8 Steps for Better Home Office Organization
Does a messy space bring you stress? Does nothing ever seem to stay clean? Here, we’ll be sharing what you can do to improve your home office organization.
How can I organize my home office?
Working from home has its perks, but let’s be honest: clutter and disorder can happen.
The problem is, if you don’t prepare for the crazy chaos of the day, or worse yet, if you let the disorganization pile up for too long, the messes in your office can quickly go from manageable to anxiety-inducing piles of dread.
That’s why it’s so important that, when creating your home office, you take organization into account. It’s not enough to slap a desk in the corner of your bedroom and call it good if you want to be happy in and love your work space
But where do you even begin organizing your home office?
Here are eight steps you can take to improve your home office organization system.
- Functionality first
- Find a home for all of your items
- Tackle your doom piles
- Whiteboards are your friend
- Use a system that works for you
- Consider your aesthetic
- Invest in some greenery
- Don’t put it down, put it away
Now let’s get into each of these steps in more detail.
8 steps for an organized office
Let’s talk about 8 of the biggest steps you can take to better organize your home office.
Step 1: Functionality first
Your first step when setting up or reorganizing your office should be to consider its function. What do you do for work? What are your typical tasks? What tools do you need to accomplish those tasks? Asking these kinds of questions will tell you what you need, how much of it you need, and what you need to do to properly accommodate your work in physical space.
Don’t be afraid to get rid of what you don’t use. It’s tempting to hold onto every little thing, but having too much stuff that you don’t actually use or need can quickly become a source of stress. Start taking note of what you use regularly and what you simply can’t function without, and then free yourself of the rest.
Step 2: Find a home for all of your items
Now that you have a list of all the things you need in your office, you need to consider where those things go. Shelving, drawer organizers, and baskets or boxes can all be used in combination to make sure everything in your office has a proper place where it can be considered “put away.”
Consider how often you use each of the things in your office and how you use them. Some things may make more sense in a drawer on your right side as opposed to a side table on your left. Don’t overthink it. It’s more about muscle memory and having the right storage solutions. And the best part? If you find that the choice you make doesn’t make sense, you can always change your mind! Nothing you do is permanent, your organizational solution can adapt with you.
Step 3: Tackle your doom piles
People will talk about doom piles: piles of junk or messiness that continue to grow and spread throughout their homes, cars, and offices. First you have a single junk drawer and then it becomes three! If you’re organizing your office, you’ll have to tackle each of these doom piles eventually, but nothing says you have to tackle them all at once.
Instead, schedule time on your calendar and focus on getting rid of one pile per calendar event. Keep it as part of your weekly schedule so you can keep the doom piles at bay.
It will probably help to set a 30-minute timer and stop cleaning the minute the timer goes off.
You’ll be surprised what you can do in just 30 minutes a week.
Step 4: Whiteboards are your friend
While whiteboards are one option, this isn’t the only solution in this step.
Some people like using whiteboards to create mind maps. Other people like to write out their weekly schedules and post those somewhere. And others prefer to have a month’s worth of time visible in the form of a calendar.
Find out what works for you, and actively attempt to keep it as up-to-date as possible to help keep your workdays as organized as possible. Having a schedule that’s visible in your office will help you thrive in your workspace and bring more peace to your home.
Step 5: Use a system that works for you
Your home office space should serve to optimize your workflows. But if the space doesn’t actually work for how your brain works, then even the “best” organization systems won’t help you. If you prefer colorful labels that help catch your eye, use those. If you like spartan-like minimalism, start clearing house.
What helps you focus? What prevents you from getting distracted? Focus on an organizational system that works for you.
Step 6: Consider your aesthetic
If you’re working from home, creating a space that you love to be in makes all of the difference. Make organization personal—use storage items and decor that reflect your taste.
It’s of course best to avoid creating more clutter, but a lot of people who work from home enjoy surrounding themselves with things that inspire them and help get them in the mood to do their work. You’ll be much more productive when your space is both orderly and feels like you.
That may look like a set of Funko Pops on your desk or a couple of framed photos on your wall. It may be a series of work-related reference books or even an essential oil diffuser.
Whatever it is, make sure your workplace gets you in the right mindset to sit down and get work done.
Step 7: Invest in some greenery
A lot of people find that something as simple as a succulent or snake plant in their office helps boost their mood significantly. There are plenty of low-maintenance options out there if you're worried about keeping your little indoor piece of nature alive.
Don’t be afraid to brighten a room with these kinds of items! It can also help balance out the space you’re working with and make a room feel bigger.
Step 8: Don’t put it down, put it away
Remember: it’s not enough to put things down when you’re done with them.
You have to put them away. Regularly scheduled doom pile clean-ups will help you keep the major messes at bay as suggested in step 3, but simply putting things where they belong when you’re done with them will help you reduce the number of piles in the first place. That’s why creating a space for everything and getting rid of what doesn’t have a space is the driving force behind staying organized. That, and having effective organizational tools.
How to organize an office with Salt by Sabrina products
Whether you need drawer organizers, baskets, boxes, or something else, Salt by Sabrina can help you get your home office organized exactly how you want it. With simple, elegant, and functional storage solutions, Salt by Sabrina offers not only better organization, but more peace and enjoyment out of your office space.
Come check out our office organization solutions today and elevate your work-from-home experience.
