Inside the House of Prim

Photographed by: Julia D’Agostino

Next up in our series on “Women Who Hustle From Home,” Meredith Goforth works from her beautiful and perfectly organized home office. She can hustle from - and organize - your home too. The founder and creative powerhouse behind House of Prim, she hasn’t met a cluttered closet, toy bin, pantry or attic she can’t coral into prettily labeled, dreamily systematic bins and baskets. Her 3 year-old business has been featured in Martha Stewart, The Spruce, Better Homes & Gardens and more.  Goforth is also branching out into Interior Design and Staging. Want to know how to design and organize a home office on a budget? Read on. We sat down to chat about office design, entrepreneurship and what’s next for Prim!

DP: Your background is in the editorial world but clearly you were born to be an entrepreneur. Tell us a little bit about your path and how PRIM came to be.  

MG: I have 3 boys (who were 3 under 3). We moved 6 times in 5 years. I had to be smart and efficient about how I organized each home we were in at each stage when the babies just kept coming. I felt the only way I could stay sane was to implement some form of organization; otherwise, the sheer amount of STUFF required was overwhelming.  I also really enjoyed organizing—it made me feel in control when everything else was not. My brain is built with equal parts creative and engineering, so the combination of finding a solution, moving “puzzle” parts around with different types of containers, and making it look great checked every box.  I’m a former Bookings Editor, which means I helped orchestrate covers, fashion, and beauty stories for different fashion titles. 

I love fashion and in addition to having 3 kids, I have a large accessory collection. An “a-ha!” moment happened when I was out for a girl’s night in late 2019. My friend asked me how I organized all of my jewelry, because she was stumped.  “On trays, by color, and by season, of course!"  I didn’t realize that it was a challenge to some people.  All I knew was that organizing and creating really energized me and I loved taking a space and working hard to turn it into a beautiful, functional zone, and I realized I could actually earn a living doing it.  

DP: What were your goals with your home office?  

MG: My home office needed to be a space that I could work in, but I also really needed it to FEEL good.  I’m in a very cute rental home, so I didn’t want to spend too much on a space that was temporary for a few years….but I also didn’t want to work in a dark space that wasn’t in line with what felt like me.   If I don’t like the space I’m in, I have a really hard time creating.  

As part of my Container Store Ambassadorship, we were asked to create a custom space from one of their lines.  I chose Elfa Decor, and I have been thrilled with it; a higher end look than the regular Elfa, but the budget is more palatable. 

Goal wise:  equal parts beauty and function.  My office is in a central part of the house, so everyone sees it.  It is also my feminine space in a house full of boys. I went with light, bright, white, and happy touches of pinks, green, neutrals and gold accents.  I need a space to prep for projects, work on vinyl labels, and keep all of our ongoing projects organized.  I have been so happy with how everything turned out—I love my office!

DP. What's your best bit of advice for a mom trying to create a hub for her own productivity at home and on a budget? 

MG: Decide which areas you want to invest in, and which areas you can create a Splurge look with Steal prices.  I sourced a lot of my home office accessories from Amazon, Home Goods, and Target.  I invested more in key pieces like the desk, curtains, and gorgeous coffee table books that tied in with my color scheme, because I knew those would be one of the main items that would enhance the space and draw the eye away from anything not as expensive.   

Productivity wise, know your priorities and where you are focusing your energy while you are in that hub.  That will guide you in picking out product and what to invest in.   Every mom we help create a zone to work in has some common themes:  Kids.  Home.  Medical.  Finances.  And of course you need what I call a “Mom Zone,” which is a drawer or space that has the things you are reaching for frequently like scissors, stamps, pencils, pens, brushes, packing tape, lip gloss, bandaids, sunglasses…you get the picture.  And try to create a space you can sneak away from the kids if needed—or at least headphones so you can focus beyond the constant “Mom Mom Mom” when the kids are home! :) 

Crate & Barrel Twist White-Washed Desk

DP: What’s going on now at Prim and what's next? 

We now have a full roster of wonderful clients that we usually work with on their entire house and for years to come.  It is such a fulfilling role and I am grateful I get to work with people and spaces I’m passionate about—and that we really get to help set them up for success. I’ve also been lucky to partner with brands like The Container Store, I-Design, Mignonne Gavigan plus many local businesses like Eye Coco, Element Medical Aesthetics, and Club Sweat. 

We’ve started branching out into areas of Interior Design and Staging, which has been so much fun. I’m not a trained Interior Designer, but I love all things home and creating a space that both looks and feels good (at any price point!) so it’s been a natural next step for House of Prim.  We also offer seasonal refreshes to clients, Holiday Design and Organization.  On my goal list:  PRODUCT.   I can’t tell you how many times we have said, if only this bin came in this size or why doesn’t this product exist? I have an ongoing note with all of my ideas and hope I get to create them.

Room Resource List:

Twist Whitewashed Desk and Caterina Chair: Crate & Barrel

Elfa Decor Shelving: The Container Store

Custom Drapes: Pepper Home

Rug: Overstock.com

Cristol Flush Mount Lighting: Visual Comfort

Interior Design by: House of Prim