Everyone’s home office eventually becomes cluttered, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Cleaning out your home office can be quick and easy with these practical tips. Here are the top three ways to clean out your home office, as well as some additional considerations if you think it might be time to find a new space or throw away old stuff you don’t need anymore. You’ll wonder why you waited so long to get started!
How to get organized
Write down a list of everything you can think of that you use or do in your home office. Then, start thinking about how to organize those items into different bins or boxes that will make them easier to find and help keep your office clean. For example, you could have one box for pens and writing utensils, another for staplers and other small supplies, and a third for large office equipment like file cabinets. That way when it’s time to work on an important project, all you have to do is grab a bin and go. When finished with your organized supplies, put them away in their designated place—and it’s out of sight until next time!
How to remove your clutter
Clutter may be a sign of procrastination and inattention, but just as often it’s simply a habit. The more we live with clutter, after all, the more we begin to forget what it was like when our spaces were well organized. And over time—especially when we have kids—our homes can become chaotic. That doesn’t mean you have to hold on to that chaos though! Here are some quick tips on how to organize your home office quickly and easily.
How to deal with stacks of paper
Although a few piles of paper seem harmless, stacks can quickly clutter your home office and make you feel overwhelmed. Set aside time to tackle these piles and ask yourself these questions: Are they important or can they be thrown away? If they’re important, do I have action items associated with them? When do I need to take action on them? How much space will they actually take up once shredded or filed in a folder? Filing paper piles neatly will not only help your office run more smoothly, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing that all of your papers are in one spot for easy reference later.
How to do paperwork
Everybody seems to have paperwork. As businesses increase in size, and companies grow, there’s a lot of paperwork that goes with it. If you don’t stay on top of your office work, you could find yourself drowning in a sea of receipts, invoices and other paper-based files which are cluttering up your office space. It is better to do paperwork daily or weekly instead of letting it stack up for months on end as you tend to neglect important documents if they remain unprocessed for too long. So how do you tackle all that paper? Here are some tips for keeping on top of your papers
How to clean surfaces
Vacuum surfaces like floors, rugs, and upholstery. Vacuuming sucks out dust, dirt, pollen, pet dander and other air-born pollutants that could make you sick if inhaled. And vacuuming daily keeps down airborne dust mites that can trigger allergies and asthma in some people. While vacuuming does stir up airborne allergens, new vacuum cleaners with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter are able to trap them before they leave your home. Vacuum high traffic areas of your home often to discourage dust mites from taking up residence on furniture. Mop hard surfaces regularly to remove allergens stuck in flooring fibers.
How to organize your drawers
Before you can clean out your drawers, you need to organize them so that it’s easy to find things. Here’s a few quick tips: – Sort by type. Designate one drawer for office supplies and another for paperwork. Place stationery items in a small box on top of your desk, next to an organizational tray for loose paperclips and staples. Then sort according to function—paperwork sorted in to do folders or labeled with a post-it note stating what needs to be done. This makes it much easier when filing away paperwork or creating emails later!
How to keep track of it all
Do you tend to accumulate a lot of papers and stuff at your home office? A clean desk isn’t just about aesthetics; it also makes a difference in how you work. Decluttering can be difficult, especially if it means going through physical stuff that has sentimental value. But whether you take it one drawer at a time or do a whole-room sweep, cleaning out your office doesn’t have to feel like torture (as long as you do it right). Put some music on, get rid of all pens that don’t write and anything else that looks like clutter, then walk away for an hour or two.
How to stay motivated
Motivation is key when you’re trying to get your life organized. Think about what gets you pumped up and use it as inspiration to help move tasks forward. Use that old poster of a kitten in a top hat with cymbals for drumsticks as your desktop background, listen to up-tempo dance music on your commute or dedicate a motivational picture frame by your desk so you can glance at it throughout the day. The goal is to keep you focused on why you want to keep things neat and clean—and what’ll happen if you don’t!