Hello there!
Midterm elections are just around the corner here in Maryland and around the US. From Governors to US Senators, Congressmen, State and House Delegates, etc., most elected officials' headquarters are buzzing with activity right now.
Phone calls to be made, signs to be delivered, letters to be sent, doors to be knocked on, and reaching out to all of those constituents are on the agenda every single day.
A few weeks ago my daughter was given this empty office to manage the campaign of State Senator Craig Zucker, here in Maryland. She's good with most aspects of the campaign, but not so much with furnishing and making an empty office a warm as well as an inviting space to conduct all aspects of that job. However, she's perfecting the art of delegating, and furnishing and decorating this office was the task that she entrusted me to complete.
I like that it's a big space with plenty of windows that let in tons of light.
The floor was the part that I didn't like one bit. 😒
There wasn't any flooring, and no, there wasn't a budget for a nice floor or any of the decor.
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The first items that were brought in were the area rugs. I got two big area rugs that I had forever in the basement, but I guess my daughter asked every single volunteer and intern to bring their very own rug. 😅
I also had this long countertop that I've used in our office, but alas it needed a base.
Out of 2 x 4's, I created the base that worked fairly OK to support the heavy counter.
The area above the long desk was screaming for something to be hung up there!
Well, let me highlight some of the ideas that you can use to furnish and decorate a campaign office:
1. USE A BIG CALENDAR!
A big calendar serves as wall decor and a visual reminder for you and your volunteers of all that needs to be done. Of course, it also helps you to stay organized.
This DIY - chalkboard calendar is a relatively easy project you can tackle with three simple materials: A large piece of plywood, a quart of chalkboard paint, and a white marker.
2. THANK YOUR VOLUNTEERS!
Volunteers are your campaign's driving force. You can't thank them enough for their time and all they do.
3. MAKE IT A COUNTDOWN
I left a section of the calendar open for tidbits or facts and encouragement for the team!
Here, you can write a countdown to early voting and election day, a total number of doors canvassed or weekly phone calls, or even celebrate the intern of the week.
This keeps team morale up during long weeks of hitting the ground hard and knocking on doors on hot, muggy days.
4. GET PLENTY OF SNACKS
You and your volunteers will spend countless hours in the campaign office, so you must have a good assortment of snacks and drinks ready.
A fridge or mini-fridge is also essential for keeping those waters cool for those dedicated volunteers who come back after knocking on voters' doors on a long day.
5. WORKING STATIONS / TABLES & CHAIRS
A campaign office doesn't always look glamorous, but it absolutely needs to be functional!
There are activities that the campaign team, interns, and dedicated volunteers need to do daily in the office. These tasks include calling potential voters, imputing door-knocking and call data, stuffing letters, sending postcards, sending emails, recruiting volunteers for upcoming events, etc. (the list goes on and on). You need a plethora of comfortable padded chairs, so your team can tackle the task at hand without back or bum pain ;).
Our workstation promotes collaboration and team spirit while working on tasks.
6. KEEP THE OFFICE ORGANIZED
A simple shelf by the door is the dedicated spot for literature, stickers, clipboards, t-shirts, etc.
Dollar store baskets and storage solutions keep the shelves organized.
7. USE CAMPAIGN SIGNS AS WALL DECOR
Nothing better than the team campaign signs to decorate the office!
Use Command strips to mount them on the wall, as the person lending the office space wouldn't want a multitude of holes in the walls.
Your state flag is another excellent option for wall decor, as well as maps that detail your district.
8. CREATE A LOUNGING AREA
Once again, the main goal is to create a comfortable space where you, your interns, and volunteers can feel at home. You'll spend countless hours here; make it fun and functional.
If you have the space, create a lounging area where the team can relax and recharge.
I scored this sofa for free on Craiglist. I was also trying to get a ping-pong table, another great way for the team to distress after a long working session. Sadly, I was a bit too late to pick up the table.
9. BIG KUDOS TO THE TEAM!
I can't say it enough, your team deserves big recognition. I used these wooden stars that I found at the Target dollar spot. They were also painted with chalkboard paint, and then the names were written on them.
10. RED, WHITE, AND BLUE
The patriotic decor fits to a T in a campaign office.
Use little flags, garlands, and balloons to decorate all around the office.
This is how the office looks now:
Thanks so much for stopping by!
If you have more ideas on decorating a campaign office, please share them in the comments below!
Kudos to you & daughter for getting involved in the political process. I have volunteered for 25+ years phone banking and organizing campaigns and have never seen a nicer HQ office. Your talent for using donated, DIY and Dollar Store finds really shows. Volunteering is hard work often in extreme weather, and a nice HQ space is important - plus photo & TV spots are often recorded at HQ, so your decorating / organizing skills are important. Grass roots activism is the foundation of our Democracy. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Eileen! You're so right about the need for us to be more involved in the political process. Whether it is knocking on doors, gathering data, or setting up the office, citizen participation is key to Democracy. Thanks tons for all those 25+ years!
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