Before and After: Home Office Makeover with The Container Store
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It’s been two months since I started working on my home office makeover with The Container Store, and I’m finally done with phase one! Who knew an hour-long Zoom call with my dedicated designer, Colleen, a free service you can book here, would lead to me having a fully organized space? So, without further ado, let me show you my home office in my Washinton, DC rental!
Before
After
Every inch of this room needed to be used for storage, and we started at the entry door. Although not a part of the original design plans, I took advantage of the 25% off Elfa sale and added an over-the-door organizer to hold my tripods and cleaning supplies. The $11 Gift Wrap Rack, plus a Large Mesh basket were essential to make this set up work.
Inspired by this image, I used this magnetic board by Marie Kondo to hold important papers and project samples. However, the magnets it came with are horrible - they can't even hold a piece of paper, so I got these surprisingly strong ones instead. And they're brass - yay!
Before
After
Upgrading to the Elfa Décor shelves significantly impacted the budget, but it is my favorite part of the room. The top shelves, which are easily accessibale with a step ladder, are for storing holiday decor and my puzzle collection in these clear stackable bins with secure lids.
I was a little worried about the weight of my books on these shelves, but, Steven, the installer, let me know the Elfa Décor shelves have a weight capacity of 70 lbs. per linear foot, evenly distributed, slightly lower than the Ventilated Shelves, which can hold 100 lbs. per linear foot, evenly distributed.
My art collection has grown a lot over the years, and eventually, these pieces will find a home throughout the apartment. Still, for now, they make a home in this open space that will ultimately be home to the Shelter daybed from West Elm, but more on that in phase two of the home office makeover!
Before
After
I added another 2' X 15" utility panel, so I could keep all my tools together on the right side of the room. This was a change from the original design plans but it functions so much better this way and it goes to show how easy it is to customize Elfa as your needs/ideas evolve.
Eventually, I’ll add a second utility tray above on the right side of the peg board, but it was sold out on my last trip to The Container Store.
Below the tool wall, I opted for shallow drawers at the top to organize all the anchors, screws, and bits I've collected over the years. And… let me tell you… GAME CHANGER!
As a visual person, I need to have everything laid out in order to keep track of things, so I used the Radius Organizer collection in various sizes to corral similar pieces together. This collection ranges from $2.99 - $6.99 and comes in clear or white!
Hopefully, this approach will stop me from buying duplicates of everything. Fingers Crossed.
When organizing, everything needs to have a 'home,' but I find it difficult to keep larger drawers neat and tidy since they usually have to hold a lot of stuff. To help with that, I utilized the"home within a home" approach, where I use drawer dividers to create smaller sections and ensure items don't fall into each other - making a big 'ole mess.
This avoids that ‘junk drawer’ effect!
Before
Before the installation, I painted the walls ‘Alabaster’ by Sherwin Williams to give the room a bright, yet warm feel. My plan was to use a paint sprayer to make the job easier, but that plan was foiled. If you take one lesson from this post, let it be to always clean your paint sprayer - it’ll save you so much money on your DIY projects.
After
The 5-drawer mobile DIY cart was a brilliant idea, and I love how you can't tell if this piece is attached to the structure at first glance. The cart can be pulled out to do projects all around the apartment, and I added a melamine top so that I would have a sturdy work surface.
I also love that we raised the height of the drawers to 40" tall so that I can use the surface as a standing desk.
Before
For so long, this room was a dumping ground for everything that didn't have a place to be, and it was getting on my last nerves. This wood ladder chair was charming in my studio apartment dining room but was uncomfortable after an hour! I switched to the best office chair, the bungee chair from The Container Store, and have never looked back.
After
My desk setup is fire and I did a reverse Google image search to find this white metal desk on casters from Wayfair for $60 cheaper than it was on West Elm.
Before
After
To the left of the desk, Colleen and I added a series of three-foot shelves - up top, we used ventilated shelves for heavier items, and the lower Elfa Décor shelves were meant for the more "beautiful" items like vases, trays, and a box full of Dyson vacuum attachments. Remember, your home should be beautiful but also practical.
The wire shelves have serious advantages. They're lighter and hold more. Weight and are cheaper, but they also allow light to rise and won't make your room feel enclosed.
The clothing rack was initially supposed to be on the right side of the room, but I swapped in a 3ft bar, so all the decor stuff could stay together. Throw pillow covers, mainly from H&M, hang onto the leftover petite hangers from my bedroom closet makeover, and I even love how the linen color blends into the wall color.
All the paints and stains I own are tucked under the bottom shelf, utilizing every inch of the room and ensuring I’m not putting too much weight on the shelves—a win-win situation.
The makeover was a labor of love and would not have been possible without Colleen, Steven, everyone at the Arlington and Tenleytown Container Store’s and my best friend Derel.
Let me know what you think below & happy organizing.
xoxo,
Imani
