Posted on April 19th, 2020
When it comes to cleaning and organizing your home office, you might think that it isn’t a big deal. Many home office owners don’t even give it a second thought until huge stacks of papers and junk start hampering their movement. Not only does a cluttered home office lack the positive vibe you need, but it also cuts down on your productivity.
Your workspace is a direct reflection of what’s going on in your mind. When your home office is disorganized and messed up, it takes a toll on you too. You will find yourself extremely anxious when it comes to decision making.
Not only that, but it also makes you lack focus and feel burnout when you shouldn’t. If you’ve been wondering why you’ve not been excited to work lately, perhaps it’s because your office has lost its vibe. In this article, you will learn some tips that should help you keep your home office sparkling clean, organized and inspiring.
Trash What You Don’t Need
The first step is to conduct an audit to determine what you need and what you don’t. Now is the time to take a look at your office space and trash every paper and item you no longer need. For those things you use every day, create a separate drawer or container for them. When it comes to throwing some stuff away, this is where people often find it hard. They believe they need to keep everything and yet you see them rarely using an item for weeks. You know you don’t use it, so what’s the point allowing it to take up space in your office? Get a box and stack everything you don’t use frequently inside.
Minimize Desk Clutter
Almost everyone is guilty of throwing random things on their desk. If you’re in the habit of doing that, you need to understand that it is not an alternative storage space. It will make your home office feel cluttered, disorganized and uninspiring.
Your desk is where you do most of the work, from setting up your career goals to accomplishing essential gigs, so you need to treat your desk as a vital element. Clear out all the stuff on your desk and leave only the most significant things. It could be your computer, a flower vase, a pen or some important files you always use.
With desk organization, you will minimize what you have and maximize the limited space you’re working with. Those things you don’t often need, push them inside your drawer. If your drawer isn’t big enough, invest in some storage bins.
Clean Regularly
Cleaning is something you need to do every day, it’s not a one-time activity. Unfortunately, many individuals rarely clean their home office for over two weeks. When you make cleaning your routine, you will find yourself in a sparkling space that inspires you to be productive.
Make a schedule; you can decide to clean every three days, or weekly. A fifteen minute clean is enough to put everything back in place.
You should wipe down your desk and chair before you start work. That is because there will always be some dirt or dust lying around. Overall, the principal ingredient to a productive work life is keeping your office clean and organized. When you realize how much time you waste looking for a missing item, you will never allow your home office to get cluttered again. It also ensures that any germs are removed from the room and that you stay happy and healthy.
Stick To One Filing Drawer
Filing cabinets are supposed to keep your home office less cluttered but actually the irony is that the opposite can sometimes be the case. That is because you might often find yourself stuffing them with things you don’t need instead of shredding them. By doing so, you end up creating a personal landfill that makes your office disorganized and dirty.
To keep your home office clean and organized, stick to one drawer. Don’t get tempted to use another when it’s full, but rather trash things you no longer need to create more space. If there are old files you want to keep, invest in a cardboard box file and keep them safe. When done, store the box far away from your home office. You don’t need anything taking up space or getting in your way. Learn to master your filing system and you will see a difference.
Curb Cable Clutter
By hiding your wires and cables, you will make a massive difference in your home office. You will find that it appears much more organized and cleaner. If you allow wires to pile up everywhere in your office, it will get annoying when one tangles itself around your ankle and it can be dangerous too!
If you can get a surge protector to keep your cords connected to the same outlet, it would be best. That way, you don’t have wires coming from diverse points and making you go crazy. The aim is to make sure that these wires or cables aren’t visible. Keeping them out of sight will minimize distraction.
BONUS TIP:
Your computer can also benefit from a good clean and organization too. If you’re fond of dumping files or documents into any available folder, accessing them the next time will become a hurdle. If there are files you no longer need, don’t hesitate to toss them out. If you’re not very sure, drag them to the recycle bin. Not only will you find it easy when looking for a file, but you will also create more space on your computer.
Wrapping Up!
Cleaning and organizing your home office can be exciting or daunting, depending on your outlook. However, understand that an organized office will always enhance your productivity and make you achieve more. If you want to achieve more and be happier working from home, then you need to take cleaning and organizing seriously. A cluttered and dirty office will take away all your motivation to work. If something is not done fast, you will find yourself failing to meet deadlines. Little things such as cleaning and putting things in the right place will liven up your home office.
