The office

Let me introduce you to Clementine. She lives in a small, bijou little house that could best be described as charmingly compact, delightfully snug—and currently bursting at the seams. Why? Because Emily just moved in. Along with two small children. That’s four humans, two careers, and roughly 14,000 pieces of Lego all cohabiting in one very cozy space.

Both Clementine and Emily work from home, which is adorable in theory—until you’re trying to take a work call with washable felt-tip pens rolling into your lap and someone yelling “WHERE IS MY SPARKLY UNICORN BOOK?”

It was time. Time for a proper grown-up office.

Step 1: Face the Garage
Ah yes—the garage. Once a carport, then enclosed by a well-meaning previous owner, it had become the final resting place for All The Things. It was full to the rafters with a glorious mashup of gear: a surfboard (aspirational), a chop saw (functional), four gas cans (why?), and enough camping supplies to outfit a modestly-sized expedition into the Yukon.

Then there were the furniture pieces. You know the ones. The dresser your aunt gave you that you never really liked, but feel weird about giving away because she once made you soup when you had the flu in 2006. So we had The Talk—the honest, compassionate conversation about why certain pieces feel important. Some furniture stays because it’s beloved. Other pieces stick around because they’re guilt-laden relics of obligation. We honored both—and then we gently, and with love, donated, sold, or said goodbye.

Step 2: Enter the Carpenter (and His Magic Level)
With the space cleared, it was time to call in our trusty carpenter. The garage—aka Slightly Tilted Room of Dreams—had sloping floors and walls that might politely be called “enthusiastically uneven.” But he worked his magic and gave us what we needed: a clean, mostly-level box. A blank canvas. And from here, the fun began.

Step 3: The Fun Bit (Also Known as My Natural Habitat)
I scoured Facebook Marketplace and thrift stores like a woman on a mission—and found absolute gems. A slightly scuffed dining table? Desk. A funky mid-century lamp? Personality. Random knick-knacks that looked a little sad? Not anymore! I refinished, repurposed, and revived until we had a space that felt warm, useful, and entirely Clementine and Emily.

The former dining table is now a tech-savvy workstation, with hidden cables and zero toe-stubbing hazards. I added a custom shelf at each end of the room and styled them with “objets” that I picked up here and there—each one polished into something special. It’s now a space where Zoom meetings are interruption-free (well, mostly), and the Lego lives elsewhere.

The Result:
What was once a catch-all cave of chaos is now a bright, functional, and stylish home office. It’s a space where Clementine and Emily can meet with clients, build their brilliant businesses, and, most importantly, close a door on the washable markers when needed.

Small space living? Conquered. With a little creativity, a dash of elbow grease, and a whole lot of laughter.