The Office Is Coming Together

by Brigid McAlpin July 13, 2025

The new office is about 90% complete - Sue R., Mike and I worked hard in the hot weather on Wednesday and Thursday to make the "big move" so Sue could get her office fully set up and operational by her next work day which was Friday. It was kind of on the fly but at the last minute I also hired Dolly movers to load all of the furniture we could not lift into my van and over to the office. It was not cheap but I saved money by being able to provide the vehicle. The movers had to take the legs off the desk to get it through my basement door but in the end were successful. I took down all of the art which was hanging up in the garage because it was just collecting dirt and Mike brought it to the office as well. Sue chose three pieces of floral art to hang up in her office. I had the movers move my three pieces of black display furniture which are painted geranium pink inside as well as the pair of IKEA tall skinny display cabinets. The furniture fits perfectly in the showroom space, I could not have planned it better. The objects inside the cabinets will show better in the new location with the light walls as a backdrop and improved lighting. Now I just need to decide what to display there!

I have purchased odds and ends like the new keypad lock, a rolling mat for Sue's chair and this cute mailbox which looks like it has a scalloped awning on top but I have not had to purchase any major items yet. There was room to float a square Lifetime table in the center of the showroom space which can also double as a meeting space but it is not a permanent solution. I originally was going to look for a round or square table and a couple of chairs to buy at one of our sales to put there but I may use the cute little vintage wrought iron table I purchased at one of our estate sales this spring. It is rectangular but much smaller than I expected as I chose it sight unseen. It did not come with a top so I just need to decide if I would like a glass or wood top made. It is a pretty green color which does not go with the other furniture but I can make it work. It will be eclectic!

Kuochun and I ended up going back to the office on Sunday to switch out the two vintage banquet tables I brought there. One is 8-foot and 30" wide and the other is 6-foot and 24" wide. They are so heavy but once in place are incredibly sturdy. Originally I wanted the 8-foot table in the front room for the live sale space but although it fit and the door can completely open, maneuvering my rusty old flat bed cart in and out with supplies was a bit of a challenge. So the 8-foot table is now in the supply room and the 6-foot table is in the front room. I think this will eliminate one of the rolling shelves in the supply room but I will happily take it back for my own use. The size of the office is turning out to be perfect! We have been added to the directory and an old school sign has been ordered for our front door. There is a tall narrow window next to the door which allows people to see inside. I will plan to go to the sign place in Des Plaines and see if they can make a removable graphic to cover it. It would also be a good time to make signs for the empty sandwich boards I have collected. We would not have to use them every week like we used to but they would be really nice for higher-end sales.

Since I now have the breezeway space back I started to declutter. I had the Dolly movers remove the desk and chair out of the way of the sliding door and one of the dressers out of the way of the side entry door and bring them to the basement, in the space where the office furniture previously was. The movers also moved the dining set to the other side of the basement so if I choose, I can do jewelry pricing work down there. There is literally more room to move in the basement now. I am on the lookout for a larger flat screen TV that I can buy at one of our estate sales so I can have a TV on while I work. When I had the basement redone I invested in a sound system with speakers built into the wall but I am not a movie watcher so I will never use it. I pulled some of the estate sale paperwork out of the basement and the thought is to scan it and do away with 14 years of paper files. It would be a big job to scan everything but I will probably try a few files when I have the chance and see how it goes. Not having to store all of that paper will be a game-changer. It allowed me to bring all of the rolling shelves we needed to the office for storage of our supplies.

With the office move and lots of paperwork to do, I am failing at keeping up with my listing goal for July. The month is half over and I was only able to post one new piece. However it is a great one, this corn maiden pendant by Santo Domingo artist Joel Pajarito. He is the grandson of renowned jeweler Mary Lovato and son of acclaimed tufa cast artist Anthony Lovato. I was not able to find a piece exactly like this one online but did see some similar ones. However, they all had already sold. This is a very special piece and I have a feeling that no two are alike.

I did sell two items this past week - this vintage watch with tips in a bear paw design by Navajo artist Calvin Peterson and lovely Italian coral earrings by Federico. I listed the watch tips back in April 2023 and they sold on Etsy. It just goes to show that eventually every item will find a buyer. The earrings sold directly through my website. I am always so honored when I receive a website sale because the buyer is trusting me to fulfill their order. I also love the lower fees!

On the minus side, I can tell from my rating score and percentage that I received negative feedback on eBay for the first time in many years. I have been busy but also have not had the heart to look at it. My guess is that it is the lady who ordered the coin necklace that I could not locate. I would have loved nothing more than to sell her that $800 necklace, I still do not know what happened to it. I was hoping it was shipped to Mount Prospect by mistake (although I was sure I did not do that) but I was not able to find it. I was upfront with the buyer and keep her up to date. I finally had to give up looking and said I could either get another one from the artists or give her a refund. She opted for a refund which I promptly sent within 20 minutes of receiving her message. My rating has dropped from a perfect 100% to 97% which is horrible in the eBay world. I will be stuck with this ding on my record for an entire year and I have not had an eBay sale since the feedback was posted. It is on my list of things to do to look at it and write a response. This was my fault and I own up to it but she had purchased an item shortly before that and she loved it so she knew I was not a bad seller.

Although I have another heavy load of paperwork due next week, plans include to continue to work on the basement and breezeway and to get posting new items every day so see if I can catch up with my goal. So far, I am thrilled with the new office and will love having a more decluttered life at home. I have always been a person who thrives with everything in its place. I am really enjoying my home office since I have swept through it. I ordered a wood monitor stand from Amazon, made by the same company who made the floor mat for my office chair. It is perfectly rated and I bought it during Prime Days for nearly $10 off. I selected the Walnut color because my furniture is made of walnut but this one has a more reddish tone. It is really nice quality and has been helpful since I removed my shelf from the room. My desk is not very large and to have a place to put papers that I am actively working on has been very helpful. My monitor is not adjustable and this brings it more to eye level, although I do need to look up if I need something at the top of the screen. I think I will get used to it though. It comes in five great colors to suit anyone's decor and I recommend this product as well! I opted for the "plain" model but they also come with plug-ins for two USB ports if desired.

That is all for now, see you next time!