It happens the same way to everyone. You scrape along with what you have thinking, "If I only had a little more work, I could get what I need and set up my business the way I want". Then that big break comes in and you rush out and buy the equipment you always wanted. Unfortunately, there are deadlines, so you hastily set it up and get down to business thinking you can fix it all when the project is done. Of course that never happens.

Landing that gig is only half the story. Before that juicy job comes in, you're in conservative mode, saving where you can just in case things take a while to pick up. Now's the time to get organized, and there are ways to do it without breaking the bank.

Your Workspace Comfort Zone

We're talking about a DIY project on the most minimal of budgets. The final result, however, needs to be organized, efficient and comfortable (you're going to spend a lot of time here). We want our space to hold all our gear, store our media, and yet be inviting enough that clients could sit in on a screening without feeling claustrophobic. This is the home workspace, not the high-end luxury boutique edit suite. Start with the cheapest (yet useful) items available, with the plan that it will be slowly replaced and upgraded over time. It's arguably one of the smartest approaches because you're going to find that things will become superfluous as your equipment changes. If your original setup is cheap, there'll be little regret when you give it up. It all starts with an empty room.

Your desk needs to be strong and have a decent surface. A great option is to nip down to your local home improvement store and head over to the kitchen counter section. Here you'll find laminated counter tops with a scratch resistant surface and nice curved edges. These tops are constructed with mounting in mind, so they're easy to attach to your wall, or supports, etc. They're also strong enough to span a couple feet without support while supporting a good deal of weight and there are both straight and corner pieces. Note that some of the less-popular colors actually cost less, but pick a style you can live with.

We know, right now you're thinking, "That's already kind of expensive". Understand that along with your mouse, keyboard and chair, this is an item you will interact with for hours on end. The comfort and weight support make this the ideal item for the purpose. The desk will be the focal point of the room and it's one place you really shouldn't skimp. Also, when compared to a real desk or workstation, you're still saving quite a bit.

For support, get that friend of yours over (you know, the one with all the power tools) and build some legs from plain 2x4s. Use good building practices, of course; it's no good having a strong counter if the legs give out. If you have a little extra room, build a third support, then place it about 19 inches away from one of the end legs. You've just made an instant rack for mounting equipment, shelves, playback machines, etc. You don't even need the metal frames, just use drywall screws. When you're done, you can dress the legs with laminate, fabric, or give them the ol' sand and stain treatment.

All of your studio equipment should go on or under this desk. Cut holes for cable routing. You'll be tempted to make them as small as the cables will allow, but go a little larger. Sooner or later you'll want to add "just one more wire". If you don't want to cut holes, simply place spacers between the counter and the back wall and then run everything there.

Cable Ties

Take the time to make a cable organization system. One sure way to desecrate an otherwise decent-looking edit room is to have cables drooping everywhere, or tangled in a rat's nest on the floor. Such a look comes off as very un-professional, and will eventually lead to bad signals and broken wires.

One of the easiest ways to string wires coming from your desktop is to place pairs of small screw hooks into the underside of the desk, then run some hair-ties (the stretchy ones with the two beads) between them. The benefit is that you can unhook them to re-wire at any time. Plan your paths and try to separate your audio cables from everything else. Even a few inches will make a great difference, especially over long runs. Excess should be neatly coiled and laying flat. Use cable ties to keep them coiled, but be sure to leave a little slack on each end for when you want to shift something without un-hooking it.

Take the time to mount your power strips to the supports as well, in an accessible but out-of-the-way location. Don't put them somewhere where they can be bumped or where something can fall on them. (I've seen this happen in the middle of an edit session. A lot of work was lost). Placing them together, though, gives you one location from which to power the whole system, and allows for easily installation of a battery backup or power regulator. 6- to 12-inch extension cords have finally become commonplace. A 3-pack can be found in stores for as little as $5. These are invaluable when dealing with "wall wart" power adapters.

Consider spending $25 on a label maker. Dymo is just one company that makes many great models. With it you can label the ends of every wire in your studio, so if you unplug them, you'll know exactly where they belong. I found it best to use the regular paper labels, wrapping them around the wire, then encasing them in a piece of cellophane tape. This way they'll never smudge, get dirty or rip off. When you're done, use it to label all your field gear with your company name. Go ahead, get label happy.