How to design a small office in a shared space? Well, this is my specialty. I live in a space that is not too big and not too small. My office/craft room is also the bedroom that I share with my 7-year-old son. Yes, if you are new to my site and do not already know, I live in a 3-bedroom apartment with my mom, three younger (teenage) siblings and my son. That is a home full indeed!
Yet, I have managed to put my office in one spot, son’s bunk bed and my double bed into one organized room. All without feeling squished. How? I had to get creative! The limited space in my room means I do not have the luxury to keep unnecessary items.
My crafts and supplies are in organized boxes in the closet shelf. Also, the tools that I mostly use to create crafts and built IKEA furniture is in my under the bed storage bin. My son’s loft bed provides him with plenty of storage for his toys, clothes. And of course, a divider gives me the privacy I need to sleep and relax.
Ways to make your office cozy, beautiful & inspiring
      1. Colour Schemes – One thing about making your space cozy, beautiful and inspiring is finding colour schemes. That brightens not only your space but also infuses your personality. The goal of my space is to make sure that my space feels bright. This means that my entire space is filled with whites, light blues, grey and little wood tones.Â
      2. Inspirational Quotes – It always feels good to have some inspirational quotes and motivational sayings around. I personally have way too many to count on my wall, but they are framed on my wall where my desk is. All I need to do is look up to be inspired.Â
      3. Essential Oil Diffuser & White Noise – Having my essential oil diffuser and calming sound machine is key to help me be cozy and feel refreshed. Use essential oils like lavender can really relax you, orange essential oils can help keep your focus. Also, sounds of nature or a white noise machine can do wonders to keep distractions away. Â
How to Keep a Shared Space Organized?
My secret weapon has always been organizing my space and making sure everything has a place. It just does not function without it which is why I declutter often. That means whatever I do not need, I get rid of it. Also, what I don’t use often I try to use within the year or few months or else I donate it.
- Hanging File Boxes – I used to keep my files on an open file holder but as more papers arrived the messier it looked. So, I retired that idea and got myself these awesome file boxes from Amazon. Not only does it look neater but stylish as well.Â
- Magazine Box Holder – There are so many to choose from but I love ones that are either acrylic to show off my cute notebooks and also a solid colour to hide files or brochures that I don’t need on the regular.Â
- Latch Bins with a removable organizer tray – I have three bins for my crafts and one small one for my essential oils. It is easy to use, organize and store. You can always find them on my shelf in my closet for quick and easy access. Inside the bins, there are separators and bins to keep similar items together such as my jewelry beads are in empty lip balm containers. I prefer them in there because it is easy to see what is inside.
- Empty Lip Balm Containers – For my jewelry beads, I use empty lip balm containers. It is the perfect size! Plus you can easily see inside. Game-changer!
- Drawer Dividers – For office supplies, I have a drawer divider tray that holds all my push pins, paper clips, sticky notes and more. It helps keep items for moving around in my drawers and makes it super easy for me to find what I need quickly.
- Under The Bed Storage – Lastly, my favourite spot in my room is where I store my tools. They are in a basket under my bed so that I can slide it and access it whenever I need it. I have it situated in a way of most used items are in the front.
Small Office/Shared Space Favourites
Final Thoughts
Sharing and designing a small office in a shared space is not always a favourite thing to deal with but there are ways to survive it. Until you get your own place with more room or even your own office, why not make the most with what you have. Make your small office worth working in!Â
Don’t forget to become one of my VIPs and snag freebies from me. I have plenty of organizing tools and checklists to help you live a stress-free life. I love helping you out the best way I know how so if you need some 1 on 1 help, DM a photo of your space on Instagram or email me and I will give you my best tips to help you through it. How can I help you? Share below in the comments!
