Help for a Home Office Design and Décor
Optimize Your Work Space by Going Vertical and Getting Systematic
© 2013 by Bridgette Denis; all rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without written permission.
This article was updated on 8/4/18
Somehow, the home office always tends to be the least organized room in the house. It’s a multi-functioning space, sometimes doubling as a spare bedroom and storage space.
With more and more people working online, it just makes sense to get organized systematically.
But don’t let the mess convince you that it can’t be managed. With a little help and organization, you can easily stop the cycle of clutter.
Utilize Space
Don’t just look at floor space as all you have to work with. If space restrictions won’t let you spread out, build up—use shelves to make smart use of vertical wall space.
Instead of a big clunky desk, use multi-functioning furniture. A drop-down leaf armoire or table lets you instantly access—or hide—your office.
If you have to face your dresser-turned-desk toward a wall with its back toward the sun, use cellular blinds or roller shades to block the harsh light from creating a shadow on your monitor. Every inch counts; get creative to utilize your office space in the most efficient way.
Make an Inbox and Outbox
Your desktop should be free of rarely used items and only hold accessories that are used daily. To manage paperwork without keeping it completely out of sight, create an inbox and outbox filing system.
Using stacking trays or ones that lay side by side, divide papers into two piles: do and done!
Keep papers, bills, and receipts that need to be looked at in your inbox and papers that need to be filed, mailed, or shredded in your outbox. Figure out a system that works for you and stick to it.
The point of getting organized is that you only have to do it once.
Make Your Home Office Comfortable and Inviting
You’ll be spending a lot of time in your office and in order to be productive and not be distracted you need to be as comfortable as possible. Temperature is very important. If this means running the air conditioner cooler than you would if you were gone all day, it is worth investing in an A/C misting System. You can install it yourself in a half hour and almost zero tools.
Your walls are more important than you might think. When you are kicked back in your chair brainstorming and looking at the wall, you want to be gazing on something that will cam you and get the creative juices going. The good news is that you can easily refresh your walls on a budget; save the big bucks for other things.
Contain & Maintain
Just because you don’t use something everyday doesn’t mean you want to have it tucked away in a hard to access area. Part of getting organized and staying that way is designating a home for every item.
Set up a work space, reference center, and supply store in your home office. Your work space should be clear and only have regularly used items at reach, such as your computer, paper and pencils.
Make a bookshelf a reference center holding dictionaries, thesauruses, and folders. These items should be accessible, but not taking up valuable work space.
Lastly, set up a supply store in the corner or closet. Using a filing cabinet, store cables, staplers, rubber bands, extra paper, and whatever other office supplies you don’t regularly use, but do want to keep on hand.
If you don’t use your printer or scanner regularly, free up desk space and keep it on top of the cabinet.
Purge the PC
Your desk and filing cabinets aren’t the only items in need of a spring cleaning. While you’re decluttering, don’t forget your computer.
If you’re piling programs and documents onto your hard drive, it will eventually make it more difficult for you to search for what you need, and it’ll run slower.
Delete old files, create a filing system to help organization, and back up data on an external drive or through an online storage service. All in all, taking charge of your home office design and décor is a breeze.
About the Author:
Bridgette is a photographer who designs and creates dog and kitty costumes. She love dressing up her pets and the pets of her clients. She also writes regular blogs on how to create your own pet costumes.
