A room of one's own.
A closer examination of the ‘study,’ and a few of my office non-negotiables.
I’m going to write a sentence I never thought I would write: there is such a thing as too many books. Almost every surface in our home is covered with books—dining room table, the kitchen table, the credenza in our office. My husband sells books (beautiful books, I might add) which means I share half of our office with his inventory. Things could definitely be worse, but the books and I will remain in very close quarters for the foreseeable future while his business is in its fledgling years. Our small living space might not be quite so cluttered if we had proper storage—I have dreams of book-laden walls, a personal reference library—much like Anaïs Nin’s home. But custom shelving systems will remain a dream so long as we remain in our tiny rental home, and the IKEA Billy series is our best option while I am a student and earning pennies.
I’ve given considerable thought to what my ideal office space might look like. I just started my practicum earlier this year, so I’ve also had to consider my background for virtual therapy sessions. Green screens and blurred backgrounds aren’t ideal for psychotherapy—they instill a subconscious sense of unease and mistrust, and understandably so. It also might raise concerns of confidentiality with clients. Why can’t I see what is behind you? a client might think. Are you in a dungeon? Outside, free from the office environment altogether? Can anyone hear the deep dark secrets I’m telling you? Environments must be carefully considered for this reason. But we also must consider our workspaces because we spend so much time within them. Roughly 70% of our weeks are dedicated to work. That’s a lot of time to spend in a space, let alone one that fails to make you feel comfortable and inspired.
I dream of a plush high-pile Moroccan rug, an antique desk made from time-worn wood, a window to let in ample natural light, a bright vase of supermarket flowers to sit cheerfully on my desk. I’d also love to have a day bed or couch someday—the height of luxury, in my opinion. Our office has a door that leads directly to our tiny backyard, and I can imagine leaving the doors open in the summertime, lying down on a plush loveseat or daybed to close my eyes for a few moments of rest or to read a few pages. Feeling the breeze, listening to the birds twittering in the trees between classes, meetings, or therapy sessions.
Workspace Non-Negotiables:
A comfy chair. I spend hours in front of the computer, between work, school, and writing. For this reason, I am a little lenient on aesthetics here. You need a comfortable chair, and sometimes what is most comfortable is just ugly, much like running shoes. I like to sit cross-legged sometimes, so I need a wide chair without arms boxing me in. Remember the TikTok chair? That’s my office chair. I bought it secondhand from a friend before she moved out of her place. It isn’t hideous, and it’s exceptionally comfortable. No, it may not be a chic Thonet bistro chair or a leather and chrome Eames office chair, but it gets the job done without being too much of an eyesore.
A carafe or reusable water bottle. After resisting for years, I got a Stanley. My mother got me one for Christmas last year. I only use it at home, and it lives on my desk in perpetuity. It keeps my water cold, and the 40oz capacity ensures I drink enough water throughout the day, both essential for skin and mental health. There are much chicer options though, if you prefer. A nice glass carafe would look lovely desk-side.
Tea and/or coffee supplies. Hasami makes this wonderful teapot with a mesh strainer that I use often for my loose leaf teas. I like to keep it on my desk and refill my cup as I work. It’s a lovely ritual to partake in during virtual classes to help keep me awake, present, and engaged.
Sticky notes and flags. Last month, I went on a sticky note bender and bought so many different kinds while I was figuring out my note-taking and annotation system for my books. I’ve settled on the small plastic Post-It flags and clear sticky notes for library books and textbooks. This system has worked best for me so far.
A variety of writing tools. I toggle between my fountain pen, highlighters, a smooth ballpoint pen, and water-based marker pens with thin felt tips. This usually depends on the paper I’m using. I’m a sucker for Kaweco. I have a sport—it’s terrific, and I use it every day to write in my journal. I also love the Uni Ball Vision Elite and Zebra bLen Retractable Gel Pens. You cannot go wrong with Muji gel pens, or the Marvy ‘Le Pen’. I only use Frixion Erasable Highlighters. No—they don’t really erase. But they aren’t super wet like most highlighters and therefore do not warp extra-thin pages, and they come in soft pastel colors that are much easier on the eyes.
Several notebooks. I have my two Paper Republic notebooks (passport and XL), which I refill regularly. You can buy the Paper Republic refills, or find some in the same size. Anything works as long as it fits. I’ve seen decent options from Leuchtturm and Midori. Moleskine works too, but I typically write with water-based inks and I can’t stand the bleed. The pages are usually much too thin in their notebooks. I’ve been curious about Stalogy and hope to check those out in person soon to see if they fit. As a lefty, I also love legal pads for quick, messy notetaking during client meetings, shopping lists, etc. Again, options—I need many.
A vase of flowers. As a student, I’m on a tight budget, so I have to be careful about where and how I spend money. This, however, does not mean I must go entirely without. I plan for my frivolities, like getting a coffee or a pastry, buying fresh flowers weekly from the supermarket, or cutting some from my backyard. Either way, I like to keep the blooms fresh to inspire creativity and make me want to spend time there. If you’re sensitive to your surroundings, it helps, so I build it into the budget. It brings a little life into the home. If you prefer something a little more sustainable than cut flowers, consider hanging some plants.
A pair of slippers. I wear a pair of thin leather babouches (side note: do I need a silver pair??) most days since I work primarily from home. I find this silhouette helps me feel less like I’m wearing pajamas, which helps with my overall productivity. Sometimes I just wear shoes—typically a thin-soled ballet flat. Something about having shoes on helps my brain work. I’ve heard this is common among neurodiverse folks like myself. Don’t knock it until you try it.
An inviting candle. It isn’t absolutely necessary, but it makes everything a little nicer. And if you conduct a decent chunk of your life in front of a computer, you must make that process as enjoyable as possible. It’s hard for me to stick to it, but I’ve been trying to make a little opening and closing ritual each time I sit down to work to clearly delineate work time versus everything else. Lighting a candle and settling in for a few hours helps keep things moving. Conversely, blowing out your candle, closing all your tabs (hard, I know, but you won’t miss them, I promise) and putting your computer to sleep also helps me “close” for the day. Maison Louis Marie’s Bois de Balincourt, P.F. Candle Co’s Teakwood & Tobacco, and Boy Smells’ Cowboy Kush are a few of my favorites.
In case you missed it:
The first volume of Elements of Style featured Anaïs Nin and her dreamy Los Angeles hideaway. You can read it here.
You can read Week 9’s Annotations here.
My long and rambling essay about time, Proust, and reading habits in the age of optimization.
I am THIS close to purchasing a Paper Republic portfolio - I have too many notebooks and it's starting to feel so hard to manage. I love how beautifully yours have aged.