This new year, it’s time to whip your work-from-home space into shape! When you organize your home office, you’ll have a much easier time focusing on your work instead of trying to hunt down a pen or remembering where you put your printer ink. Here are a few tips to help you get organized for a successful new year.
Take Inventory
Before you get into organizing your home office, you need to do some inventory. Sort through your work area and take stock of what you have and what you need.
This also includes some decluttering, too. Yes – this means rummaging through all your drawers and emptying your shelves. Shred or toss any old receipts, notes, or paperwork you have lying around that’s cluttering the space. If you have an assortment of pens that don’t work, toss them. Keep items that are usable or special to you and set them aside to incorporate them into your new setup. The first step in organizing your space involves decluttering so you’re only keeping the items you truly need to avoid cluttering up your office space in the new year.
Streamline Your Desk Drawers
After taking inventory and decluttering your desk, designate a specific spot for each office item with drawer organizers. By using plastic, wooden, or metal divider trays, you can easily store and find pens, paper clips, scissors, notepads, and other essential supplies. This way, every item in your home office will have a “home,” helping you keep clutter to a minimum. Not to mention, this will help you quickly know if you’re running out of much-needed supplies!
Pick Up a Filing Cabinet
Having an organized system for your paper documents can make all the difference. If you’ve never had one, you probably don’t realize how much it comes in handy. But for this new year, it’s time to pick one up and elevate your home office organization game.
Whether you choose a small filing cabinet or a tall one, you’ll have peace of mind knowing where all your important files and documents, such as tax forms and insurance info, are living. No matter what system you use, we recommend labeling your different filing folders by color so you can easily and quickly find what you need.
Keep Cords Out of Sight
With the tech we use for working from home, cords are an inevitability, but bundles of unorganized ones can be the reason your office feels especially cluttered and messy. To help solve this issue, first try and set up all your devices in the same area so you can keep all the cords together. Securing cords underneath your desk with Velcro strips or simply using zip ties can help you store them behind your desk a little more neatly.
Incorporate a Noticeboard
Instead of having scattered sticky notes around your desk reminding you of memos and deadlines, consider utilizing wall space to hang a corkboard, dry-erase board, or pegboard as a noticeboard. This is a great work-from-home organization idea because you can easily display important items like a calendar, daily reminders, memos, notes, and inspirational quotes without having to clutter up your desk.
Declutter at the End of Each Work Week
Implementing these changes is a great start, but you need to make sure you’re maintaining your office organization so it stays looking good! Remember, it’s easier to do tidying here and there regularly rather than a complete declutter overhaul every six months.
If you’re ambitious, you can do this every day when you’re finished with your work hours. But the more realistic approach would be to declutter and tidy up at the end of the work week. A few extra minutes on Friday means a clean desk and work area when you get back to work each Monday morning!
Rent a Self-Storage Unit for Added Space
Sometimes, the space in your home just isn’t enough, and no matter how much you purge and declutter, you will have papers and equipment for your business you can’t part with but are taking up too much space. This is where self-storage comes in. With a self-storage unit, you can store paperwork, supplies, and equipment you need for work but can’t get rid of. With a secure facility, you can rest assured your work items are safe, and you can access them whenever you need to.
Let Us Help You Keep Your Home Office Organized
If you have work items you don’t have room for but need to keep, Bay Street Storage is here to help you. No matter what size unit you need, we have something to help you store your items with ease. We have two convenient locations in Post Falls for you to choose from, and we’ve got all your storage needs covered. We’re here to make your storage experience easy. If you need any help, let us know!