In between running errands, work-at-home moms rarely consider the organization of their home office as significant to their daily productivity. They’re making a huge mistake. Lack of organization means losing time looking for things you need, getting through that pile of receipts to find the right one or constantly losing your keys in the mess of your desk.
Good organization doesn’t mean cleanliness. It’s got more to do with how you store objects and how you use them on the daily basis. Here are four home office organization tricks that will instantly boost your productivity.
Get rid of the unnecessary objects
Before you begin to revamp your office, you should make sure that you’re not putting order to things you don’t really need. Get rid of all objects that just clutter your office, empty your drawers and shelves, destroy documents that you don’t need and wipe all surfaces clean.
Take a close look at your objects – if you haven’t used a given tool for months and you cannot imagine yourself using it in the foreseeable future, just throw it away. All decorative objects are going too. Old and dusty artificial plants or small nick-knacks will only serve to distract you and won’t bring real value to your working space.
Organize your office
When structuring your office, you should divide it into sections. These three are classics: main workspace (where you actually work), a supply section (where you keep your things in closets and drawers) and a reference area (nearby shelves, binders or filing cabinets).
Now place all your equipment and supplies in appropriate places. Make sure to assess your need for every object. If it’s something you use all the time, it can land on your desk. If the object is used once in a while, it better go to your supply section.
Establish a filing system
There’s nothing worse than losing time looking for files that are absolutely necessary to making key decisions. By developing an efficient filing system, you’ll effectively shield yourself against the possibility of losing or duplicating files.
First, assess which files can be digitized – if so, make sure to do regular backups and keep your materials in a safe place. Some folders and files you used in the past might be eliminated – be ready to revolutionize your system.
Consider using a cloud storage. It’s safe, cheap (or free, like Google Drive) and will give you access to all your files from any device connected to the internet. This can be a real help once you’ll need access to a crucial file when outside the office.
DIY strategies for organization
Reorganizing your office doesn’t mean high costs, especially if you involve your creative skills and dapple into some DIY. Here are some fun, home office organization ideas to try if you’d like to boost your productivity and set up smart places to help you store different items.
Mason jar storage – glue together 5 ball mason jars (3 at the bottom, 2 on top) and once they’re dry, use them for storing small objects on your desk like pens, pencils or staples.
De-tangle cords with binder clips. Attach binder clips to the side of your desk and thread your cables thorough the metal part to keep them there. You’ll never lose time to untangle cables form that heap on the floor.
Shoe-box storage – clip together a few of your shoe boxes to store books and documents. If you’d like some more decoration, you can line their bottoms with colorful paper.
It’s clear that organizing your space is paramount to boosting your productivity, improving the number of tasks finished every day and relieving stress associated with work. Have you got any interesting tips for home office organization? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!