organized and are pretty also!!

Doesn’t get any better!

It sure doesn’t, Ronda!  Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful new space and organization tips with us, today.  Looking for more tips on creating office or hobby space in your home?  Check out some of my other posts:

Beautiful Office Storage Ideas | Closet Office Inspiration | Craft Room Design Inspiration