Things You'll Need:
- Pen & Pad
- Stylish Storage Bins
- Recycling Bin
- Peg or Bulletin Board
- Shelves
- Some of Your Favorite Things!
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Step 1
If you work from home, you’ve probably got a lot on your plate. Between managing your household, and possibly a growing family, it’s a miracle you muster the time or energy to run your business. With so many demands, it’s easy for your home office to take a hit and become cluttered and just plain confused.
Nothing kills productivity faster than a disorganized workspace. As challenging as it may seem, with a little discipline you can de-junk your home office and create an environment that keeps you inspired.
To avoid becoming overwhelmed, break your project into small, achievable tasks and set goals that you can accomplish every day. -
Step 2
You’ll want to start by taking inventory of the clutter. Take a good look around to determine exactly why the space is disorganized. Write down what you see. Are there documents piled up on your desk? Is your workspace littered with magazines and catalogs you just can’t seem to get to? Are your child’s toys sprawled all over the floor? If necessary, enlist the help of others to organize your space – especially if the disorderliness is attributed to them. This is a great time to also re-establish boundaries with family members!
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Step 3
You’d be amazed at how much clutter accumulates just from junk mail. Open all of your mail as soon as you get it. Keep a small trash/recycling bin near your front door to help prevent bringing junk mail into your home. If possible, contact the companies sending you the mail and ask them to remove your name from their list.
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Step 4
Based on your assessment determine what you need to do and purchase to tackle the clutter. Keep in mind that disorganization is often the result of not having a dedicated “home” for your belongings. Although you may attempt to organize, with out proper storage, you are actually just shuffling paper from one location to another. A temporary fix, it will only result in the clutter returning.
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Step 5
Clear away surfaces that are piled with paper. Purchase attractive storage systems, shelves and boxes to house supplies, CDs and magazines. In addition to the storage needs you’ve identified, purchase three separate bins and label each with “Recycle,” “Things to Sort Through” and “Things to Dump.” This will help you “file” away any stuff that comes through your office that you can’t immediately tend to.
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Step 6
Mount a pegboard or bulletin board for phone messages and quick reminders. You can also use this as a temporary location to tack up any information you intend to add to your organizer.
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Step 7
Revamp your filing system. Purge outdated files that you no longer need to reference. Purchase file folders and create files for new work projects, and create a separate filing system for household files.
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Step 8
Make a habit of carving out a few extra minutes to tidy up before leaving your office area. Arriving at a clean workspace will help you kick-off your workday without the frustrations associated with fishing through clutter for important documents.
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Step 9
Finally, give your office some personality. Prominently display objects that inspire and energize you. If you’re a designer, frame and hang a collection of your sketches. If you are a writer, feature some of your favorite articles on your walls. A collection of books, art, accessories, or even a simple bouquet of flowers can help make your newly organized workspace feel extra special.
