Creating an Organized Home Office

According to Upwork, 32.6 million Americans will be working from their homes by 2025. That’s about 22% of the workforce!

Home offices can be a nook under the stairs.

Your office may be a corner of a guest room, a dining room table, or an actual room, but whatever it is needs to be organized for the maximum functionality.  If not, clutter will overtake the space and overflow into your work life.   

Here’s how to create the home office of your dreams.

FIND A SPACE. If you have a dedicated room, that’s of course ideal. If not, you can be creative and carve out room in a dining room, a corner of a bedroom (NOT recommended) or a finished or unfinished basement.

SET IT UP. Figure out what you’ll need to work comfortably. Include:

·       Desk

·       Computer set-up (with electrical plugs and surge protectors)

·       Comfortable chair

·       File cabinet

·       Drawers

·       Good lighting

·       Shelving

·       Recycling bin

·       Trash can

·       Shredding bin

·       Charging station

Determine your home office style.

DETERMINE YOUR STYLE. Are you visual and need everything in sight? Can you deal with labeled baskets or boxes? Be realistic and think about what you do with paper after you touch it once…

Do you want an office that’s decorative or all business? Consider the environment you work best in, what is most conducive to concentrating, working and communicating.

KEEP THE OFFICE FOR WORKING. Try to keep hobbies and leisure activities out of the space. If the room has to do double duty, at least designate zones for each activity – and don’t let them overflow into your work area.

ESTABLISH ZONES. Determine where things will "live" - generally the rule is to keep things you use everyday at arms length of your chair. Items you use occasionally can go on higher shelves or drawers. 

Create a printing zone - for printing supplies, ink, paper, stapler and staples. Its best to locate in an area other than on your desk – like printer cabinet, table or shelf.  

Get into the habit of printing only what's really necessary to reduce clutter and waste. Most printers can "print" to a pdf that can be filed electronically.  Think - do I really need a paper copy of this?

You need to accommodate different sets of files;

-            Projects you’re working on right now

-            Longer term projects that need to keep going but aren’t due right away

-            Completed projects

If you don't already have a file cabinet, get one, use a file drawer in a desk, or get a portable file (there are some really attractive ones out there).

If you’ve gone all electronic, kudos to you for saving paper and saving trees! But make sure you’ve set up folders and files on your computer so you can find things easily.

Sample List of File Folders:

Make a list of what file folders you need, either paper or electronic.

·       Financial (separate for work and home)

·       Legal Documents (home lease, contracts, loans, articles of incorporation,, etc.)

·       Credit Card Statements (no more than 3 months – these are available online to download)

·       Banking Records (statements are also accessible online, so no need to print out)

·       Bills and Expenses (keep home bills distinct from work-related ones)

·       Investments

·       Marketing

·       Clients

·       Employees/HR

·       Medical (EOBs – explanation of benefits – can be found online)

INBOX. Set up a Mail/Inbox Zone and a routine - as soon as mail comes in, sort it out, tossing junk right away.  I like to have places for: Bills, Action Items, File, Shred and Scan, but you figure out what best fits your work.

The IKEA Harvmatta file sorter is my go to for this – the shelves pull out so you can work on one thing and put it back when you’re done. You don't have to deal with anything right away - just put it in the right spot and you'll get to it when you have time. It’s the putting away that keeps the clutter at bay.

Magazine holders are a great way to contain notebooks, folders and projects.

Establish a spot for storage of old files, notebooks, extra office supplies, and completed projects. Depending on your field you may want to have clear bins for  flyers, artwork, product-related items, old presentations. If you’re in a room with a closet, that’s the ideal place for storing things. 

CORDS. Somehow they grow in size and volume until your space is overtaken by these clutter busters. Manage existing connected cords with Velcro tabs to hold them together. For each loose cord, label them with what they’re for, so you know to discard when you discard their device.

PUTTING THE OFFICE TOGETHER.

Now you’re ready to sort, purge, file and put everything in it’s place.

1.      Pick up all loose papers and put into a box or laundry basket - DON'T look at them, just toss into the basket.

2.      Get a damp cloth and clean all surfaces. If you're really motivated, get a vacuum cleaner with crevice attachments and clean behind the desk, underneath the chair. Take an electronics or microfiber cloth and wipe down computer screens and keyboards. Vacuum or sweep the floors.

3.      Sort all your papers and re-home them.  You now have places where everything will live, so go ahead and put them back.

4.     Tackle your paper and piles in small batches, otherwise the overwhelm can become a barrier, Go through section by section such as: top of the desk; drawers 1, 2, 3, etc.; shelves; cabinets, corners. Remember you don’t have to do everything in one session!!

DESIGN YOUR ENVIRONMENT.

Fun baskets and colorful walls brighten up the office!

Now you’ve done the hard part, it’s time for some fun!

This is a home office so you can feel comfortable making it feel warm and friendly, with decorations that inspire and motivate you.

Pictures of the family, inspiring quotes or photos, sentimental items all contribute to a less formal environment, but take care to keep it to a minimum – you need to keep at least 50% of your wall space clear in order not to feel cluttered.

Plants, color, lighting, soft furnishing all help you put the “home” into home office.

Wishing you a wonderful and productive time in your new workspace!

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