Here I am in Fred’s office.

Perhaps you’d like to meet Fred? After all, being the 2008 Grand Prize Winner of Rolodex’ Office Makeover Challenge was really all about Fred.

This competition, open to professional organizers all over the world, had you design the perfect office for a fictional client. Organizers could choose from a home office or a corporate office.

I chose Fred. He might be fictional but he became real to me. In order to make Fred the perfect office, I had to get to know Fred and Fred’s needs. Fred’s office design was submitted to Rolodex in the form of an essay and a budget. Upon winning the Semi-Finalist category, Rolodex flew me to Reno, NV, to actually build the office on the floor of the National Association of Professional Organizer’s Conference as a part of the Rolodex booth.

Above, you can see Fred’s office. His story is that he is going-to be a stay-at-home dad with his new baby because his wife has the health insurance at her job. After he quit his job, his boss talked him into working from home- while watching the baby.

My challenge was to create a baby-proof office within a $1000 budget. The only things Fred owned were a bookcase, a laptop and printer. This means I had quite the shopping list within that budget.

Here are some of the questions asked by the judge in an oral interview:

Why work tables?

Soon, the baby will not be happy in the playpen. With no drawers, there aren’t any paperclips, thumbtacks and other goodies to get into. No drawers to slam fingers in. The file cabinet drawers lock. The bookcase is mounted to the wall to prevent tipping. All the wires are mounted with cord organizers on the wall, behind the edge of the table, so no wires to get into. All-in-all, a baby-proof office.

What special features does the office contain?

A mirror is mounted horizontally over the desk so that as Fred works, he can glance at baby when baby is in the playpen behind him. Additional safety features include a play yard and a baby monitor so Fred can hear the baby when he naps in his crib in the other room.

The one work table has a bookshelf turned sideways and placed on top of the table. This surface can hold all his equipment (not all the equipment was shipped to Reno so it is not seen in the photo). In the cubbies underneath, each type of supply for the equipment is available.

The office has a left to right work flow. Incoming mail, divided into personal and business, comes in to wall baskets. It is sorted at the desk and placed into active files or logged into Fred’s PDA task list. As he prints and finishes work for his company, the shipping and binding supplies are located under the printer. Letter trays at the far right hold papers waiting to be filed. The file cabinet for finished work is at the far right.

He stays on task with his PDA for schedules, a document stand to hold a to-do list to help him refocus each time he sits back down and he has scheduled organizing time each morning. In addition, three toy baskets were provided and Fred was instructed to choose a different one each day. Fewer toys means less mess and rotating the basket keeps the baby engaged more often.

Read More About the Contest in the Washington DC Organizers’ Newsletter

The Rolodex Contest Essay: A Conversation with Fred

Fred: Welcome! I’m a little nervous.

Lea: Why?

Fred: I’m worried about baby safety. Between wires and paperclips, I picture disasters!

Lea: Our goal should be to create a safe play area, baby proof and establish a way for you to keep an eye on baby while you work.

Fred: Sounds great. How?

Lea: Let’s set up office space on two adjacent walls. This L-shaped area frees the remainder of the room for baby. How about a play yard?

Fred: What is it?

Lea: A six-sided play yard creates a larger floor play space. Place Felix’s sheepskin in it and he’ll have a cozy place. Your current bookshelf can hold baskets of toys and bobble heads at the top. Rotate the toys and baby will stay engaged. You need to attach that shelf to the wall for safety. Since you are keeping the changing table in the other room, you won’t need diapers here. Add a baby monitor to your desk and Felix can nap in his own crib and keep a crucial routine.

Fred: Sounds great!

Lea: To baby proof, let’s use tabletop desks, eliminating drawers of items baby could get into. Rolodex Cord Organizers will get cords off the floor.

Fred: If I am working facing the wall, how will I see the baby?

Lea: Great question. A desk in the middle of the room, so that you face baby, means racing around the desk. This way, you can swivel your chair to reach Felix. Over your desk, let’s mount a 5-foot long mirror (typically used on a closet door) horizontally. You can peek at baby AND baby can see you.

Fred: Felix cries when I leave his sight. That will work! What about the office? Should have picked up my desk from my parents’?

Lea: Your old desk won’t give you a large work surface and allow future growth of equipment. How about keeping your desk for Felix to use?

Fred: Great idea. What do you have in mind?

Lea: Something conventional and something unusual. Two six-foot white IKEA tabletops, with black legs, placed in an L-shape in the corner. A professional black-white theme comes to life by adding two black office chairs. One table will become your surface for your laptop and paperwork plus room to add a keyboard, mouse and second laptop, if needed. Here is the unusual. I’d like to use the second table to hold your equipment, supplies and project work surface. I’d like to turn a 6-foot long matching IKEA bookcase on its side. Lay it on the table, against the wall. The sideways 14-inch high bookcase makes four cubbies, to contain shipping supplies, binders, printer paper, and paper trays. The flat top of the bookcase becomes a shelf for the fax, scanner, printer and cell/camera chargers.

Fred: Neat idea! How do I tackle my mess of papers?

Lea: Recognize three kinds of paperwork: incoming, active and completed. To keep incoming papers off the desk but in sight, let’s add a Rolodex Wall File -labeled business, personal and publications. For active papers, let’s use a desktop Rolodex File Frame Holder, handier than your current floor stacking method. Let’s attach a Rolodex Magnetic Organizer to the desk top file to hold your desktop supplies. For contact management, a Rolodex Photo Frame Card File will do the job. What a great place for your wife’s photo! For storage, we’ll add a matching file cabinet. Add a weekly filing reminder to your PDA. Of course, you need a lidded trash can to keep baby out.

Fred: I can see those three categories match my work flow. Lea: Let’s get that work flow going in one direction. Work from left to right on your L-shaped desk. At left, begin with the Rolodex Wall File for incoming papers, next is Rolodex’ File Frame Holder for desktop active files. Putting your laptop on a Rolodex Laptop Stand makes work easier. Adding Rolodex Hubs means easy connection for power or ports. On the right-hand table, you have a flat work surface in front of cubbies of supplies, topped with equipment. At far right are two Rolodex Letter Trays for papers-to-be-filed and your file cabinet. Lea: I saw you have tons of binders. Do you need all those binders?

Fred: Some are completed projects that can be boxed and others can be combined.

Lea: Good!

Fred: I’m worried. I picture being in the middle of something and having to jump up.

Lea: To keep up with scheduling, Rolodex has a touch-screen PDA. Use it to manage deadlines, schedules goals and priorities. Continuous interruptions mean you need to refocus. With Rolodex’ Document Holder, the magnets will hold your to-do list. Making a list is a morning priority, but set realistic goals. Place it so it is the first thing you see each time you sit down. Devote ten minutes each day to organizing. Also, you mentioned a back-up hard drive. It’s costly, a space hog and you must remember to use it. Backing-up within the same space, in event of fire, electric surge or lightening isn’t ideal. You’ll find Carbonite satellite back-up suits your budget, less than $5 a month. It automatically backs up everything safely stored off site. Also, be sure you have the highest speed DSL. With interruptions, you don’t have time to wait. Speaking of interruptions, set up a business voice mailbox, in case you have your hands full.

Fred: But what about my priorities?

Lea: What’s that?

Fred: Fido’s bed and my drinks!

Lea: No problem! With 12-feet of desktop, the fridge fits underneath. And Fido? Let him pick his new spot. There are several corners for him.

Fred: Ok. What happens now?

Lea: If you’re happy, we’ll order the products. In the meantime, we’ll sort papers, binders, supplies, set goals and to-do lists. We’ll arrange the room when everything arrives and have fun watching Felix enjoy his space.

Fred: I’ve gone from nervous to excited!