Penelope Loves Lists » Workplace Decor

Focus on: Bob’s Your Uncle

Meredith — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:00:40 +0000

Today in our “Focus On” series (wherein I get to put together fun collages with Polyvore and pretend that their useful), we’re taking a look at Bob’s Your Uncle, a “think outside the box” maker of smart office supplies. I’m a huge fan.

I think what I love most about Bob’s Your Uncle products is their mix of clever, tongue-in-cheek styling with rock solid performance. They aren’t just silly for silly’s sake and I appreciate that.

Here are four of my (many) favorite products:

I get asked all the time what notebook I use to keep my To Do Lists – this is it! The Off The Grid Notebook. (The perfect grid paper spiral notebook!)
Punctuation Page Markers. Add a little bit of zotch to your boring ol’ documents.
The Multi-Task Planner Journal: chock full of all kinds of useful items, including grid paper, check box pages for lists and a planner journal.
The 8 Days a Week Mousepad Notepad: keep your weekly schedule right on your desk with this tear-off mousepad notepad. Eight days = Monday – Sunday + Someday. Perfect.

You can check out their online store or buy many of their items at See Jane Work or 8 Days A-Week Planner Pad by Bob's Your Uncle" target="_blank">Amazon.

Penelope’s Favorite Websites: Paper Source for pretty office supplies

Meredith — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:00:46 +0000

I love it when I hear about another great website where you can buy pretty office supplies. My new favorite is called Paper Source and I’m absolutely loving their selection of unique things for your office and home. A big thanks to reader Tacy from HomeMaking Habits for bringing this site to my attention.

Here are just a few of the products form Paper Source that are catching my eye today. Wouldn’t these cuties add a little bit of “pretty” to your office?

Chocolate Kimono File Folder Set

Quotation Dry Erase Board

Chartreuse Dots Magazine Holder

Fabric Thumbtacks in Prairie Flora

Go ahead and hop on over to Paper Source and see what they have to offer. There’s a ton of stuff there, and not just office supplies. There’s even a mug I really have my eye on. (Have I told you that the ONLY thing I collect is mugs?) I can’t wait til they get more back in stock.

Do you have a recommendation for a great website you think other Penelopes should know about? Email me or put it into the comments. If I blog about it, I promise I’ll give you credit. We’re always on the lookout for creative ways to express our neatness, aren’t we?

Peeping Penelope: Home Office Before and After by Centsational Girl

Meredith — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:00:56 +0000

You’re all reading Centsational Girl, right? If not, do. It’s author, Kate, does the most beautiful interior design projects, and does them on the cheap.

Even better? She spills her secrets and gives us each the sense maybe we could do this stuff, too. You know, if we all had impeccable taste and never slept, both of which describe Kate, I think.

A little while ago, Kate posted her own home office design before and after and the result is unspeakably gorgeous. The kicker is that she spent just $995 on the makeover (not including accessories.) What a feat from such a talented woman.

Here’s the office before the makeover.

Centsational Girl's Home Office: Before

And, after. Cue the “Hallelujah Chorus”.

Centsational Girl's Home Office: After

I love the how the natural light works so well with her color choices. But, my favorite item: the blue Mason Jar. What a pretty place to keep your pens.

Centsational Girl's New Desk

Uber-pretty and super organized bookcases make this space perfect.

So now you’ve got two assignments:

1) Click here to see many more images of the makeover, including more “before” photos. Go get inspired to zotch up your own home work space in a thrifty way.

2) While you’re over at the Centsational Girl site, subscribe to Kate’s RSS feed so you can stay up on all the DIY excellence she’s churning out.

A Tool for the Penelope on the Go: Cascading File Tote

Meredith — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:15:28 +0000

One of the great things about my job is that I get to work both from my office (where I get to catch up with my sassy co-workers – who happen to be some of my best friends) and from home, where I can get some time to concentrate.

The challenge that results, however, is the carrying of my paperwork back and forth. I always want to have my active files with me. I’m not really a briefcase kind of girl, so I was super excited to stumble across this tool from The Container Store: the Cascading Letter File Tote.

Cascading Letter File Tote from The Container Store

Look at that! At the office, you hang it from a convenient spot and all your files are handy. The clear pocket at the top can hold any thing you want. I’ll have it contain my Monthly Overview list, which keeps me on track for that month’s work. (It’s color coded and gorgeous, might I add.)

When you’re ready to go, you just fold up the tote and you’re off! And (you knew this was coming, didn’t you?) this tool gives you the perfect excuse to buy some cute new file folders, given that it offers a spiffy place to display them.

Might I suggest these?

Letter-Sized File Folders from The Container Store

Because my “active files” change often, I like to be able to quickly change with them without wasting folders. The Erasable File Folder Labels are a the perfect solution.

Erasable File Folder Labels from The Container Store

This system would also work well for someone who works from home all the time and has a small space in which to do that work. While the work is progress, you can have the tote open and be in “action mode” and when the day’s done, you fold it up and tuck it away. Out of sight, out of mind.

Ah, Container Store. Have I told you lately that I love you?

Organizing in a pretty pink place: girly office supplies

Meredith — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:15:52 +0000

I’m not so much a pink girl, but lately, mostly because I’ve been reading Making It Lovely, I’ve been drawn to pink more and more.

Today, some cotton candy loveliness for my beloved Penelopes..

Letter-Size Interior File Folders in “Bloom” $4.99 – containerstore.com
Poppy Magnetic Board $7.99 – containerstore.com
Pink Floral Storage Boxes $20 – containerstore.com
Stripe Weekly Planner $25 – sortingwithstyle.com
Self-adhesive Note To-Do www.russellandhazel.com
Casauri Carry All Weekender - seejanework.com
Poppy Mouse and mousepad $35 – sortingwithstyle.com
Choco Dot Pink Pen $15 – sortingwithstyle.com
Small Pink Paris Notebook $13 – sortingwithstyle.com
Webster’s Fashion Color Thesaurus – seejanework.com
Pink Clipboard $22 – sortingwithstyle.com
Jane’s Stapler -seejanework.com

Interview with a blogger: meet Jessica from Lavender & Lilies

Meredith — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:15:54 +0000

Today’s post begins a new feature on Penelope Loves Lists called “Interview with a Blogger”. I’m absolutely fascinated by the ways other bloggers work, especially how they organize their time, their physical workspace space and their blog. I decided to start asking some questions of bloggers I admire.

My first interviewee is one my favorite bloggers, Jessica from Lavender & Lilies. She’s super smart and creative and I love her blog. Here’s what Jessica says:

When did you start your blog? I started a sort of test blog in March of 2009 and then started my blog with Blogger in April of 2009.

What physical items keep your work organized? (Notebooks, binders, etc.) My iphone and my laptop. I tend to get inspired in random places so I use my iphone to make notes of ideas for posts or interior design ideas. I get a lot of ideas from magazines and I rip the pages out and scan them onto my computer. I pretty much hate loose paper so I scan everything into my computer.

What software or online tools to you use to keep yourself organized? I am a huge user of the Picasa Photo Albums on Google. I upload all of my decorating, crafting, entertaining or gardening ideas. I also use the Notes function on my iPhone for quick note taking when I am out and about. I also use iPhoto to store and organize photos I personally take.

Are you a “list” person? If so, what kinds of lists do you find yourself making most? I am a huge list person. I make lists for everything: to do lists, grocery lists, weekly menus, packing lists and most recently I have been putting together lists of trips I want to take in the next few years.

Where/how do you store ideas you get for content? I am inspired by nearly everything: magazines, traveling, television, the internet… If I am out somewhere I will make a note of it on my iPhone or snap a picture of something that I think is a good idea. If I am online, I save photos to my desktop so I can upload the photo with my post. If I am inspired, I always try to write the post as soon as I can. If I wait, I tend to lose interest. I am very ADD that way.

Mac or PC? I am a Mac girl through and through. I hate PCs.

How many hours a week do you spend on your blog? I typically spend several hours on the weekend writing and scheduling my posts for the week. I also check my blog periodically throughout the day. I love comments so I am always checking for those.

There are a lot of tasks involved with successful blogging: writing content, guest blogging, commenting on other blogs. How do you organize your time? I always try to have my week’s posts scheduled for the week by Sunday night. My work schedule and commute give me very little time during the week so I don’t write my posts during the week generally. I do guest blog occasionally but I do have to say I don’t do as much of that as I should. I usually check other blogs and comment at random times during the day. If I stay in my office through lunch I will take 15 minutes or so to check and comment on my favorite blogs. I also spend at least a half hour or so commenting on blogs in the evenings.

Describe your current work space. I have to say my workspace is very portable. I use my laptop to store images that inspire me for content and I have a notebook I jot down ideas so I can blog while in the bed or watching a movie with my husband. I use our desktop computer sometimes for blogging but typically that only serves as a hub for our movies and photos.

Jessica's blogging workspace

As for my office at work, I am insanely organized. We are a paperless office so all of my files are stored on a server, which I access from my computer. I keep very little paper at my desk and any documents I have to keep I store in polka-dotted Kate Spade folders in a folder stand on my filing cabinet, which is empty because I hate paper. Did I mention that I hate loose paper? I am a trial lawyer so I have to keep resources for trials, case law, etc. I store all of those in organized binders that I keep in a bookcase. For me, a sign of a successful workday is a clean desk.

Describe your dream work space. Oh my goodness I could keep you here all day! I want my own office space that I don’t have to share with lots of storage for office supplies, stationery, gift wrap, crafting supplies, etc. I would love a big desk with shelves mounted above and a dock for my laptop so I can use a large monitor and keyboard when I am at my desk. A great scanner/printer combo and a high end photo printer are musts also.

I also would want well-organized drawers and cabinets for all my office supplies and a fabulous framed bulletin board lined with gorgeous fabric. Bookshelves for my books and accessories would line a wall. In the same room I would like a work table and stool for gift wrapping and crafting. I would also like a large comfy chair and ottoman for reading or list making. The room would, of course, have to be painted a fabulous color with amazing drapes and a rug with all of my favorite prints on the wall. It would be sanctuary of creativity.

What about your blog work makes you most anxious and how do you deal with it? I think I get most anxious about making time to visit and comment on other blogs. I think it’s so important that we support one another and visit each others blogs. When I get really busy I always worry that I am not being faithful to my fellow bloggers. I have been blessed by so many amazing blogging friends that have supported me and my blog and mentioned my blog on their sites, which has in turn brought me so many new readers. I always want to return that favor and show that appreciation. To deal with this, I try to make sure I visit those bloggers that are faithful to my blog at least every 3-4 days. I don’t put the pressure on myself to comment every day but I do make it priority to let them know that I do appreciate the inspiration they give me.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to a new blogger? Let your personality shine through your blog. This took me a while to learn how to do. When I first started blogging, I obsessed over posting on things I thought people would like or using content I thought would bring me the most readers. It’s hard to write good content if you really are not interested in what you are writing about. Once I let that go and started posting on what inspired me personally, the traffic on my blog spiked and I started really having a lot more fun with my content.

Blogging is a huge creative outlet for me. I have a very stressful job and blogging has given me such a great way to express myself and my creativity. Now that I really have learned to blog about where I am at in my life right now, I find that I truly enjoy blogging and that more and more people seem to be drawn to my blog as well.

Peeping Penelope: a look at Simplesong’s home office

Meredith — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:15:17 +0000

It’s that time again: time for some voyeuristic peeking into a beautiful home office workspace.

This time, the home office belongs to blogger Suann Song from Simplesong, one of my favorite blogs. I found this little gem via another fantastic blog: Ill Seen, Ill Said (is that a great name, or what?) She does a great series called “Where We Blog From”, and I’m fascinated by it.

Take a look at Suann’s office and then be sure to pop over to each of the blogs mentioned above. The Peeping Penelope in you will be glad you did.

I love the natural light and the hardwood floors. I also love the glass-topped desk and the way she angled her shelving unit in the corner.

But I really, really love the chair. I know my Boston Terrier, Cooper, would love to curl up there while I worked. Maybe we could get Suann to tell us where she got it?

The office is simple, and so pretty. She strikes a perfect balance between usefulness and pretty touches. And, she’s a Mac girl. Just sayin’.

I wonder, too, how many of us have “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters somewhere in our offices? I know I do. Makes me feel better. It’s a stiff upper lip kind of thing.

Be sure to hop over to Jane’s post on this office to see more photos and get details.

Thanks for the inspiration, Suann and Jane!

Chic Page Flags to Zotch Up Those Dull Documents

Meredith — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:15:05 +0000

We all use page flags to mark our place in a pile of papers, right?

But, what if your flags were not just neon green, but the height of style? Then, everyone would love you, you’d make tons of money and that guy who dumped you in college would appear on your doorstep, begging to have you back.

Maybe not, but with flags this cute, who cares?

Chic Page Flags from See Jane Work

Here’s a bird I’ve got to have: pretty ways to store your paperclips

Meredith — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:20:47 +0000

Look at this little birdie. Just look at her! Cute enough for your desk, right? Maybe even cute enough to talk to when no one’s around, yes?

Now, add to all that preciousness, her magical ability to hold your paperclips. I love her and have to have her.

You can, too. They’re from See Jane Work, giver of so much office supply goodness.

Magnetic birdie from See Jane Work

See Jane Work’s “Desk of the Month”: More Evidence That I Have an Organization Addiction

Meredith — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:00:58 +0000

There is nothing on the planet that makes me happier than a well-organized desk. Nothing. My children’s shiny faces? Uh-uh. My husband’s biceps? Close, but no cigar.

Nope, nothing floats this girl’s boat like organization p*rn and no one brings it better than See Jane Work’s feature called “Desk of the Month”. The brilliant folks over there at SJW have figured out that this is the perfect way to entice their buyers over to their site. It’s almost mean, actually.

They do, however provide something useful: item by item links to creating that exact workspace in your own home or office. Oy. The possibilities make me dizzy. In fact, I love this feature so much on the SJW website that I’ll try to bring it to our readers every time they publish it. Just because I’m a pusher that way.

Go ahead. Try to look at that photo and not click over to see more. If you can resist it, you’re a stronger person than I.