What does your work space say about your personal stye?  Whether you work from home, in a cubicle, at a desk or in your own office – does your work space speak to who you are?  Are you motivated to work efficiently and effectively in your workspace?

If my desk is a mess I cant think straight.  I subscribe to the theory that a messy desk means a mind filled with chaos.  During my law firm days, unless I was totally swamped and working around the clock, I cleaned off my desk every night before heading home.  To get a jump start on the next day’s challenges, I also created a “to do” list.  Old habits die hard; although I work from home, I still try to clean my desk off regularly and make my nightly “to do” list.  Fresh flowers, photos of family and friends, interesting paperweights and a place for everything also helps to make an office your own private oasis.

Yes, that’s me sitting at my desk in my home office where I pen most of my posts. I LOVE my new office thanks to the generosity of my husband and the interior design genius of Ghislaine Vinas.  Believe it or not, I used to sit facing a brick wall at a rickety West Elm desk that had seen one too many moves.  However, it took home and office organizing expert, Lynda Foxman, to help us find a space in our home that would be an ideal work space for me but not interfere with the general flow of the apartment.

I’m a fan of the desk accessories and paper goods at Muji, The Container Store, Jonathan Adler and Unica Home.  OneKingsLane, the Gilt Groupe of home goods, also has great finds on a regular basis.  Lynda Foxman convinced me to buy file folders, paperclips and pens that fit my personality (they’re all purple of course!).  At first it seemed like a waste of money since I already had just plain old manila folders, but I found some purple folders on sale at Target and have been converted ever since.  It is nice to have folders I like to stack my papers and bills in.  There was a partner at my old law firm who only used pink legal pads, I thought she was being a bit eccentric, but maybe  her pink legal pads bring a little smile to her face while she’s burning the midnight oil.

Artwork can make a big difference too.  I know most people hang their diplomas and whatnot, but really is that what you want to look at everyday?  You know where you went to school and when you graduated; if someone else really wants to know what your alma mater is, they’ll either ask you or Google you.  Find some art that inspires you, makes you smile or makes your office inviting for both you and any visitors you may have.

If you’re looking for some inspiration for your office, check out Cococozy.  A great interior design blog and website focused on stylish ideas for home and office.

What have you done to make your work space reflect your personal style?

[Photo by Mel Barlow]