10 Tips to Organise Your Home Office

Whether you work from home every day or just a few evenings a week, your office is a space for productivity, creativity, and focus. When clutter starts to build up, it can feel overwhelming and prevent you from getting things done - but it can also be hard to sort out, especially if it’s been building for a while!

Whether your in-tray just keeps spilling over or your office has started being used for storage, it’s time to make your space workable again.

Out With the Old

1. Clear Out the Clutter

It’s time to clear out all that clutter! You won’t be able to get any organisation done if your office is full of things that you don’t need. Recycle files and items that are broken or no longer needed.

Remember to destroy confidential documents or anything with name, address and personal details on it, as you don’t want to cause a security risk to your privacy or the privacy of your clients. If you have a lot of waste that you don’t know what to do with, it might be time to call in some help.

2. Analyse Your Furniture

Now it’s time to analyse your furniture. Are you using it, or is the extra space on your desk just a dumping spot for files you don’t need? Do your shelves regularly pile up with items you don’t know what to do with? Are your cabinets an excuse to keep things out of sight and out of mind? Sell or give away the furniture that you identify as causing problems long-term.

3. Assess Your Space

Now that you’ve separated out what you’re keeping and not keeping, it’s time to assess your office space and plan for a new layout.

Make a list of furniture that you can and will use to keep your office organised - shelves, a new desk, a chair mat or drawers for stationery are all options, although you’ll know what works best for you. Avoid cluttering up your office with furniture that you never use, as this can cause your office to become disorganised again.

In With The New

4. Install Storage Solutions

It’s time to install some storage solutions! If you’ve assessed your office space, you’ll be able to identify what kinds of storage work best for you.

If you tend to hide things from yourself, glass fronted cabinets or open shelves could be the way to go - or if being able to see all of your files makes you stressed, replace your open shelves with cupboards and filing cabinets.

5. Create a System

Create a simple organisation system that’ll be easy to keep up in future. Avoid overly complicated systems, as you don’t want to overwhelm yourself and end up in the same situation again.

You could organise your drawers by most to least important, by due date, or by client. If you get frustrated trying to find the right kind of pen to sign a form, separate black from blue pens and store them in different containers.

Allocate space for electronic equipment such as your laptop or spare keyboard, and if needed, allocate a lockable cabinet for laptops and external hard drives to ensure they are secure.

6. Allocate Space for Yourself

A home office is your space, and it’s important to make allowances for yourself. Give yourself that new desk or chair that you just can’t get at work - you know the one that’s on your wish list!

Make sure to leave space for you to move, stretch your legs and not feel boxed in by storage cabinets and filing cabinets.

7. Decorate

Just because you work there doesn’t mean that your office has to be clinical! It should be a place that you enjoy being, and if that means decorating with a deep pile rug or putting up patterned curtains, then that’s what you should do!

One of the many benefits of a home office is putting your own stamp on the space and it being an extension of your personality. So collect the many, many potted plants, pictures, a funky rug or stylish blinds - anything you fancy.

Maintain It

8. Allocate Time to Organise

Now it’s time what many people think is the unpleasant part - keeping it tidy! Letting your new system slip could result in junk piling up all over again.

Arrange time in your work schedule to file papers and put stationery away. This could be every day or every week, whatever’s best for you - just don’t let the tasks pile up!

One philosophy you could adopt is from the food industry – Clean as you go. This is a way of keeping kitchens clean and organised and there’s no reason that you can’t adopt a similar technique to keep your office space organised – even if it’s an of the day routine you put into practice. This way you will never have files stacked on the desk, and all equipment and office accessories are placed back into their allocated space at the end of the day.

9. Clean Regularly

Even though you work there, your office is still a room in your house. Make sure to clean it as regularly as you clean your other rooms. Hoover to clear the dust, wipe your desk every now and then and don’t let mugs pile up in your workspace. If you like to look out of your window while you work, have it cleaned! These tasks may not seem as important as getting your work done, but they can help you to feel relaxed and productive during the week.

How often should you clean? Once a week, or once a fortnight? That’s for you to decide depending on how messy your office gets with muddy boots from the garden if you have an office in the garden, or pet hair accumulated from your furry office friend.

10. Sort Your Waste

The final step is to sort your waste! Don’t dump everything on the floor or in a bag - separate paper from plastic bottles and electronics, and arrange separate bins to take out regularly. The last thing you want to do is to rummage through your rubbish every bin day.

Need some help clearing out your office waste? Check out our office clearance services for helping declutter your office space.