Category Archives: Manhattan closet turned office

A Dry-Erase Board by Any Other Name…

I can’t really call mine a whiteboard, because it’s blue…or a dry-erase board, because I use non-smear ink pens which need to be erased with a damp cloth. It’s magnetic too, which puts it in an entirely different category. All I know is whatever this thing is, I LOVE it! It’s incredibly useful when you’re in the midst of writing a novel–for plotting, keeping track of facts and timelines, inspiration–you name it. Especially when you live in a New York City apartment where space is at a premium and your office is, literally, a converted walk-in-closet. Hanging a magical board on the door expands the work space. TAH-DAH!

Dry Erase Board (Blurred)

[Sections have been blurred for purposes pertaining to paranoia]

For a previous book I was working on, I used a virtual “canvas service” called Lino for basically the same purpose as a dry-erase board. (A novel approach! Pretty impressive. Kinda fun.) Lino Board The advantage is you can create as many online boards as you like and include links to videos and documents. (Space-saving. Transportable. So, what’s not to like?) Well, the downfall, for me anyway, is you have to view these boards on your computer, and my 23-inch screen is already jam-packed with my manuscript, notes, maps, pictures, etc. When I’m in the “sacred zone” of writing, I don’t have the patience for the 1/100th of a nanosecond it takes to click on a link and wait for something to load. I simply want to glance to my right and see the info I need immediately. (Or my left. I’m flexible.) “A tangible board that’s right there in your face at all times?” you ask. Yes, please! Not very high tech, I know, but the heart wants what it wants.

Traveling back even further in time…I remember using prehistoric index cards taped to my door to keep track of plots and timelines. A crude approach, as there was no rearranging them without having to replace the tape and pulling up paint chips. Eek! (It was a different world. We didn’t know better back then.) Post-It Notes to the rescue! The problem with these little beauties is they don’t stay up for very long. Even the new and improved super-duper strength Post-Its will eventually come fluttering to the ground like sleepy butterflies and wind up stuck to the soles of your shoes–or the cat.

Cat Post-It

Not to diss the almighty Post-It. I still use them for many different things–but for this specific purpose, they’ve been happily replaced with something called mcSquares Stickies Dry Erase Notes. A tad expensive but they’re durable so you can rearrange them at will–plus they come in different shapes and sizes. (I swear I’m not a spokeman for the company–just a fan. There are other brands out there as well, like SlickyNotes that come in different colors!) These things stick to most smooth, flat surfaces so you don’t even need a whiteboard–or blueboard–or whatever. I find that the non-smear variety of markets work best in this scenario. (Tackie Markers and Writey Liquid Chalk are my faves. Again, not a spokesman.) You’ll need to use a damp cloth instead of a dry-eraser with these but it’s so worth the iota of extra effort.

So, that’s the scoop. Carry on and HAPPY WRITING!MARKERS

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Tiny Spaces, Big Ideas: My New York Walk-in Closet Turned Office

Manhattan dwellers who live in small spaces, like me, can do the craziest things–like turning perfectly fine, albeit dreary, closets into charming, cheery, fully-functioning offices. Or as I like to call them, “cloffices.”  I’m lucky enough to have two other closets for my clothes, shoes, hula-hoops, Christmas ornaments, etc. (a rarity for New York City apartments) and so, as a writer, turning my walk-in into an office was a no brainer. And an absolute must. It wasn’t very expensive either, other than my all-in-one computer and the fancy-shmancy teal file cabinet posing as a chest of drawers. This piece is a real space-saver, though,not to mention one of my favorite colors, so I had to splurge.

                        Office1 2014

The hanging cabinets were around $80 a piece unfinished from Home Depot; the banker’s chair around $100. The white desk top and black file cabinet supports were free from a former employer; the shelf I happened to find on the street. (You can find great stuff on the streets of New York!) So, other than the aforementioned purchases, plus paint, a few new accessories, and the Martha Stewart storage cubbies that I got online for a steal on Black Friday (I think it was around $50 for the set), I simply utilized what I’d already owned. Then it was just a matter of arranging things just right–to avoid clutter and elbow-banging. I did have to enlist the help of my building’s Maintenance Department to install the cabinets, an electrical wall outlet, and a new ceiling light ($130 for a schoolhouse-style lighting fixture plus $200 for labor) and voila, my new cloffice was born! Office2 2014

A window would be nice but who am I kidding? So, a faux topiary and an Eliot Porter print of autumn trees help bring the idea of nature into the space. Gotta have nature!

Apartment 31G 007
BEFORE (Bleah.)
AFTER (Aaah!)

AFTER (Aaah!)