4 Simple Steps to a Home Office That Works as Hard as You Do
Since the beginning of the pandemic, many people have transitioned from working in an office to working from home. While working from home can have many rewards, it can also be distracting. The kids, your partner, even pets interrupt your work, not to mention your daily household tasks. This busy and stressful time has no doubt contributed to some disorganization in your home office. Keep reading for tips to organize your home work space.
Tip #1 - Start by Sorting Everything
Clutter is distracting and a cluttered workspace is not doing anything to improve your productivity.
The first step in your office edit is to take everything off your desk and shelves and empty the drawers. (If you are working in short time blocks, do one area at a time.) Sort all the items by type - office supplies, papers, books, notebooks, stationery, cords, etc. If you have time, do a micro-sort of the office supplies - pens, pencils, paperclips, tape, etc. As you go through your items, make 4 piles - keep, donate, toss, and file. Remember to only keep what you need, use, and love.
Once sorted, return the items you are keeping to your desk and shelves, and remember to keep like items together. Use organizing containers to contain small items and boxes for less used (backstock tape dispensers) and larger items (extra printer paper). Store books by size, color, or topic. Put your most used products within reach of your desk. Remember that containment and labeling are keys to long term success.
Tip #2 - Specify What to Save, Shred the Rest
Paper is the biggest clutter culprit of the home office - mail, bills, school notices, etc. The best way to conquer the clutter is to 1) deal with it right away, and 2) have a simple system that works for you.
Here is a simple idea for how to sort through your paperwork:
Add a file box on your desk with several hanging folders. You can use whatever titles work for you but my suggestions are below.
To Do: these are papers that need to be dealt with soon such as a new bill or a field trip permission slip; anything that needs you to act soon.
File: These are important documents or bills that you need to save (e.g. medical results or mortgage documents).
Shred: Any paperwork that has personal information that does not need to be saved.
Every paper that you complete from your To Do folder will either need to be mailed (or returned to school), filed, or shredded. Set aside 1 or 2 days per week to go through your To Do folder so you don’t miss anything important.
Tip #3 - Scan in Order to Simplify
Old papers, files, and photos are overwhelming, and take up too much storage space. A great option is to switch to digital storage. It will free up your time, as well as space in your home. The best thing about an organized digital storage system is that your files are always easy to find when you need them.
When setting up your digital system, make sure everything is categorized and labeled by type and year. Scan and file documents you need to save on your computer. Sign up for paperless statements on all of your bills and pay them online. No more paper bills and you can always access them online. If you're already a pro at digital storage but your files have gotten out of control, take some time to reorganize.
Tip #4 - Schedule Time to Save Sanity
Now that you have sorted and contained the contents of your home office in a systematized manner, you will be able to maintain the space with ease. When everything has a place, it is easy to return things to where they belong. Commit a little bit of time each week (15-30 minutes) to tidy up your space physically and digitally, and set yourself up for maximum productivity.
Love working from home, but hate your home office? Shoot me an email...I would love to help you declutter and destress!
Warmly,
Leslie
HOT TIP: Place your donate pile in a bag by the front door and drop it off ASAP (don't let it sit in your car for months!).
HOT TIP: Always open your mail next to the recycle bin. Throw the junk mail straight into the bin! Do not even hesitate. :)
HOT TIP: There are many apps available for scanning right from your phone. Did you know that you can scan documents in Notes on an iPhone? Just hold down the camera icon.
