With more Americans and Carolinians, than ever working from home, it is increasingly important for people to have a functional home office space. For those who are planning to continue working from home long-term, this is even more essential. Fortunately, if you can set aside some time every day for a week, you can create your ideal office space at home.
Here, you’ll discover a 7-day plan for reorganizing your office space, no matter how cluttered and messy it currently is. Depending on the current state of your home office area, the organization process may take a few minutes or several hours. You will have to assess your personal situation to figure out how much time each day is needed for the project.
Day 1 – The paper trail.
On the first day of your home office organization project, focus on reducing paper clutter. Sort and stack every single piece of paper, down to Post-It notes and scraps! It’s important to file essential documents, such as major purchase receipts, tax documentation, and anything you need for your job. Have a recycling container and a shredder on-hand to eliminate items you no longer need.
Day 2 – Declutter the space.
After you’ve cleared away the paper you don’t need and filed any documents that are necessary to keep, you can focus on actually creating some space to work. On Day 2 of your office organization job, sort everything left on your desk (besides paper) into piles. You can create whatever piles you want to, but examples include a writing utensil pile, a computer supply pile, and an extra charging wires pile.
As you did with your paper piles on Day 1, get rid of any items that aren’t necessary for productivity or morale. You should, for instance, keep special family photographs that make you smile because they will help you work more efficiently and effectively!
Day 3 – Add organization features.
In order to keep your at-home workspace as organized as you made it over the course of the past two days, you need to spend Day 3 adding organization features that will help you stay on track. Some great suggestions are wall-mounted mason jars for thumbtacks, paper clips, and other similar office supplies, a fun corkboard for memos, and neatly labeled baskets to keep things separated. You might, for instance, have “Keep,” “Recycle,” and “Throw Away” bins to prevent clutter from building up again.
Day 4 – Get cleaning.
Once you’ve spent Day 3 adding organization features you know you’ll use, Day 4 should be spent cleaning your home office. You should, of course, do basic cleaning tasks like vacuuming and dusting, but it’s also a good idea to wipe down computer monitors, clean keyboards with forced air, and wipe down all of your office windows. These tasks might not get done frequently and can make a big difference in how you feel in your space!
Day 5 – Make it comfortable.
If you use your home office on a daily basis, your comfort matters! Consider investing in a new desk chair that has proper lumbar support and other features you personally desire. Depending on the nature of your job, you may also want to buy a couch or an armchair to sit in periodically.
Day 6 – Add personal style.
Artwork, photos you love, and other small personal details can go a long way toward making your home office space a place you love to be. Spend Day 6 adding personal touches to your new work area. If you need to go shopping (online or in-person!), don’t feel bad about spending some money to dress-up your reorganized space.
Day 7 – Create a routine.
On Day 7 of your office reorganization project, you need to figure out things you can do each day to maintain your space. You might, for example, dust your desk and shelving units once a week or run a hand vacuum over any soft furnishings each day. These small things can go a long way toward keeping your home workspace in great condition for years to come!
Hopefully, this one-week office organization plan will help you create a productive space you love in your home!