The Home Identity Crisis: The Dining Room Office

Remember life pre-pandemic lock down before your dining room morphed into your zoom room, office, workstation and study hall.? Thanks to your new work-at-home lifestyle, files and papers found a permanent home on your dining room table. You probably haven’t had a meal on that table, besides a quick sandwich and many lattes, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the holidays are here, and while we won’t be hosting big gatherings this year, it would be nice to have a holiday meal with a few close family and friends in your safe bubble. It’s time to reclaim and tame the dining room table! A little organizational magic and presto you can alleviate the room identity crisis and turn it into a beautiful two-in-one space. An office by day and a dining room by night!

Here are simple ways to keep your dining room/office space organized and easy to clear for holiday meals:

• Place trays on the dining room table so your work stuff has a home. At the end of the work day, simply remove the trays and…voila! There’s actually a clear table when it’s time for dinner.
• Use magazine organizers for filing. Place magazine organizers on a tray. They not only keep your files tidy; they can easily be transported from the dining room. Way more efficient than stacks of papers or files; and your paperwork takes up less room.
• Tuck a folding computer desk in the corner of your dining room. Use it as the home base for all your office trays and supplies. And when you want to completely clean-up the dining room, move your office trays into a closet or bedroom, and simply fold up the desk and remove it.
• Use a rolling utility storage cart for office supplies and items. They easily roll away into a closet. You might call it a “miracle vehicle” as it whisks away the office items, clearing the way for holiday meals and pie.
• Reuse a toy chest, or purchase a trunk, simply store all your office items inside. A trunk can hold and hide everything from files to your laptop. You can even choose a trunk that complements your dining room decor.
• Have fun shopping online for pretty organizers. After all, you spend a huge part of your time working, so make it enjoyable!

With these budget friendly storage solutions, your dining room can easily do double-duty: a functional space to both entertain and work. Your transformed two-in-one space has the added bonus of giving you peace of mind. Mindfully designing your space so it actually functions will make you feel more relaxed, organized and in control. Here’s to a unique and joyful holiday season!