DECOR&ORGANIZATION

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”

--Albert Einstein

There is a temperance between clutter and emptiness. Clutter infers you hold onto things for too long. However, emptiness can mean you can't hold on enough. Especially in terms of office decor, there is a balance between too much and too little.

For college students skimming through pinterest boards trying to find inspiration for a chic dorm room design, I can understand how overwhelming of a task it is organize a new space. How does one keep a minimal space clean but maintain their maximum self expression at the same time?

Here are a few office style tips you can use for your office, new dorm, new apartment / home or any space you feel needs a bit more of a 'you' vibe.

For the minimalists out there, go for the classic black and white duo. Most likely, your walls are white so all you have to do is contrast it with black accessories such as a headboard, lamp or dresser to really emphasize that old-school charm. To add a bit of your personality, add little accents of, say, wall art, curtains or desk appliances that is your favorite color. That way, the black & white combo in the more basic decor can keep the simplicity while pops of your favorite color in the more personal house decor can obtain your self expression.

For wall art and decor, you can't add any more of your own personality than creating the artwork yourself. I know I am not the only one to collect magazines and stick post its in my favorite pages, and then does nothing about it...and waits for them to collect dust...How about we rip the pages out and pin them on a style board to better represent who you really are? Elaine Welteroth, the Teen Vogue's beauty and health director, certainly doesn't see why not. "I am obsessed with this antique-style pin board (another PBTeen find!). As a teenager, I was always making collages. Maybe it was foreshadowing of my future career in magazines? Even in the digital age, I still get so much satisfaction from tearing out images and affirmative phrases or even just a font that I love. As a hyper visual person, I find that keeping a centrally located "inspiration board" is practical (important invitations), nostalgic (yes, I hoard Broadway stubs), and, well, inspiring (outfit ideas!)". This is also a great idea to put your belongings, like magazines, to full use instead of just leaving them as clutter.

Use your own books and office supplies as decoration. Organize your books by color; maybe even rap the book covers like how you did in elementary school to match your room's color code. As for office supplies, everything pretty much comes in every color. So don't be afraid to find a color near and dear to you and stick with it. Too many colors can look clustered, but no effort at all can look a bit bland.

Remember, there is no particular way of decorating your room because it is all subjective. Decorate what you see fit. Organize what you see needs organization. Just remember not to have too much emptiness nor clutter and have fun.

I hope you guys are having an amazing summer so far. I wanted to write about interior design simply because the summer is where we have the most time on our hands. In relation to my last post, Summer Holiday, reinventing myself means reinventing my living space. I personally find interior decorating so much fun because I am relearning things about myself as well as discovering new things I am interested in. I hope this helps people, perhaps new college students, who are moving and going off to new living spaces. Good luck and stay temperament.

-MASR

References

P.S. For the most gorgeous and breathtaking looks on interior design websites, check out Paloma Contreras' "LA DOLCE VITA" along with rest of Elaine Welteroth's 6 Tips on Decorating Small Spaces.

Paloma Contreras: http://www.ladolcevitablog.com/?s=color+crush

Elaine Welteroth: http://www.teenvogue.com/my-life/my-room/2015-04/small-space-decorating-elaine-welteroth/?slide=1

#decor #organization #lifestyle