Linens & things…Plus a giveaway!!!

This giveaway is officially closed. Keep scrolling  to see if you’re the winner!!

Can you believe that we’re already halfway through my unofficial “Office Week”? It’s a snowed in kinda day here in Lynchburg, VA, so John and I have the perfect excuse to work on one final office project before we wrap up the week. In the meantime, I’m going behind-the-scenes today to share a breakdown of the newly revamped storage system adjacent to my desk.

Like I mentioned on Monday, I’m a little short on storage in my office. I’ve set up shop in our second bedroom, which has since been named a studio, a guest bedroom, craft supply central and finally an office. So this room wears a TON of hats. And it only has two closets. It’s been tough to make the most out of the behind-closed-doors storage, and the second hurdle has been overcoming a tendency to take advantage of the fact that it’s hidden. This, my friends was the state of my office closet a week ago…I apologize in advance for subjecting you to these images.

Yeah, it was bad. Real, real bad. Yet, I risk utter embarrassment by showing you these hellish “Before” shots merely because of what I was able to accomplish. For only about $20! Here is my new office/linen closet as it stands today…

It’s worlds and UNIVERSES away from the chaos that it was before, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief every time I open the door. There’s color, there’s clean negative space and there are labels. Oh my goodness, do I love labels.

If those little black labels caught your eye, allow me to give you a little background. They are actually chalkboard labels snagged off of Etsy, specifically via Stacy from Petals and Chalk (she seems to be reorganizing her shop at the moment…so here’s something similar). These sturdy vinyl labels come with a strong sticky adhesive on the back (you first saw me use one on my new mint colored jar in the kitchen), and have a thick coating on the topside perfect for chalk or, in my case, a chalk pen. I used them all over the place in this closet reorganization to denote what went where, making it a cinch for John and I to grab the things we need. From linens to filings and paper, there’s a special spot for everything.

The first thing on my list was our overflowing collection of sheets, towels and pillow cases. I ended up donating about half of our collection, nixing the worn sets in lieu of the newer ones we received as gifts from the wedding last year. I also got rid of the mismatched towels we were holding onto for no real reason, opting instead to fill the shelves with our fresh new white ones (another thoughtful gift from the wedding). These favorites were then tucked away in two teal baskets snagged from the clearance section at Target for $5 each. Any overflow we had ended up fitting into two clear plastic bins that now sit on the bottom of the closet – Namely, BELOW eye level.

You may remember two little file box hacks that I did a while back. Well I’m at it again, this time creating a designated out-of-the-way spot to file our important documents. By drilling a couple of holes in the door and sinking screws through the wire mesh of the file box, I was able to get all of that paperwork off of the inner shelves and up onto once-wasted space on the door. This new system also got a chalkboard label, but I added a little pattern by sticking it first to some plaid scrapbook paper I had on hand, and then used strips of super strong 3M tape to stick it to the surface of the file box. That sucker isn’t going anywhere and, like the labels on the linen containers, can easily be relabeled to suit its contents. By the way, I am LOVING how my new See Jane Work file folders look tucked inside the box!

And speaking of files, with filing comes printer paper. Lots and lots of blank, white paper. To control THAT chaos, I picked up a $10 woven basket from T.J. Maxx. It was cheap, it gives the closet a nice organic texture and is the perfect size to fit all kinds of paper – from card stock, to the standard 8.5×11 sheets. It also got its own chalkboard label, affixed to patterned paper and then 3M taped to the front of the basket.

Finally rounding out the breakdown, the two vintage hot boxes that I picked up from a local estate shop back in 2011 continue to keep our hand towel collection in good order. I adore the graphic floral on the lids and think it’s fun that we were able to repurpose something old as new, fully functional storage.

I hesitate to even share these side-by-side images, if only because of the DASTARDLY “Before,” but I’ve gotta keep it real here. Thank goodness I decided to buckle down and get this closet under control.

I think we can both agree that just about ANYTHING is an improvement over the initial situation I had going on, but I am really very pleased with how the new system looks AND functions. I’m calling this a job well done, and moving full steam ahead on my next organization project, chalkboard labels in hand…

But it’s finally time to get to the part I know you’ve been waiting for…The giveaway! We’ve got two fun prizes up for grabs. The first, as you saw Monday, is your very own Loom Writer’s Block thanks to Marguerite of The Green Daisy. This ikat beauty seriously followed me all over the house yesterday while I was making conference calls for an article I’m writing. It was the PERFECT portable assistant, allowing room to jot down a name and number or two with ease.

(UPDATE: Marguerite has graciously offered a special offer for ALL of my readers. Use coupon code DGDIY20 to snag 20% off your first order!)

The second giveaway bundle is a four-piece prize pack from See Jane Work, complete with pencil cup, spiral notebook and two letter trays. Whether you keep this collection at home or you take it to your office at work, you’re going to make a loooooot of people jealous. While I realize this makes me sound a little shallow, I totally judge a book by its cover – and now I’m realizing that I often judge office supplies by their pattern! I am drawn to this fun color combo and herringbone like a duck to water, and I’m confident enough to wager a bet that you feel the same way. It’s impossible NOT to love it!

So. Anxious to win one of those lovelies above for your own office? Here are the details:

The prize:
One reader will receive their own Loom Writer’s Block courtesy of The Green Daisy (a $16 value) – Oh, and don’t forget that coupon code, which works for everyone beginning today! Another reader will receive a collection of goodies from the See Jane Work collection – a pencil cup, two letter trays and a spiral notebook (a $22 value). Each winner will be chosen randomly and your comments/entries will count towards both prizes!

To enter:
Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite way to get in a productive working mood. Do you listen to music? Do you work best with bright lights shining, or in darkness? Need a cup of coffee by your side?  (Don’t forget to include an email address in the form so I can contact you!)
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Bonus entries:
For extra chances to win a prize, follow Dream Green DIY on Facebook and/or Twitter and leave a comment for each here letting me know that you did. (it’s a win-win since you’ll be able to keep up with my daily updates once you’re a follower – But of course, there’s NO pressure to do so. You don’t need to do this in order to win the prize).

Deadline:
You have until Sunday, March 10th at 11:59 p.m. to enter. The winner will be announced here on Monday, March 11th – Don’t forget to check back to see if you’ve won.

Nitty gritty:
Contest is limited to the Continental U.S. The winner will be selected using random.org.

Good luck!

GIVEAWAY UPDATE: Congratulations to Hannah (Loom Writer’s Block winner)
and Lauren (See Jane Work prize pack winner)!!

Ladies, I will be emailing you shortly with details on your new designer office supplies.
Thanks to everyone for participating – I really enjoyed hearing all of
your creative solutions to getting in a working mood!