Whether you have limited home office space or you want to make your guest room do double duty, a computer cabinet, armoire or an “office-in-a-box” — they’re all the same thing — is a good alternative to a simple desk. Between white boards, drawers and extra storage bins in the door, armoires are filled with function. As with anything, including furniture, there are always advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
•Compact and ideal when space is limited
•You can close the doors at the end of the day
•All of your home office equipment fits inside
•Some have drop-down desks and file cabinets that roll inside
•It can blend in with the rest of your home
Disadvantages:
•Not all cabinets have leg room
•There’s not always enough space to spread out papers
•There’s limited filing space so you’ll need a file cabinet nearby
Something to think about: If you decide to buy a computer cabinet or any other home office furniture, plan ahead and measure your space. One of my client’s enthusiasm for a new computer cabinet was squelched when she realized on delivery day that the cabinet she bought couldn’t fit through her home office door.
Would an office-in-a-box work for you?
Oh, yes! The office-in-a-box has worked great for me. Currently I use the help of a roll-top desk. But I also take my net-book to a comfortable space to write whenever and wherever quiet concentration is needed. I love how neat and tidy the armoire looks in the photo… mine never was that organized. LOL
Oooooh…I love rolltop desks! There’s something about all those slots to store stuff that makes those desks stand out from the others. You can literally close your home office door at the end of the day, or should I say roll your home office door closed.
Doesn’t the saying go, “A disorganized desk means your actually working?”
OK, I made that up but sometimes it’s true!
Lisa recently posted..How to Work Inside the Box
Whether you just made up the quote or not… I LOVE IT! and it’s sooo me
And don’t mess with my piles because I know exactly what’s in each one! 
LOL
I understand, and I promise, no messing with your piles.
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I love this idea. I love how you can close the doors and poof! Gone for the day. One great way I’ve seen to deal with papers/post its is a cork board on the inside of the door. For me it’s perfect because I tend to collect paper and a compact space like this forces me to clean it out.
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A cork board is a great idea. I like the idea of putting it inside the door. One of my clients took the glass out of a large frame and replaced it with cork. No matter what she put on the board, it looked organized because the frame was so nice.
Lisa recently posted..How to Work Inside the Box
The “office-in-a-box” is a beautiful piece of furniture. I agree with the advice on measuring the furniture and considering the weight. I have purchased furniture that was very, very heavy and hard to move around. I really like to stick with pieces that I can get behind and move when I need to.
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It really is pretty and functional (my favorite combination). Moving furniture can be tricky and painful. You’re right that it’s better to find pieces that are easy to move.
Lisa recently posted..How to Work Inside the Box
Hi Lisa,
with enough leg room I could certainly work with one of these. An issue is the printer: A 3-in-1 HP inkjet printer is already pretty big. I scan a lot of documents, so I wouldn’t want to put the printer close to the floor.
Thanks for sharing your insights.
Best,
Oliver
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I know what you mean about the 3-in-1. I just traded my old one for a smaller one so I could have more desktop space.
Lisa recently posted..You CAN Stay Productive While Waiting for the iPhone 5
I love my office-in-a-box even though my armoire is much smaller than the one shown in the photo, but it works as well as any other. I don’t work with a lot of paper so I don’t find it gets messy in there and once I’m done, I can close it up for the day. It works really well for me since my house is small and open.
It sounds like an ideal home office. It’s definitely amazing how much space you can save when you have less paper. Thanks for stopping by.
Lisa recently posted..You CAN Stay Productive While Waiting for the iPhone 5