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Does walking into your home office space make you feel overwhelmed and unable to focus? Having a disorganized or cluttered home office and work space makes me feel the same way!
It makes my stress levels rise, makes me unable to focus, and I usually can’t get any work done if the space around me is a mess. A messy office space and desk equals a cluttered brain! Before I can get any work done, I have to tidy up my space.
Before I started working from home, my home office was a wreck. It was mostly a catch all for things my husband and I didn’t know what to do with. We would just throw paperwork and other things on the desk, and I would deal with it later. Our paperwork was out of order, and it was hard to find things we needed. I had to get everything under control once I started working from home, but I should have done it sooner!
Organizing and decluttering your home office and work space may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! I decluttered my home office, organized my work space, and now, I keep it that way. I do a little bit every day to keep my work space organized and clutter-free.
Are you ready to learn more about organizing and decluttering your home office and work space? Let’s go!
How to Declutter Your Home Office
I think it is a good idea to look at the room as a whole when starting to declutter. Ask yourself how much of the stuff in the home office is unnecessary, when was the last time you used certain items, and what do you no longer need. You don’t have to use everything on a daily basis, but you also don’t want to keep things you use once every six months or even less.
The first step is to get rid of any big things you don’t need. A home office space can become overly crowded with extra bookcases, chairs, and more. Make sure to get rid of these extra desk chairs, bookcases, electronic devices, and more that you no longer need.
Big fixtures like this easily clutter up space that can be open and possibly used for something else (like storage). Getting rid of these big items will make your home office and work space seem more open and spacious. Having an open and spacious area helps me breathe better and be able to focus.
It can also be easy to junk up your home office space with old, broken electronics because we don’t always know what to do with them. Make sure to find your local electronic recycling center (my home town takes donations a few times throughout the year) and get rid of these old electronics that are taking up space!
Next, you will want to go through items on bookcases, shelves, drawers, and other areas of the office space. Do you have books, decorations, office supplies, or other random things you can get rid of? There is no need to keep things that you will no longer be using, or that don’t have a purpose.
Lastly, go through the stuff on your desk and in the drawers of your desk. This includes office supplies as well. Nobody needs 200 pens and 1,000 rubber bands in their home office. You definitely need these things, but not an overabundance of them. If you have too much of some things, get a storage bin for the extras and put them away (or donate them!)
Having a decluttered home office will help to boost your focus and productivity!
Related Post: Lists to Make to Get Your Life Organized
GO THROUGH PAPER CLUTTER
We’ve all been there with piles of paper on our desks. It’s easy to accumulate a ton of paperwork that we don’t know what to do with. Some of the paperwork is important, some aren’t, and the others we aren’t sure about!
The biggest challenge I faced when I began going through our paperwork was determining what was important enough to keep and what wasn’t. This website helped me figure out what I should keep, for how long, and the best way to discard the paperwork when the time comes to do so.
It is very important to go through your paperwork at least once a year. I clean out my filing cabinet at the beginning of the year when I am getting my paperwork together for taxes. I keep important documents dating a few years back and then shred the documents I no longer need or find relevant.
Are you ready to learn how I organize and get my paper clutter in order? Grab your stack of papers, and let’s go!
Related Post: Simple Life: De-Cluttering the House
First, I highly recommend investing in a filing cabinet, hanging file folders, and regular manila file folders. I use the hanging file folders to separate the individual file folders into categories (health, insurance, taxes, etc.) This way, you can keep all relevant documents together in the same folders, separated by year, so they are easily accessible. You can label the folder with what is in it and the year (example: 2022 taxes).
To begin this process, put all your paperwork on your desk and begin to look through it. Place the documents that you need to keep in the a folder and then file the folder in the filing cabinet when finished. Create a system in the filing cabinet that works best for you to be able to keep up with the documents.
The point of organizing your paper clutter is to be able to find what you need quickly and efficiently.
For any paperwork that you no longer need or find relevant, I suggest using a shredder to get rid of it in case it has sensitive information on it.
I try to go through any new paperwork at least once a week. You can get a paper sorter to sit on the top of your desk that has two shelves. You should label one of them for important papers (time sensitive) and the other one for papers that you need to look over but are not as important. It won’t take as much time to go through paperwork and if it’s already sorted into these two categories.
Clearing out paper clutter is a great way to insure that important paperwork is not missed or looked over. It also allows you to keep paperwork organized and in a specific place that gives you easy access to it if you ever need to reference it for some reason.
Once you get in a routine of filing paperwork, it will be super easy!
My favorite small office items to help with organizing paper clutter are: paper clips, manila file folders, a stapler, and white out (so you can reuse folders!)
ORGANIZE YOUR DESK & Work SPACE
There is only so much storage space on top of your desk and in the desk drawers, right? That’s why I recommended going through the office supplies and other items in and on your desk to minimize the things you have to organize.
Once you have cleaned out the items on your desk and in the drawers, you can begin to organize them. By organizing everything, you can make sure it’s always in the proper place. This will make finding what you need easier! If someone in the family needs to grab something from the home office or desk, you can tell them right where to go to find it.
A desk organizer is a great tool for all your pens, pencils, scissors, rubber bands, and paper clips. If you want to store these items in a drawer on your desk, there are also desk drawer organizers that hold these items.
One of my favorite tools to help me keep an organized desk area is a cord organizer. My husband bought me the cutest one for Christmas last year! We have a dachshund, and she’s my best little buddy! I love that it helps keep all the cords around my desk organized, but it also brings me a little smile when I see it.
Some other good tools to help with organization for your desk are desk drawer organizers, a paper tray, or divided tray (to store sticky notes, paper clips, etc.)
Related Post: Home Organization Tools I Recommend
Practice Minimalism In your Home OFfice
Now that you have your home office and work space organized, how can you keep it that way? Good news, it’s easy! The best way to keep your newly organized and decluttered space in order is to practice minimalism. Minimize the amount of stuff you bring into your home office.
If something is junk, recognize that and get rid of it before putting it in the home office to ‘deal with it later.’ Go through your paperwork regularly, and do not let it pile up.
Since everything has a proper place now, make sure to always put things back where they go! If you stick to this routine, you will always have an organized home office.
Organize Your Thoughts
When you finally have your home office and work space organized, there are a few other suggestions I have for keeping yourself focused and organizing your thoughts.
Always keep a calendar or planner close by your work area.
This is the perfect way to help keep your mind off of important dates and deadlines you need to keep up with because this information is right there! You can write dates and deadlines down as soon as you find out about them, so this doesn’t have to stay on your mind.
Always have a notepad close by for to-do lists to keep you on task. I would never get anything done if it weren’t for my to-do list!
I hope all of these suggestions help you to declutter and organize your home office and work space, as well as organize your thoughts to be more productive.
Until next time,
Catherine
I would love a post on kids toys! Good tips here
I will add that to my list of post ideas! I love to organize so that would be perfect 🙂
Keeping your work space tidy and clutter free can be one of the best things for overall productivity! Love this post!
I agree. My mind is already all over the place, and having a cluttered work area makes it even worse! Lol
I really needed these tips today. I’m about to take my office area and I didn’t know where to start. Thank you for the post!!
I’m glad I could help with where to start 🙂 Happy decluttering!
This is such a great post! I CANNOT get anything done if my workspace is cluttered. You’ve inspired me to re-organize mine, as I know there are old electronics we need to recycle. Thanks so much!
You’re welcome! I cannot get anything done if mine is cluttered as well. Happy decluttering!
Great advice on how to organize and declutter your home office. I find a clean space helps me be more productive — I am less anxious when everything is organized.
I feel the same way 🙂 Thank you for reading!
A lovely resource… & this comes especially from someone who has transitioned into working from home. Great advise!
I’m glad I could provide a good resource for you. The clutter really comes into perspective when you start working from home.
Thanks for this motivation. I’ve been meaning to do a decluttering for some time but have been procrastinating. This is just what I needed!
I’m glad I could motivate you to start! 🙂
I needed to read this today. I have a pile of papers now that I am dreading to go through and I keep adding on to it. Thanks for these tips. I plan to use some of them this week.
I’m glad I could help. I’ve been there many times and the more you continue to add… the more dreadful it seems to go through them.
Love this! Great article. I haven’t trouble getting started organizing but once I do, finishing is much easier.
I’m glad finishing is easier for you! I can get started and then put off finishing for a while.
Amazing article! I have been trying to put my home office together and this post is all I needed. Thanks for sharing this helpful tips.
I’m so glad these could help you. Happy organizing!
Really great tips, thanks. I am not good at organizing my space, so I will look up to then again.
Thank you! I’m glad you found these organizing tips helpful.
This is exactly what I needed to read right now since I’m on a mission to get our house organized and clean before our summer guests start arriving! Thanks for all the tips!
Yay! I’m glad you found these tips helpful. Enjoy the time with your guests!
For some reason my desk is where I put any mail or receipts that don’t have a place – I try to be diligent and sift through the pile often, but it doesn’t always happen. This was a great reminder to declutter soon!!
I do the same with my papers and especially receipts. I don’t always keep up with them like I want to, but I try to do it everyday or every few days. They pile up quickly!
Great tips. Very useful.
Thank you!
I was recently introduced to the idea of minimalism in everyday life. I find your post very useful and motivating. Paperwork – I think I haven’t touched those for 3 – 4 years at least. It is a great reminder that you mentioned it. Thanks for sharing!
Minimalism is such a beautiful thing! I haven’t embraced it as fully as I would like, but I am working on it all the time! It can be hard to get rid of things or remember to go through your stuff often. I hope this post gave you the boost you needed to get started!
Thank God I don’t work with papers anymore. Arranging everything in order is a nightmare. Now, I can honestly say that my workspace is truly minimalistic 🙂
That is WONDERFUL! I need to make the switch to being paperless.
I’ve been needing to organise my space for a long time. It’s just getting the time, energy and motivation to do so. But you’ve given me a few ideas to get started with! I just hope I have the get-up-and-go once I’ve done with all my writing work.
It’s okay to do a little at a time whenever you feel like it. The most important part is to simply start.. start small if you need to!
Great tips! I feel like it is an ongoing process to keep it nice!
It really is. Being diligent and on top of things is really important to keep everything organized.
Great tips on how to organize and declutter your home office and work space. I definitely need a cord organizer! And I need that dachshund one! We used to have two mini doxies so it would be perfect.
Awww! It would be perfect. We love our doxie!
Those are helpful tips. A clean, organized desk is an enjoyable desk to work at.
I agree!
I really needed these tips for organizing my office space! I have a piano studio in my home, and it’s so hard to not have music books and paper clutter out. I need to invest in a good organizer for my desk.
That sounds so fun though! I’m glad these tips can help you tidy up the paper clutter. An organizer for your desk will be a miracle worker!
Decluttering my home brings me a lot of joy, actually–lol. For the past two weekends, we’ve had a garage sale. Then, someone offered to get all the leftovers to sell in a charity garage sale, and I was so happy to give them everything! Even right before trash day at home, I try to find things that need to be picked up. It’s so freeing! I’m currently packing up my classroom for the year, and it feels so good.
I feel the same way! I am going through things all the time around my home. It feels so nice to clean up, clean out, and get rid of things that are just taking up space.
These are great tips! I can’t concentrate when things are out of place and cluttered. I actually scheduled to clean out my work area next week just because I have so many old documents piled up and it’s driving me bonkers!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
It drives me bonkers, too! Lol I can’t focus well at all. I hope you get your space tidied and in order.
love this post!!! i must cleanup my space now!
I’m glad you liked it! I hope it motivated you 🙂
With Work from Home and Hybrid mode of working being the norm, these are really good tips to declutter the home office. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I’m glad you found them helpful.
This is a great list of ideas to organize & declutter your home office & work space. For my day job, I mostly work from home. So, having a tidy office is key for me. I just recently went through and cleaned up my desk because the clutter was driving me crazy. I felt like I couldn’t concentrate. I also have a reminder on my phone to file and shred documents once a month, so I don’t forget.
That’s such a great idea to set a reminder to file and shred documents! I will have to start this so I can take it off my to-do list lol
Excellent tips for organizing and decluttering the work space! Disorganized clutter creates chaotic energy for me.
I love the way you put that! It definitely creates chaotic energy.
lobed this article! my fave topic of organising!
Thank you for reading!
This is a fantastic post on organizing and decluttering a home office or workspace. Our space is at times a mess, and this has us motivated to get back in there and conquer it!
I’m glad I could motivate y’all to conquer the mess!
Great tips and tools. Ordering the cord organizer right away!!!
It’s an amazing tool!
We need to downsize so these decluttering tips are spot on. I also work out of my home office so always looking for better organization ideas. Thanks!
Downsizing sounds like the perfect opportunity to declutter your things!
Great tips. The paper piles have often been my nemesis!
I understand that! I feel the same way about them.