Before we moved to Louisiana, I decided I was ready for my own writing space, a place I didn’t have to share or pack away when done. I could have used our guest room (where I’m typing now), but I wanted something entirely my own. My solution was moving into the closet!
When the movers helped unload the truck, I would direct my bits of furniture (a bookshelf headboard and a chair, both rescued from Habitat Humanity’s Restore) to the closet office. One man looked at me strangely and said, “That’s an office? An office for midgets, maybe!”
My closet office is approximately three-and-a-half feet by four. I can’t fully open the door. I’ve had an electrician put an outlet in so I can use a lamp, a fan, and my computer and printer. I have to stand on the chair to run the printer, up on the shelf above. It gets hot in the summer. Still, It’s mine, and I love it.
The paintings on the wall are the illustrations that accompanied the first two poems I ever sold. My sister hunted down both illustrators and surprised me with their work. They are a reminder people have connected with and responded to my writing and have encouraged me to continue countless times.
I’ve hung my diploma (this is a professional working space!) and a painting my grandmother did of me as a girl. I also have a photo of myself as a ten-year-old. These pictures remind me of the kids I’m ultimately writing for.
My closet office is nothing fancy. It’s rather cramped (I sit with my laptop on my knees, my feet perched on the two file boxes below the bookshelf headboard) and if I’m not careful, it gets filled with too much stuff easily. But it’s my creative space, and it’s enough.
Where do you write?
Hello Caroline-I love LOVE your office. 🙂 I am a closet space type of gal too. When I was little, I had a walk in closet that held my clothes-but in the back was a secret place with a beanbag, books and my squishy lap desk with journal on top. Ahh, I miss that closet.
Now, I write in the living room, amongst the rest of the family. Our little home is well..too little. We’ve considered turning the playroom into my office-but then we wouldn’t have room for the kids’ toys. **SIGH**
However-I found that I enjoy the background noise and I don’t feel like I’m ignoring my family if they are in the same room with me.
I dream of creating a writing space for myself one day. Right now I just write in my room, sitting on the floor with my laptop on my lap. But oh, to have a writing room…. that will be a great day!
your office seems cozy! i write in my office too but id love to redo it!
Your tiny office is cute. Really, you don’t need much room to write. That looks perfect. I write in an extra bedroom right next to the room where my kids play.
So that’s the secret to actually writing as opposed to staring.
I should move from the (spare bedroom) office to the closet and I’d get more done.
What a great space!! I dream of something like this. I suppose if I really stretched, I could, but for now I spend most of my time writing on my couch in the basement. It’s comfortable.
And by that I mean, I’m used to it. I’ve written so much here it’s hard to imagine changing it.
But seeing yours… it makes me want something all my own, too.
I LOVE that you write in a closet. And what a closet! I imagine a lot of creative energy is harnessed in that tiny space. Fantastic!
Caroline, I love how you made the space all your own. That is what makes it special and uniquely yours.
Right now I run and hide where ever my children and husband are not. I hope to add a chaise lounge to my bedroom and at least have that nook.
Ah, a girl can dream…
okay, I’m at 7×8 feet and thought mine was small. But yours is very cool!
PJ, I’d love to see!
Caroline – I awarded you an award on my blog today (Monday). I don’t know if you do that sort of thing, but I thought it would be a great way for some of my regular readers to find you as well.