Interior Designer Melinda Miles and her husband inherited a pharmacy supply cabinet that had been in their family for years. The quarter-sawn oak cabinet started out in an old, turn-of-the-century drugstore and held pharmacy supplies.  Miles realized that these drawers, with the labels for the pharmaceutical products still attached, were the perfect size for DVD and supply storage within her home office.

Her interior design skills came in handy when she created plans for a hutch unit that could rest on top to house the TV, books and some accessories. Her cabinet guy built the hutch exactly to the specifications to line up with the base, and her furniture refinisher matched the old finish perfectly. Matching a finish is not an easy task.

Now they have a fully functional entertainment center/supply cabinet that preserves a piece of her husband’s history. Her husband didn’t want to remove the old pharmacy labels, but the one that read “Feminine Products” disappeared mysteriously during the redesign process.

Some parts of history don’t need to be preserved.

The Desktop Station keeps your supplies organized and in sight.

Do you remember the movie The Jerk and Steve Martin’s character yelling, “The new phonebook is here…I’m somebody now!” while dancing around?  I feel the same way about the new Container Store “Work Smart Office Sale” catalog…dancing around included. Now we can all get organized or at least have an office that looks amazing.  My three favorite products are:

Desktop Station. You Lookouts (who like to keep everything in sight) will love this product alone or paired with the Landscape Letter Tray and the Landscape Paper Drawer. Aside from holding pens, pencils, folders and other supplies, you can see clearly what’s inside.  No more hidden supplies.

Ultimate Portable File Box. As the weather gets nicer, you may want to work outside or catch up on paperwork during a long track meet or just work in another room because you’re sick of working in the same place.  This file box lets you store hanging folders with interior folders inside and the organizer compartment on top holds the supplies you’ll need while you’re away from your office.

Letter-Size Interior File Folders. These hip, colorful file folders will make you jump for joy (in case you don’t dance when you see the catalog).  Their patterns and colors could turn any home office from dull to dazzling.

What’s your favorite office organizing product (from any store or online)? Post your comments below.

Disclaimer: I was not compensated by The Container Store to mention their fabulous products or to dance.

• Executive desk groups (major office hogs) are being replaced by smaller groupings at lower price points.

• Home office furniture isn’t only for home offices. Families are buying the furniture for game rooms, family rooms and bedrooms.

• Desks are smaller but still functional and they’re on wheels to make them easy to move around.

• Cabinets have fold-down work surfaces to save space.

• Desks for laptop computers are still popular. Why buy a desk with space for a CPU if you’ve ditched your desktop?

• Furniture features flexible configurations. That comes in handy if you move to a smaller space or if you want to be able to change around your office once in awhile.

• High-end furniture manufacturers are continuing to reduce the size of their desks, along with their prices.

For the first time in Las Vegas, less is more.

ACE “Always clean & empty” storage shed
This wonderful device is installed in your backyard and filled with all the stuff you want to keep, but don’t really need. At random intervals, a large dump truck comes along and empties your shed. The next time you go outside with Aunt Mabel’s Crock Pot, you’ll be amazed at how much space you have. Additionally the items are sold at local charity thrift stores. It’s recycling at its best!

“I’m not your mom” clothes organizer
This wonderful device looks complicated with its hooks and pockets, but each has a purpose. You hang a pair of pants on the lower hooks, the shirt goes on the upper hooks, socks clip at the bottom of the pants, underwear fits inside the pants on a special hook, and shoes slip in pockets under the socks. When you’re finished you have an entire suit that hangs in your closet, ready to wear!

Always-in-style closet
This great labor-saver uses a system of hanger conveyors like the ones in your local dry cleaners, except they have ten year’s worth of space on them and go up into your attic. By the time the first things you hung up make it back into your closet, they’re back in style. You’ll be the envy of your chic friends.

Neat home hologram
Just once, get everything neatly and perfectly arranged. Then install the Neat Home Projector in the ceilings of your rooms and take an archive picture of everything in perfect order. From then on, no matter what condition each room is in, people will only see the perfect hologram. This is especially helpful for teenage boys’ rooms. Just think, every time you pass by, their room is immaculate. Optional “Fresh Scent” hologram projectors really complete the picture and are well worth the extra cost.

Trash to treasure box
We’ve all heard the term “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Well this great device puts this into action. Place one of these boxes under the sink to catch kitchen garbage, trash from the bedrooms and bathrooms and any place you collect trash. Once the box is full, close the lid and Voila! it’s a pre-priced “mystery item” for your next garage sale. Now your trash really can lead to treasure! Encourage the purchasers to prolong the suspense by waiting until they get home to open their “treasure” box.

The Butt Station is funny, functional and socially incorrect, all at the same time. If I worked in a corporate office, I wouldn’t feel comfortable having a small guy sitting on a toilet while sitting on my desk; I think it would compromise my professionalism. But because I work from home, it doesn’t matter and I’ll probably order one this week.

The Sleeping Dog is a fake dog that does nothing more than lay there and look cute. You don’t have to worry about whether he’ll leave a fresh present for you on the carpet. After spending the last few days training my new family puppy—he peed on my son’s bedroom rug today while my son was videotaping him—I’m ready to exchange the puppy for three sleeping dogs.

You wouldn’t see the Fun Tissue Box Cover in an Architectural Digest spread but it’s still funny. Who needs boring picture frames anyway? I don’t think I’d put this in my office but I know a few friends who would. They had kids recently so they think that anything with their child’s photo on it is perfect. I know because I did the same thing when my boys were babies.

How many more supplies do you need?

• Resist the urge to buy one more product that’s guaranteed to help you get organized. You may already have something similar tucked away in a closet.

• When you buy supplies you know you won’t use, you waste time, space, and money. If something is on sale and you don’t need it, it’s not a bargain. Yet if you see a product you know you’ll use often, there’s nothing wrong with stocking up.

• Look for sales and special prices online. Bizrate is one of my favorite sites to compare prices.

• As much as possible, buy supplies in advance. All-night convenience stores and drug stores are the last places to find bargains on office supplies, but often the only options for late-night office supply runs.

• Take a close look at what you already own and see if you can use something for another purpose. Stacking bins can temporarily hold papers in progress, silverware trays work well to organize loose supplies in a drawer and clear shoeboxes are ideal for storing extra supplies in a closet or cabinet.