Our home office was one of my favourite room makeover projects and we have both enjoyed using this space so much over the last couple of years. When we converted this space from a guest room it was essential as we both began working from home but soon Jules will be taking office space elsewhere and we will have a new baby so the office has got to go! Gah! I’m pretty sad about saying goodbye to this room as it has been a place I can do all the things I love, which make up the majority of my work, however, life moves on and when you are squished into a flat in central London there isn’t much space to play with. But above all else I could not be more excited about turning this room into a nursery, something I’ve been dreaming of for the last four years whilst we’ve been trying for a baby. We also want to put a daybed into this room, as we’re aware the baby won’t sleep in here for quite a while, so that both my mum and Jules’s mum can come and stay, which is something we lost with our guest room.
I’m pretty sure I will be fine living without a home office as I’m very organised so as long as we have enough storage space I will be able to cope and at the end of the day having the second bedroom in a two bed flat as an office is a massive luxury, no longer a necessity. However, the one thing I am worried about is that I currently do a massive amount of work on my desktop computer and I have no laptop. Without a dedicated desk space it will be a priority to swap my desktop for a laptop, which is something I have wanted to do for a while anyway. Therefore, I have been scouring the best laptop deals as we won’t have much cash to splash (turns out babies are pretty expensive!).
Once I have a laptop I will be able to work with so much more flexibility, which is something I miss only having a desktop. I’m predicting lots of working from bed or the sofa 😉 However, I will miss our lovely big desk.
I haven’t decided what to do with this room yet; I’m a bit too superstitious to start planning a nursery until later on in the pregnancy so I’m just thinking about the very practical stuff right now.
I know that I will be able to continue with my passions of crafting and sewing despite not having this dedicated space; I will just have to be much tidier about it if I am doing it elsewhere in the flat because, let’s face it, my office is pretty regularly a complete tip.
Have you got any tips for working from home without an office of your own?
Katy x
*All images by Katharine Peachey (this room has been photographed a lot and this is my favourite set of photos by far).
**This post was written in collaboration with DELL.
I think you’ll be fine with no office and you’re right, it is a bit of a luxury especially in a flat. You just have to go with the flow and squeeze in work whenever and wherever you can (you will definitely need a laptop – I could not cope without one after having a baby a few months ago). I can’t wait to see how you transform the room…again! 😉 X
Author
Ha! It does feel like only yesterday that I was making this room into an office but it has served us well in that time. Totally planning on going with the flow, as you say – I’m sure it will all be fine. To be completely honest, I often hanker to work from the dining table or the sofa anyway so I’m quite looking forward to having that flexibility. x
First of all, Congratulations!!! Starting a family is great (and then you start to wonder what does hot coffee taste like 😉
I rarely coment on blogs, but this post really got me going! I’m London based myself and have two kids under 4yo.
And I am getting fed up with people spreading bs that babies are expensive. They are not (yes, I am aware of your situation and initial expenses involved), babies do not need a nursery or a buggy, or colour co-ordinated outfits, or all tge bath products, creams etc etc. They don’t even need a cot! They need to be held, carried and fed (preferably, breast, but still, more important they just get fed).
The healthiest thing one can do for the family if you work from home would be a trip to South London Sling Library, check local Milk Spots onBreastfeeding Network and research rental prices for a bed pod baby bed.
Speaking from experience, your little bundle of joy will not move out their toys out of the living room till they’re 3 and will move into your bed until they’re 4.
It might be a better idea to keep the office for the time being. Adapt the bedroom instead? We ended up turning master bedroom into a tatami room, so that everybody can hace their own futon and the kids don’t crowd our bed. (They’re only getting their own room this year.)
Good luck! You’ll love it!
Author
Hi Mags,
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment on my blog and making some helpful points. However, I feel you may have misinterpreted my post somewhat. This post isn’t about how expensive babies can be although I admit I made one throw away comment alluding to the fact that I won’t be buying a super expensive laptop as I need to save to prepare for the baby. I know you say I don’t need to buy anything but for me, due to certain health issues, there is no way I would be able to cope without a buggy or a carseat and those costs alone are expensive, in my opinion. As for the baby not needing a nursery, I totally agree – I am not converting our office because we need to, I am creating a nursery because I can not think of anything I want to do more having been desperate for a baby for the last four years. I could not be more excited about making a lovely room that I will probably use far more than the baby, as well as our parents when they come to stay. I really don’t think I insuated at any point that that is what all new parents should be doing or that anyone needs to spend lots of money. I’m just ridiculously excited about preparing for this next stage in our lives and at the moment thinking about the practical side of it, like needing a laptop – nothing more, nothing less. No BS (as you put it) around here, thanks very much. 🙂
Hi Katy,
I apologise if I cane across too rough, it was not my intention.
I believe you will make fabulous things with the space, as proven by your blog already. It would just be a shame if one got totally consumed by the project only gor it to stay unused for years. And being new mothers wevery easily end up beating ourselves up if things don’t work as we planned. It’s just a learning curve life throws at us, it seems.
Slings, buggies and car seats all needed, dependin on a personal preference, and an easy money trap. I cannot comment on buggies, but I do wish I had invested in a different car seat.
I am curious what you’ll do with the space.
Katie, I’m sure you’ll do marvellous things with the space and can’t wait to see how it turns out. We had our girls in their own rooms from being tiny (for our own reasons and beliefs) and having a day bed where the grandparents could stay was imperative too. Good luck with the hunt for a laptop, couldn’t live without mine, but be prepared to be working in the kitchen at all hours! x
Ridiculously excited for you.
There is nothing wrong in being able to treat yourself to something you want (like a nursery), especially if you are such a hard-working person.
Can’t wait to see the progress!
J
I’m gobsmacked that you don’t have a laptop doing what you do – I don’t think I’d last two seconds without one! can’t wait to see the baby room…do you think you’ll have a desk in there? That’s what we did but I never use it tbh, I just follow the baby round with my laptop when I need to work x
It’s sad to see your lovely office go, but totally exciting to transform it into a nursery and guest bedroom – I will look forward to following the transformation! I have gone the opposite way, from working on laptop on sofa (or in bed!) to making a corner of my guest bedroom an office, however, old habits die hard and I still tippy tapppy from the sofa! I honestly don’t think where you work matters, you will still get it done. Crafting is harder – but if you have a dining table or kitchen table it’s easy to set up there, just need to put everything away after. Best of luck!
Hi, such an exciting time. Yes to the laptop, I’d never go back to a desktop now. So restrictive! And although I dont have an office, I do have a desk at the back of our living room in a bit that is an extension. Its nice to have a base but I do mostly work on the sofa!
Your office is lovely and has clearly worked for you, but it’s an exciting time being able to transform it into something new. Looking forward to seeing how you design and create the nursery. Adding a daybed sounds like a great idea and I’m sure you’ll never look back once you’re equipped with a laptop!
I think the baby having their own space/bedroom is a really important thing to establish early on. And I totally get the feeling of wanting to create a nursery. All part of the motherhood journey. So enjoy it. But a portable workspace will be a godsend for you. I couldn’t live without my laptop!
I bet you’ll make a beautiful space, and I for one can’t wait to see a before and after makeover, yay! A day bed’s a really good idea to make the nursery a flexible space, from relatives to stay to catching up with emails on your laptop, and the odd nap! Enjoy the process and can’t wait to see the results xxx