It’s been a tough year, hasn’t it?

Money’s never been tighter, so that dream of creating a new home office seems awfully far away now.

But it doesn’t have to.

You can create a space that you love on almost no money at all.

Here’s how:

I live in a one-bedroom apartment with my fiancé and our 18-pound cat and we both write and work from home.  My desk is at the end of our bed in the bedroom and his is in the living room.  When I lean my chair back, I can see him writing, working away.

It’s tight for sure, but we’ve made it work.

Free furniture

I got my lovely rolltop desk from a friend who didn’t want it anymore.  This little beauty will soon move on to someone else, as I get a desk slightly bigger for my slightly bigger laptop that hangs over my desk, practically landing in my lap.   When people move, often they leave furniture behind or put it out on the street.  We have brought home some lovely pieces this way and saved a ton of dough on furniture that we couldn’t have afforded otherwise.

And if you have an interior decorator friend, be sure to tell them what pieces you’re looking for.  They are constantly coming across pieces that will be otherwise donated to the local charity shops.  Why shouldn’t you get dibs if you can use it?

Cheap decoration

I think it’s important to create a space where you feel inspired and at home.

I pick up free magazines or buy them from our local library and cut out pictures and sayings that are meaningful to me.  I frame them, along with photos and cards from friends and family, and put them along the top of my desk so that I see them each and every day.  It is wonderful to be surrounded by your dreams, words of support and images that please you.

It doesn’t have to cost you a lot – just make you very, very happy.

Room to breathe

One thing that’s extremely important in creating your space is that you feel that it’s your own and that you can do what you like there.  It can be an oasis or a dedicated workspace – maybe even both! – but it shouldn’t be where the kids pile their homework or that you throw winter coats onto.

Even in the smallest spaces, there will be a little corner or shelf that you can call your own – where you can store your craft materials, reference books or model aircraft collection.

While moving a friend into her tiny bachelor apartment, it was clear that there just wasn’t room for a desk where she could work.  But there was shelving for linens in the hall.  I suggested putting a wider plank at hip level and this would create a desk with shelving above.  Pretty sweet, if you ask me.

So whether it’s a bulletin board with images of the sea, or a desk with deep drawers for all of your office supplies, create a space that you love.

It’s important, you deserve it and you won’t believe the difference it will make!

p.s.  This post was written at my little white rolltop desk.  On it sits a glass that my fella gave me that holds my pens. There’s a black-and-white photo-booth photo of my Mom and I and a silver magnetic bulletin board covered in magazine images, magnets from friends and phrases that I love and hope to use in a book one day.  And a sign that reads “The Luckiest Girl in the World.”