A simplified and organized home and life is a state of being I’m trying to capture and create as a constant reality throughout the year for both myself and others. It’s a concept I’m excited to be able share in my weekly post as part of the team here at the HomeGoods Openhouse Blog.

As a professional organizer, living and working in Boston, I love to help folks experience the joy and freedom of a simplified and organized home and work space. I like to add in a little decorative flair here and there too.

Today I’m excited to also be participating in the 5 minutes for Moms Ultimate Blog Party. I love going to parties where someone else has done all the organizing, don’t you? Well, I can’t entertain you all with party card tricks and I’m not much of a baker, but I do have an amazing before and after picture of a small home office nook that has been transformed by the addition of open shelving.

For this project I collaborated with my organizing buddy, Joan Robbins of Organized Chaos consulting. You can see that this basement home office was in desperate need of a little organization and the table had so many things on it there was no space left to work.

The small narrow nook eliminated the option of any additional horizontal work surface, so we went “vertical” to gain more storage and work space. We began with open wall-mounted shelving taking it all the way down on the side next to the table to get the printer off the main work space. (you can click on the photos to enlarge)

It was important to eliminate two things from this area.

1.Clutter(things they no longer wanted or needed)

2. Things that “Belong Elsewhere”(like the doll house)

We organized the remaining items on the open shelving using bins and boxes. The result is that table space was freed up and a more visually pleasing and efficient system for paperwork and supplies was put in place.

Adding a punch of color with the red storage boxes (good choice Joan R.) took this home office from “dull” to “delightful” don’t you think?

So, if your home office is feeling a little cramped, try going vertical to free up your horizontal spaces and be sure to put your personal stamp on it by adding some fun and creative touches with your storage boxes (HG has a great selection).

As for the party going on, well, I don’t know if I’m allowed to win the HG $100.00 gift card, but you can bet that’s my first choice. I’ll take pretty much ANY gift card, like the one from Office Max Multi-Tasking Mama, Or the $50.00 Target Card, Shoot Me Now, or the Christian Book Distributors certificate by A High And Noble Calling …any gift card for sure. Gift cards are clutter free and allow me to purchase only those things I really want/need.

Back to work for me now — there’s lots of organizing left to do here in Boston and lots to blog about here at HG Openhouse — but what about you? Let’s get a little party chit-chat going here. Tell us what great ideas do you have for making your home office fantastic and functional?

Oh, and the Ultimate Blog Party continues through March 27th, so Party On!!