Room For Improvement: Lowell home office

"Go!" young KJ Orben says as he plays cars with his mom and dad.

For Ken and Patty Orben, balancing family and work leaves no time to redo Patty's office.

Patty Orben, Homeowner
"It's just a jumble of things that don't belong. Everything's just been thrown in there. I don't know where to put this, so we'll just throw it in 'the office'."

Ken Orben, Homeowner
"There are days that you open up the door, and it's like, 'How do i even walk into this room?' It's an eyesore. You know, completely undone. It just needs help."

The goal: turn this unfinished mess into a functional, organized and efficient space. That's where professional organizer Ann Marie Williams comes in.

Ann Marie Williams, Atmosphere Consulting
"Hi! Are you ready for your new office? All right let's go!"

Finishing the walls comes first.

Larry Durkee, CertaPro Painters
"It is the filling of any holes, the sanding, the priming, the painting."

CetraPro's Larry Durkee works wonders with a pale green.

Larry Durkee, CertaPro Painters
"The end result? I think it looks beautiful."

Office furniture is next.

Chikage Windler, 7News
"Where do you want this to go?"

Ann Marie Williams, Atmosphere Consulting
"Right over there."

Shelving units and an "L-shaped" desk are sleek and sensible, while fun storage baskets keep clutter out of sight. Accessories and wall art give the office a beachy cottage feel.

Ann Marie Williams, Atmosphere Consulting
"You want to have a little retreat for you to go to, so the decor is really important, but then you really have to get down to the efficiency.

Get organized with 5 easy steps.

Step 1: SORT

Ann Marie Williams, Atmosphere Consulting
"Put like items together."

Step 2: PURGE

Ann Marie Williams, Atmosphere Consulting
"Edit out the items that don't belong."

Step 3: ASSIGN A HOME

Ann Marie Williams, Atmosphere Consulting
"Which is deciding which part of the room you're going to put it in."

Step 4: CONTAINTERIZE

Ann Marie Williams, Atmosphere Consulting
"Decide what you're going to put them in, in the container."

Step 5: MAINTAIN

Ann Marie Williams, Atmosphere Consulting
"You have to keep it up. It's like going on a diet. You can't go on a diet for 6 months and then just go back to eating pizza."

Chikage Windler, 7News
"The Orben's budget was $2000, but our Design Team came in at $1138 to create a home office that really works."

BEFORE-AFTER COMPARISON

When the Orben's see it...

Patty and Ken Orben
"Wow! It's a totally different room! This is awesome!"

It's our most dramatic "Room for Improvement" yet.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER:

Ann Marie Williams
Atmosphere Consulting
Home & Office Organizing, Home Staging
781-356-0140

National Association of Professional Organizers - New England (NAPO-NE)
Provides listing of Organizers throughout the New England area.

PAINTER:

Larry Durkee
CertaPro Painters of Westford, MA
Painting. Quality. Certainty. Satisfaction
CertaPro Painters of Westford serves the Merrimack Valley and surrounding areas.
174 Littleton Road No.3 Suite 223
Westford, MA 01886
978.662.3218

PAINT:

Walls: Benjamin Moore Veranda

ACCESSORIES & FURNISHINGS:

IKEA:
Pen/Pencil Cup - $0.99
Wastepaper Basket - $3.99
Magazine Files - $6.99
Shelves & Brackets - $29.98
Desk Lamp - $14.99

Staples:
Filing Cabinet - $47.99
Desk & Desktop File - $149.99
Book Case - $79.99
Book Case - $79.99
Office Chair - $79.99
Chair Mat - $29.99
Letter Trays - $19.98
Phone Caddy - $11.98
Hanging Files - $6.99
Folders - $5.99
Book ends - $8.99

Federal Carpet, Lowell:
Rug - $253.86

Michael's:
Sea Glass - $3.98
Bottle - $0.99

HomeGoods:
Shelves - $26.00
Framed Art - $59.98

Kimball's Farm Country Store:
Decorative Boats - $12.89

I Party:
Decorative Shells - $5.97

Home Depot:
Ceiling Fan - $38

Kmart:
Roman Shades - $30

Linens 'n Things:
Laundry Basket - $9.99

Are you looking to redesign or improve a room in your home or office? The 7News Design Team will work within your budget to help you transform that space into your ideal area. We'll provide you with the professional design service and labor.

Send a photo of your space to RoomForImprovement@whdh.com and tell us why your home has "Room For Improvement."

(Copyright (c) 2006 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)