With a fast Internet connection and a computer, you can work independently in the comfort of your own home. However, it also means that it is your sole responsibility to set up your workspace and keep it organised. Regardless of the size of your business, you can benefit from having a clean and welcoming home office as it can boost creativity, maximise productivity, improve focus, and reduce stress. If your home office is all messy, so are your mind and output. Here are some ways to organise or declutter your home office:
Get a durable filing cabinet
All your files, documents, and general clutter can leave your mind in disarray. Therefore, investing in an industrial cabinet is an excellent idea for clearing up space for your home office and organising your files. To prevent your essential documents from being stolen or destroyed, opt for a lockable fireproof cabinet.
After you set up your filing cabinet in your home office, it is time to go through your files. Chuck unnecessary documents out to keep your filing cabinet from turning into a landfill. Once you sort your files, secure the important ones in color-coded folders and arrange them alphabetically or numerically. Make sure to label every file and put it in its place in the filing cabinet.
Keep your desk clean
Your desk is the powerhouse of your home office. It is where you toil at your work all day and put the deluge of papers that you receive weekly. Leave it messy, and your concentration can be in a complete shambles. To keep things simple, equip your desktop only with your work essentials, which include your computer or the office supplies that you use regularly. Organise all your office supplies in containers, bins, baskets, or drawers and place similar items together. Make sure to keep them within reach.
Also, take personal items such as photos off your desk. You can spruce up your home office and keep your desk clean at the same time by hanging your pictures on the wall or placing your plants on your filing cabinet or windowsills.
Install a message board
A message board laden with notes and to-do lists is a staple in every home office. However, leaving it cramped defeats the purpose of keeping your schedule organised. To read your notes with ease, you can divide your board into smaller sections and arrange your records in a single layer with an adequate amount of space on all sides. At the end of the week, go over your message board and remove old notes.
Reduce cable clutter
Installing too much electronic equipment comes with a set of wires and cables tangling into a knotty mess that can trip you up or cause a fire hazard. Thus, getting rid of the electronic equipment that you barely use is imperative. Use wireless equipment as much as possible. Also, bind all the cords together with a zippered cord sleeve and place it behind your desk or against the wall to avoid tripping over it. Finally, label the cables to follow each wire back to the source.
Organising or decluttering your home office can spare you the trouble of rummaging through your drawers or desk for the materials that you need for work. With everything in place, you can focus your time and energy on your work itself. As the saying goes, “Messy bed, messy head.” When you declutter your workspace, you declutter your stressed-out mind as well.
