You'd think that in this age of sophisticated technology, portable devices, playful ringtones and storage in 'the cloud', staying organised would be an easy thing, right? Well it is for some, but for me... I still find it easier to jot down on paper a list of things to do, and sketch an idea I have, instead of describing it in text... because I'm a visual person. Scrolling down my iPhone calendar doesn't seem to have the same at-a-glance effect that a good old paper's calendar has, and when it comes to staying organised with a busy life and a busy family, simply seeing it all in a glance feels less overwhelming than scrolling week by week on a smartphone!
Indeed, I open my yearly grid and can see at once where I'll be, and need to be, months from now: Milano Design week in April, Melbourne's Decor + Design in July, Bologna's International Tiles & Bathroom Fair in September... that important wine with friends.. you get the idea! And when I'm locking in dates for important events, I can easily fit everything in, whilst staying calm and stress free.
My exciting yet unpredictable calendar, relies on a large cardboard planner I purchased from Officeworks. I place stickers with colours and shapes that easily remind me which days I'll be free or overseas, filming for The Living Room, or hosting Sky News Real Estate. This way I can easily and quickly add in my design clients, work events and trips, not to mention time with my kids and friends, without risk of double bookings. Sure! it won't fit in my pocket, but it does make my working life so much easier.. and keeping organised can still look stylish and interesting, without being messy!
Placed nearby your desk or home office, these boards are helpful to both plan your life and pin notes and reminders, allowing you and the family to easily see what's happening, allowing everybody to stay on track and organised. These can be placed on a large pin board made with natural cork, or covered in fabric to suit your interior decor and style. See below some DIY ideas to keep your wall mounted calendar open in front of you, and if you're in a small space and the wall look becomes to visually messy, don't underestimate the good old diary with its large pages by the door, as the perfect place to leave notes for each other.
You can find ready made large size calendars and planners from stationary shops, or like I did, from Officeworks. Or you could make your own the way you like it, and match the look of your office or study. Why not hang some clip boards where you can easily slide in an invitation, image or photograph, and if you're visual like me, using different colours or symbols will make it easy to separate each event. Or why not give each member of the family different coloured boards pins or clips, so they can all stay organised and easily see what everyone else is up to.
A wall hung wire grid could be the perfect solution to help you quickly find/add/remove elements at your workstation, giving you a cool industrial vibe, that is so versatile. You can find these in most hardware stores and they look great, or you can even 'up-cycle' an old wire shelf and make your own.
Using your imagination, and making your working space actually work for you is the key to keeping you organised. Whether you have a regular (Mon - Fri) working life or like me, a less predictable one, it's important to make your home office or workstation functional and stress free. And YEP! as I always say, why not make it a good looking space at the same time? So what are you waiting for? Get organised, and you'll be ready for all the exciting things that 2018 has in store for you!
James Treble is an ambassador for Planet Ark and firmly believes in sensible purchasing, recycling and creative re-purposing. James Treble has more than 25 years of experience in the Building Industry, Real Estate and Interior Design. His knowledge and experience in adding value to homes, through clever design & styling, is now published for all to learn and benefit from. Interior Design For Profit is now available online.
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