More people are working at home than ever before. Remote workers, freelancers, and people who run their own businesses from home all need to keep a well-organized home office. Even if your home office only consists of a desk or a corner of your basement or bedroom, you’ll get more accomplished if everything is neat and easy to access.
Home Office Organization Tips
Let’s look at eight of the best organized home office tips we’ve compiled to help you make your space more functional.
1. Have a Functional Desk
Some people who work at home get in the habit of taking their laptop, phone, or tablet to random places such as the couch or kitchen table. You’ll find it easier to focus, though, if you have a dedicated desk. Your desk should have a large enough surface to fit a computer as well as a paper basket or other organizer for items you want easy access to. Even if you like to vary your work area or perhaps work in public sometimes, it’s still useful to have a desk that serves as your business headquarters.
2. Get Control of Paper
Even in the digital age, paper has a tendency to pile up. Between junk mail, printouts, publications, and random ads and flyers make a consistent effort to get rid of unneeded paper. Having a recycling basket nearby that’s used solely for this purpose will make it easier. Having a mail organizer to sort physical mail can also be helpful to keep the clutter down.
3. Use Color-Coded Filing
Filing items by color is an old but reliable way to keep papers organized in your home. Get folders of four or five colors and create categories that work for you. You may, for example, have a folder for the following categories:
- Taxes
- Expenses
- Investments
- Clients
- Home
- Medical
- Or something else that makes sense for your household
4. Be Creative with Storage Space
Organization largely comes down to efficient and sufficient storage. Keep supplies in storage bins, containers, or drawers so they aren’t cluttering up your desk. Buying a bookcase, filing cabinet, or another item that has ample storage.
5. Make the Most of Wall Space
Even if your home office is a small area, you can take steps to maximize the space you have. One way to do this is to make the most of wall space. Consider adding wall shelves near your work area. A whiteboard or corkboard to which you can tack useful items can save desk space. There are also wall-mounted file organizers where you can store papers.
6.Set Up an Efficient Printer Station
If you do any printing at home, make sure you have an organized printing area. A wireless printer is useful as it can be placed almost anywhere. Keep printing supplies such as cartridges and paper nearby so you don’t have to search for them.
7. Label and Categorize Everything
Having boxes or folders full of unmarked items can mean wasting lots of time searching for things. Labeling everything will help you keep your office more organized. Invest in a label maker so you can put labels on drawers, files, or anywhere you keep important items.
On a similar note, keep similar items together. If you have papers, office supplies, devices, and other items randomly scattered around the house, it won’t be easy to find what you’re looking for. This goes hand in hand with labeling and color coding.
8. Get Your Electronics Under Control
Many home offices contain a chaotic mess of cords, devices, chargers, and other accessories. It can be frustrating if you don’t have enough places to plug things in. Make sure you have sufficient power strips and cords so you can plug something in when needed. You can also make life easier by getting cable clips and a cord organizer for your devices.
These guidelines will help you keep your home office better organized. Covenant Homes is the custom home builder that will help you design a new home where you can set up the perfect home office and all the other amenities you need. Check out our gallery of custom-built homes to see what Covenant Homes can do for your family.
