By MARY CAROL GARRITY, Scripps Howard News Service

Thanks to technology, many of us log a lot of work hours from home. So a high-functioning home office has become a must. Do you have a home-office space that allows you to do your best work? If not, it's time to create a spot that works for you. Here's how:

1. Pinpoint who will work in your home office.

Is your bedroom suffering from decorating neglect? Try these easy steps for turning it into the restful retreat you deserve.

It all started in fifth grade, when a friend gave me a decorative box as a gift. That present ignited a love affair with boxes that is still burning bright. Through the years, I've had fun creating a collection of boxes that includes everything from prized porcelains from France to simple wooden boxes I spied at a flea market.

When you look through your closet, searching for something to wear, chances are you have a few pieces that you pick over and again, like those jeans that are as comfy as jammies or the shirt that brings out the color of your eyes.

After a long, hard day at work, for me, there is no better therapy than stepping into a steaming-hot bath and letting the stress of life float away. Whether or not your bathroom is the place you go to relax and rejuvenate, make this all-important space lovely and inviting.

I caught screen fever at an early age.

Remember when we treated our TVs like dirty little secrets, hiding them away in armoires where they couldn't be seen, an embarrassing fact of life that was best concealed? Who could blame us?

When you make your New Year's resolutions for 2012, don't forget to include a few that will help your home become its stylish best. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.

1. Organize with Style

Been too busy to decorate for the holidays? Believe me, I've been there. Some years I've been so busy helping everyone else get their homes ready that I barely had time to toss up a decoration or two before the family arrived for Christmas dinner.

When it comes to decorating your dining table for a holiday feast, I'm all for a full-steam-ahead, all-out, over-the-top display. This is the one meal of the year when you simply can't do too much on your table.