How to Organize your Home Office
Clear Stacking Bin—Stack to double your storage!
Just because Home Office Day is only once a year (the second Tuesday in March) doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy having a clean, efficient, organized office all year long. No matter if you work for yourself, telecommute, or just pay your bills there, your home office should simplify your life. Here are seven simple steps to helping you get there!
Step 1: Consider location.
Is your office in the best spot? Even an organized office will fall short if it is not properly situated for you and your needs. Consider the questions below to determine if your best option is that unused guestroom, the attic or some other space.
- Is the area as private as you need?
- Does it offer as much natural light as you would like?
- If you see clients, is the office suitable? Does it need a separate entrance?
- Is it large enough?
- Does it meet your electrical and communication needs?
Tip: A bedroom closet can often be made into an effective hide-a-way home office. Replace the rod with some shelves and install a short light strip.
Step 2: Cut the clutter.
Clear your desktop of everything but those items you use daily or weekly (e.g., computer, pen holder, lamp, phone, tape dispenser, stapler, etc.).
Tip: Clutter is usually the result of indecisiveness rather than a lack of space or time, so be selective.
Tip: Rid your office of all furniture that is not serving a specific purpose.
Step 3: Determine what other items you may need.
Do you require any of the following?
- Desk
- Printer
- Scanner
- Copier
- Fax machine
- File cabinet
- Calendar
- Day planner
- Ergonomic desk chair
- Wrist rests for the keyboard
- Visitor seating
Tip: A criss-cross shredder is important when discarding materials containing sensitive personal information.
Tip: To save space, consider a combination printer/fax/copier/scanner.
Tip: A desk lamp (especially one that simulates natural daylight) is better than overhead lighting for avoiding eyestrain.
Tip: Try an L-shaped desk to give you extra workspace.
Tip: You can spice up the look of your office by adding some decorative pieces from around your home (e.g., using an armoire or trunk for file storage).
Tip: If as part of your business you spend a lot of time on the phone, consider a separate line. Combat background noise with a phone with mute and hold buttons.
Tip: Add some plants to your office. They provide welcome oxygen and brighten virtually any work environment.
Step 4: Decide what goes where.
Now that you know where your office will be and what it will contain, it’s time to determine how the office will be laid out.
Tip: Divide the room into activity zones, like writing, printing, filing, and mailing so there is a proper place for everything. Address one zone at a time.
Items to keep within reach:
- Work needing immediate attention
- Printer
- Calendar
- Reference books
- Phone
- Lamp
- Pens
Items to store away from your desk:
- Paper
- Files
- File folders
- Extra supplies (pens, staples, clips, tape, etc.)
- Papers that need to be filed
- Non-essential files
Tip: Avoid angling your desk as this makes it difficult to connect with other work surfaces if you want to enlarge desktop space.
Tip: If you’re right-handed, place your phone on the right side of your desk, and vice versa.
Tip: Use drawer dividers or a familiar silverware tray in your desk to help make items easy to find.
Step 5: Create a filing system.
Is your office just for family-related business? If so, a small file cabinet may be enough. If it’s the home of your business, a two- to four-drawer cabinet may be necessary. Just remember to include some extra filing space to accommodate needs as your business grows.
Tip: Set up three levels of filing:
1. Daily files: Keep these within reach, perhaps filed in your desk.
2. Weekly files: These important files should be filed away from your desk but nearby.
3. Archived files: File these elsewhere, such as in the garage or attic.
Tip: Separate daily files into easily understood categories, such as “To Complete,” “To Send,” “To Pay,” “To Call,” etc.
Tip: Organize your files by subject, not alphabetically (e.g., Taxes, Water, Power, Clients, Invoices, etc.).
Tip: File items more quickly by recording necessary information on your calendar or in your day planner or PDA.
Tip: The closet is a great place to hide file cabinets and extra shelving.
Step 6: Add shelving.
Shelves are a great way to get items off your desk while keeping them close at hand. They’re a perfect home for a clock, plants, reference books, catalogs, etc.
Step 7: Create and use a strategy to keep your office in order.
Maintenance is a lot easier and less time consuming than major office reclamation projects. So file as you go. Plus, a clean, tidy workspace will help reduce your stress level and make you more efficient in the process.
Tip: If you can’t seem to get something filed and off your desk, consider scanning it so you can store it on your computer.
Tip: Schedule an appointment with yourself to get the things done that never seem to leave your “to-do” list.
Tip: Devise a schedule for weekly office maintenance tasks (e.g., Monday: File, Tuesday: Catch up on correspondence, Wednesday: Sort papers, Thursday: Pay bills, Friday: Clear and de-clutter)
Tip: Clear your desktop each evening so you can start with a clean workspace the next morning.
Tip: Record family events on your business calendar to avoid scheduling conflicts.
