Since doing my home office makeover last summer I have had to make a few changes here and there. Originally, I had expected Jules to take office space elsewhere last summer but that was delayed for a year so he needed to take half of the desk space in our home office. I had intended to use half of the double desk for my computer and half for making/photo-taking. Therefore, I have had to change the way I work over the last few months.

My home office as it looked last summer. Originally I thought I would be able to use the whole desk but my partner has taken one half for the past few months until he takes office space this summer.

My main aim when it comes to organising my desk is to keep the surface as flexible as possible as I can’t use one side for my computer and one side for making. The priority is definitely not about making it look pretty – function, function, function! My work means that sometimes I need to sit at my computer for hours responding to emails, photo-editing, compiling blog posts but at other times I need a completely clear surface for crafting, pattern cutting, photo-taking and I never really know which it will be as it depends on light and deadlines. Therefore, I want to share some of my tips for keeping a desk space organised, tidy and flexible.

Tip one: Manage cables

I have an amazing new Samsung curved monitor, that links up to my laptop, for those times that I spend all day photo-editing, writing blog posts or perusing Pinterest (!). When I gave up my day job and started blogging full time I didn’t realise how much time I would spend at my computer and this monitor makes that so much easier – more on that next week.  I had to find a way to make it easy to move my computer to keep my half of the desk as flexible as possible so I have a wireless keypad and mouse to reduce the number of cables.

Samsung curved monitor

I cut out two notches, where the two desks meet, to allow the cables from my monitor and Jules’s computer to feed straight down under the desk and there is a basket attached to the underside of the desk to catch the cables and lead them to the power supply. This means there are no ugly cables draped across the desk and this also makes it easier to move off the table top without cables draped everywhere.

Tip two: Clipboard for paperwork

I always have a big to-do list and pieces of paper/receipts/documents that I need to deal with. The last thing I want is to have them lying all over the desk but I also don’t want to put them away in a filing box because I know I will forget about them. Therefore, the easiest way I have found of organising them whilst keeping them visible is using a clip board. I know I need to deal with everything that is attached to the board, I have my to-do list for each day or week at the top and yet everything is contained and easy to move, if need be.

Tip three: Metal baskets

Another way to make my desk space organised and flexible is I use metal baskets. I don’t want piles of bits and pieces all over the desk as these are so difficult to move so everything goes in a basket that be picked up and moved with no effort.

Tip four: Trays for little bits

For the little bits that I am using or may need I keep them in these lovely Hay Design trays. Again, I can pick these up and move them so easily and it keeps the desk neat and tidy.

I hope some of these tips are useful if you’ve been struggling to keep on top of a messy desk.

Katy x

*This post was written in collaboration with Samsung.

P.S. I have picked out some products from my shop that may help (or just look good on your desk!)…

Behind the scenes of my blog I am always beavering away on different jobs whether it be styling homes for magazine shoots or doing room makeovers in ‘real’ homes. As you know, I am partial to the odd room makeover, and I love doing it for others. It’s amazing being able to walk into someone’s home with fresh eyes and be able to identify why the room isn’t working and what they can do, with relatively little money, to bring the room back to life.

Sometimes I do personal shopping for clients who just don’t have the time or know how to find what it is that they want and need for their home. I was asked recently to find a small collection of unique home accessories to add more character to a neutral living room in a rented North London flat. The client worked with me to pick the items and then I popped over recently to take a few pics, which I thought you might like to see as it is very far from the generic look you often see on the high street or in magazines and therefore might provide some inspiration…

The first thing we decided the room needed was a rug to bring colour and interest to such a blank canvas. It can be so difficult to find the perfect rug so I referred the client to Manchester based retailer The Rug Seller as they have such a diverse range of styles, colours and designers. She immediately honed in on this Kodari Anemone rug as she loves the colours and unique design and it brings real personality to the room. It’s also gorgeously soft and sumptuous as it is 100% wool.

The client decided she wanted a set of new but well designed furniture that she could easily take with her to whatever home to goes to next, as this is a rented flat. I found the sideboard, dining set and side tables at Afobi, which fitted the brief perfectly.

We then picked out some of the colours from the rug to add some interesting touches like this mirror that I found in Places and Spaces.

I found the main painting at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park and I love the hints of colour that reflect the pattern in the rug.

We also bought a couple of Tom Pigeon prints as the client has such an eclectic taste that she was keen to mix different styles. The lamp was a unique eBay find and the vase is from Habitat.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this little glimpse into some else’s home. Have a great week everyone!

Katy x

*This post was written in partnership with The Rug Seller

When we ripped up the carpets in our living room and home office last year, we left the bedroom as it was for practical reasons i.e. we needed one surface that we could walk on whilst we painted the rest. However, I always knew I wanted to get rid of it because it drags the whole room down, especially in contrast to the rest of the flat. I love having a white backdrop on both the floor and walls and then warm it up with linen, throws, rugs, curtains, furniture and books, especially considering I do not have any period features, living in a new build flat.

Now that the painting has been done, I am putting a few finishing touches to the room and I wanted to show you my inspiration…

I love the simple touches of wood that tie this room together. Image: Roger Davies

I was really inspired by the simplicity of this all white bedroom that was featured on Emma’s regular feature A Shared Style. Just a few select pieces on the bedside table and a few plants on the window sill – I can’t stand clutter in my bedroom these days. Image: A Quiet Style

I know this is not a bedroom but inspiration comes from all sorts of places. This picture gave me the idea to place large plants on top of my wardrobe, which adds a contrast in colour and an injection of life to the room (although very annoying to water!). Image: Tumblr

My linen dreams have come true! I have some beautiful linen for my bed that adds wonderful texture to the room. Image: Apartment Therapy

This shot on Instagram caught my eye. It made me realise that my dressing table is covered with bottles, lotions, potions and a hair dryer and is definitely not a thing of beauty. I have decided to try to add more things of beauty to the surfaces in my bedroom. Image: @witanddelight_

The freshness of this bedroom is exactly what I hope to achieve. Image: Pure Style

I like the softness that textiles and pictures can bring to an all white canvas. Image: Remodelista

For tons more bedroom inspiration and design ideas, you should check out this article on LuxPad, in which I share my favourite bedroom. I hope to be able to get the room finished by next week so keep your eyes peeled!

Katy x

In a funny sort of way, I think me and my sisters used to get more excited about Easter than we did about Christmas. We would always go to my grandparents’ house in Devon and the anticipation for our Easter breakfast was feverish. We would wait on the stairs until we were finally allowed into the breakfast room (surely only grandparents have breakfast rooms?!) to see the Easter table for the first time, which my mum, Aunty and Grandma would have prepared the night before. My Grandmother always kept the homemade Easter decorations that we made each year and these would adorn the table proudly as well as the most ridiculous number of eggs you have ever seen. We would have our own place setting and it was only then that we could figure out just how many eggs we had been given (I mean, we’re talking one from our parents, each sister, grandparents, Aunty, school friends – there were a lot!). We would then gorge on chocolate and hot cross buns and begin the competition to see which sister could make her eggs last the longest (Juliette always won that competition). Just such lovely memories.

When Furniture Choice asked me to style up one of their dining tables for Easter, I didn’t need to be asked twice and it brought back all those lovely memories (minus the mountain of eggs!). I had £150 to spend and I totally splashed out on some beautiful ceramics from Tea and Kate, a House Doctor jug from Royal Design and some gorgeous flowers. All the pretty pastels for a lovely Easter breakfast…

I bought white eggs, knocked off the tops, emptied out the eggs and rinsed the shells. I then filled them up with water and made sweet little vases for the table.

Furniture Choice gave me their Lombard dining table to style up. Loving the shape of the legs.

Im obsessed with pink and gorgeous ceramics at the moment so that was the theme for my table setting. I bough the Tilda hand thrown teapot and Tilda hand thrown tea mugs from Tea and Kate.

I made a runner for the table from an old bed sheet. I didn’t iron it so it looks more like linen 😉

I have been wanting this hand thrown teapot and cups for so long and this was the perfect opportunity to finally buy them from Tea and Kate.

A few little Easter-themed treats from Thornback and Peel for the table. Love this Rabbit and Cabbage print notebook and there are all sorts of beautifully printed napkins, cushions, placemats and cards over there to check out for your Easter table.

A gorgeous jug from House Doctor that I bought from Royal Design.

How amazing are these mini Ranunculus?!

That cloche full of hot cross buns did not last a second after I had finished photographing this post!

Katy x

*This post was written in collaboration with Furniture Choice but the views and opinions are my own.