Losing Internet access motivates home office improv

A few blogs ago, I wrote about hoarding home improvement supplies in anticipation of executing some projects on my home improvement wish list. One of these was moving my modem and router out of my bedroom and into my home office. I finally accomplished that when I created space in the hall for a dedicated personal work desk. I love how one project often piggybacks on another.

Sometimes, however, the cascade of projects gets caught in limbo. It takes something drastic to precipitate immediate action -- something on the order of a router problem that crashes your Internet access.

It's a long story.

Originally, my PC was in the bedroom until I moved it to my newly designated home office late last year. But the office had no cable because the cable guy would only install a connection where I actually had a computer, which was the bedroom. When I moved in, I automatically put the PC in the there, accustomed as I was to living in less spacious accommodations than my present home. So my BFF kindly installed a wireless connection in the computer to get me up and running in the new office without having to install a cable and move the modem and wireless router. When, however, my Internet access started to become less and less reliable, we decided to try moving the modem and Wi-Fi router into the office -- closer to the PC in hopes of solving that problem while we were in the process of moving my personal desk into the hall.

BFF was nice enough to move the modem and connect a cable, plus demo the cabinetry, patch the carpeting and move the desk, all in one day. I didn't dare suggest we start moving around the office furniture, too, just so that we could connect the PC directly to the cable. Progress halted. Anyway, I was planning to get a bookcase and filing cabinet, and I still had not worked out how I was going to rearrange everything. So we didn't bother to connect the PC to the modem across the room. The Wi-Fi would have to do for the time being, and it was working fine…

Until it wasn't.

While the company that makes the router (which shall remain nameless) was busy fixing the problem they caused that crashed my Internet access, we decided it was best to hook the PC directly up to the modem without further delay so I could keep working.

All connected, up and running

This involved moving the desk, but by this time, I had finally bought a bookcase (on clearance, of course) which just happened to perfectly match the desk in the hall. Amazing luck, I know, but that meant we had to switch the office desk with the personal desk and move that into the office with the bookcase. I told you it was a long story, and a long day, as well.

I didn't get much work done, but I did put together the bookcase after we switched the desks and got the Internet connection up and running.

All put together and ready for storage

The office still needs a few things like paint, a permanent filing cabinet, a window treatment, and some inspiring decor. But it's evolving as needs arise. And the good news is that with each incremental improvement, I get even more motivated to sort through clutter and relentlessly keep reorganizing.

All arranged for the dog's comfort

I love when projects piggyback on one another…it leaves me less time to procrastinate.

All photos credit to Joan Fieldstone.