With so many people suddenly working from home an organized and clutter free home office has become a necessity! Home offices often become a collection of delayed decisions and it's hard to be productive when surrounded by clutter.
1) Start with the paper. Paper clutter piles up so quickly and it's a great place to start. Old magazines, junk mail, paid bills. Are you really going to read that old magazine from 2018? Recycle or shred anything you no longer need.
2) Remove things that don't belong. If your home office was rarely used prior to the Covid 19 outbreak it most likely contains items that just don't belong. Find and return these items to their proper homes. If items never had a home, find one or decide if you actually need the item in the first place.
3) Desk and file drawers can be overwhelming. Try organizing one drawer per day. This makes the process more manageable. Empty the entire content of the drawer out. Sort like with like. Replace anything that should stay, rehome or donate anything else. Files can be a little more complicated. Start by removing anything you no longer need, that is no longer current or that is available online such as appliance manual. Consult with an accountant on how long to keep banking and tax information. The general rule is 7 years.
4) Clear the top of your desk. Take a box and remove everything that is on top of your desk. Only leave the items that are absolutely necessary. Over the next week you can retrieve items from the box when and if you need them. By the end of the week you should have retrieved everything from the box that you actually need to work from home. What is left in the box can most likely be tossed or donated.
5) Coral the wires. Try using a power strip and some cable ties to keep wires tangle and trip free.
Have questions about how to organize your home office? Feel free to email me at contact@chicagospacesinorder. During this time I'm no longer working on site with clients but would be happy to help via email! Be well and stay safe!