How Do I Organize My Home Office?

If you work from home, it’s important to have the right dedicated space for your workday. Even if you don’t work from home, a home office is handy for any projects that you bring home from the office or for handling bills, taxes and other matters. Regardless of how you use your home office, you need a neat, tidy work area if you want to lower stress levels and increase productivity. These tips can help you organize your home office so it makes you want to sit down and get to work.

Go Paperless

When possible, go paperless. This will help you prevent clutter on your desk, will save you money on printing supplies and will help you find and share your documents more quickly and easily.

If you have a lot of papers to deal with right now, take the time to go through them. Shred and recycle anything that you don’t need. Scan documents that you don’t need physical copies of, then back them up on the cloud for safekeeping. In the future, be mindful of what you print. If you don’t need a printed copy of an email or document, keep it stored in the cloud instead.

Get Rid of Things You Don’t Use

Only items that you use regularly should be kept in your immediate work area. The dictionary that you haven’t cracked open in years shouldn’t take up valuable real estate on your desk; instead, put it on an out-of-the-way bookshelf or donate it to your local library. Avoid keeping too many items that aren’t related to work in your home office, and tuck away items that you don’t use as a part of your workday in a place that is easy to access but that isn’t front and center in your home office. Unwanted and unused items can be donated or sold. After all, if you have less extraneous clutter in your home office, it’ll look neater and be a lot easier to organize and clean.

Minimize and Organize Cords and Wires

If you have cords and wires running all over and around your desk, it’s time to make a change. Cords and wires can ruin the appearance of your work area and get in the way. When possible, use wireless equipment, such as a wireless printer, keyboard and mouse.

You probably won’t be able to get rid of all of your cords and wires, so organize what’s left. Roll up any cords and wires that you don’t use every day, and use twist ties or rubber bands to hold them together. Then, stash them out of sight in a drawer or basket. Use the shortest cords and wires that you can get away with, and untangle them. Consider adding colored or labeled tags to them so that you can easily identify them when plugging or unplugging equipment.

Choose the Right Desk

It might be time to upgrade your desk. If your desk is too small, then it can easily look cluttered, even when you try to keep it cleared of non-essentials. A too-small desk can also leave you without the space that you need to really get into your projects.

Your desk and desk chair should be at an appropriate height so that you’re comfortable when you’re spending long hours working. It should be big enough to house your computer and computer equipment, paperwork and any other essentials that you need to keep close at hand. It should also look great; after all, the desk is typically the focal point of your home office.

There are all sorts of work surface options that you can choose from for your home office. For example, if you have limited space, a corner desk can help you enjoy a bigger work surface without taking up as much floor space. At Dream Closets, our design consultants can help you determine the best type of work surface for the space that you have available and your home office needs.

Add Cabinets, Shelves and Drawers

Custom cabinets, shelves and drawers are perfect for elevating your home office and making organization a breeze. Instead of purchasing office furniture that might not really work for your needs, you can work with one of our design consultants to create a one-of-a-kind organizational system that works perfectly for your office.

You may need cabinets for storing computer equipment, for example, and you may want a few drawers for stashing office supplies and other essentials. Custom shelving units are ideal for storing files, reference books and extra printer paper.

You might have a design in mind, or you may need a little help. Either way, Dream Closets is here to assist you. One of our design consultants will sit down with you and create a 3D image of your home office. Then, our team will put in the right components to transform your home office.

Organize the Storage Closet

If you have a storage closet in your home office, you will want to make sure it’s in tip-top condition. Impeccable Closets, a custom closet company in North Carolina, has published an article on this topic called How Can I Organize My Storage Closet? Give it a read and apply these tips to the closet in your home office for a space that is functional even behind the closed closet door!

Make Use of Bins and Baskets

Organization bins and baskets are great for keeping your work area neat and clean. When storing small items on your new shelving, for example, you can use bins and baskets to make even better use of the space and to create a more stylish aesthetic. Consider labeling them or using a color-coded system so that you can easily find what you are looking for.

Keep a Waste Bin Close By

You don’t want crumpled papers or wrappers from your midday snack to litter your desk area. Keeping a waste receptacle close by, such as under your desk, makes it easy to keep your work area neat. They come in different styles, so you can find one that suits the aesthetic of your office, whether you prefer a traditional look or a modern and streamlined style. Get in the habit of dumping it daily or as needed; after all, you don’t want an overflowing bin to take away from your newly organized home office’s look.

If you take the time to organize your home office, you’re sure to find that your workday will be a lot more pleasant. You may find that you can get more done in less time, and you might not dread spending time at your desk anymore. For help with getting your home office under control, contact Dream Closets today to schedule a free design consultation. We can also help you with organization throughout the rest of your home!