Working from home can be super comfortable and productive — unless your home office is a disaster. Follow these 10 simple tips to help declutter your space.
A well-organized filing system is a good indication of a functional office space. To organize, separate the filing system into five color-coded categories
Simple office bins are attached to a slat wall that can be used to sort incoming and outgoing mail.
In order to maintain control of the paper coming into the home office, create a mail station. Make a folder for incoming and outgoing mail, mail to file, bills and a folder for every family member. As soon as the mail comes in, file it in the mail station. Then once a week, take a few minutes and go through each folder.
Build a fauxdenza for the home office to conceal the hefty printer, miscellaneous chargers and immense amount of paperwork.
Designate a space in your office to house the printer and printer supplies. If you have a wireless printer, it doesn't need to go on your desk. By placing it in a cabinet or other area in your office, you will gain much more space on your desk for other items.
Drawers can quickly become a disorganized mess. Separate small items like paper clips and pushpins with a drawer divider. When each item has its own place, keeping things organized is easy!
Store all your office supplies in containers, drawers, baskets and bins. Putting all these supplies out of sight will give your office a decluttered look.
Depending on the amount of paper clutter, you could use a small and simple 12-tabbed file folder or an entire office-style filing cabinet. Start by clearing off the kitchen table and creating stacks of the same type of paper or mail: car insurance, health insurance, utilities, taxes, credit cards, bank statements, receipts, etc. It may be easier to combine certain areas and create broader subjects like bills, insurance and personal. The important thing is to have a go-to file for each subject for reference.
Anything that requires a response in the near future should be placed in an "action stack" that will eventually be filed away once that particular bill is paid or form is filled out. For any papers you don't find file-worthy, create a "shred and recycle" stack.
Invest in a good label maker and label your files, drawers and boxes for an easy way to organize your office. Whenever someone needs something, you will know exactly where it is.
Store all your office supplies in containers, drawers, baskets and bins. Putting all these supplies out of sight will give your office a decluttered look.
Organize your office into categories, placing like items together. By doing this, your office will become more functional. For example, look in your mail drawer next time you need stamps.
You can organize books by genre, color or size depending on your preference. Organizing by color will add a stunning design element while giving your space a clutter-free, organized look.
You can organize books by genre, color or size depending on your preference. Organizing by color will add a stunning design element while giving your space a clutter-free, organized look.
Don't forget to also include any accessories that will make your notebook that much more flexible and functional. Think folders for brochures and important docs, pouches for pencils and pads.
Organize your most important papers in binders for easy grab-and-go in case of an emergency. For example, if there was a medical emergency, you could grab your medical binder and have all the information you need immediately.
Medical: This binder is where your family's medical records are kept. If you ever need to go to a new doctor or if you have a complex medical diagnosis, everything is organized in one spot.
Pet: This binder should contain your pets' medical records, shot records and medications.
Auto: This binder is designated for all car repairs, maintenance records and car insurance papers.
Manuals: Store your manuals in one place in this binder. You can even separate the binder by sub-categories, such as appliances, electronics, garden and house.
House: Store all house-related information here, such as maintenance, pest control, security system and contact numbers for handymen.
Personal: This binder can store anything else that doesn't fit in another category or file.
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