Growing Spaces

How we set up our coronavirus lockdown home-learning space

How we set up our coronavirus lockdown home-learning space

I’ve been meaning to write this post about the home learning space we created for the kids (the twins are 10 years old, and are in Year 5) for the last six weeks! When the government announced that schools needed to close, I was completely overwhelmed with panic and anxiety about the Covid-19 situation and the impact it was about to have on our daily life. I often find that focusing on something practical is a good way for me to cope in times of stress, and so I channeled all my energy into rejigging our interior set up to…

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How to create a neat and compact kids homework area

How to create a neat and compact kids homework area

The area between the living and dining zones in our open-plan ground floor space has been through so many different uses as the twins grow and their needs change. Until a month or so ago, our old dining table lived there. We called it the craft table, but in reality it was a dumping spot and just attracted piles of clutter and paperwork (as evidenced by the cringe-inducing before shot above). I decided that it was time for the craft table to go – this would open up the space and help us in our constant battle against clutter, but I…

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Working from home

Working from home

Maybe it’s the need to be as close to the kettle as possible or just because it’s at the heart of our home, but even though I’ve got a dedicated home office that I love I can often be found working at the kitchen table instead. I guess that’s one of the best things about working from home – you’re not restricted to one workspace, you can pick your spot for the day, whether it’s at your desk, on the sofa, or even holed up in bed (this ranks pretty highly for me on cold, winter days or if I’m…

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My 7 golden rules for an ordered (and happier) workspace

My 7 golden rules for an ordered (and happier) workspace

Getting my desk organised last week after the arrival of my new super-compact HP DeskJet 3720 printer prompted a massive sort out of the rest of my home office. I went through old files, binned bags of obsolete paperwork, moved furniture and generally tackled my problem areas – paperwork, reference material and office stationery – so that I could enjoy the benefits of a more ordered workspace. Just moving furniture gave the room an instant refresh – it’s almost like hitting a reset button. Other things I did: Finally let go of a load of magazines. They were all titles…

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Organised desk, organised mind: Maximising space in my home office

Organised desk, organised mind: Maximising space in my home office

  Space always seems to be an issue in my home office. The room isn’t tiny, but it’s not huge either, and I really struggle to fit in everything I need, despite being acutely aware that I’m lucky to even have a room at home that I can use as a workspace. I work from home, and it’s a constant battle to keep on top of the clutter. I’m one of those people who needs the space around me to be in order for me to be able to work productively. That well-known phrase ‘organised desk, organised mind’ totally applies…

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