Can you imagine trying to make coffee in the morning if you didn’t have everything you needed handy? Imagine if you kept the coffee pot in one corner of the room, far from the sink, and your coffee mugs, sugar bowl, spoons, etc. were scattered all over the room. Unfortunately, this is exactly the kind of situation many people have in their home offices!
Granted, organizing your home office is much more complicated than making coffee. But the same organizing principles apply. Imagine having your home office (or workspace) organized to give you a place to be creative as well as to accomplish your routine tasks like processing mail efficiently! You can do it if you think of it as organizing to make coffee.
The first step is to assess your needs and then make sure everything you need to do the activity is handy, easy to find, easy to use and easy to put away. This is easier said than done, but it is possible if you break it down into manageable bits. Here’s how to get you started creating the home office of your dreams!
STEP 1. ASSESS YOUR NEEDS
One of the most common sources of home office disorganization is that people are not clear about what they actually do in there and what they need to do to simplify those tasks. Most people don’t have a list handy of their routine tasks or of the special projects they are working on. Taking 10 minutes to make this list makes organizing MUCH easier. Here are a few questions to help you make this list and then assess what you need related to each activity.
· What activities do I perform at my desk? e.g., Process incoming mail, pay bills, book appointments, send cards, crafts, create workshops, work from home for my company, etc.
· What work areas do I need to perform these activities easily and efficiently? (e.g., a space for working at the computer, a space to write by hand, a space to work on projects without any distractions, a place to keep piles spread out and neat that is NOT the floor)
· What supplies do I need handy to perform those activities? (e.g., stamps, envelopes, checkbook, bills, letter opener, etc.)
· How much storage & what kinds of storage is needed to hold the supplies so that I can easily see what I have and access them? (space to support at least 10 piles for all my active projects, etc.)
· What will make me really love working in this space? (E.g., aesthetically beautiful, welcoming feeling, good quality supplies and furnishings.)
· What is my organizing style1? Am I a natural Maintainer who loves organizing so much that I don’t mind maintaining traditional multi-step organizing systems? Am I a natural Innovator & Creative type who requires extra simple, non-traditional systems because even one extra step, like having to open a lid or drawer, is one step that will keep me from maintaining the system? Am I a visual person who must have things out in the open or do I need everything put away out of sight?
1To learn more about organizing styles, see Organizing for your Brain Type by Lanna Nakone.
STEP 2. ORGANIZE YOUR HOME OFFICE ACCORDING TO YOUR NEEDS
Once you have a clear assessment your needs, the organizing part can actually be a lot of FUN! It’s so much easier to create the home office of your dreams, when you have it broken down into specific activities instead of thinking about the whole task at once. Here are some tips to help you design your workspace and organize your desk to make it easy for yourself to get things done efficiently.
· Create an L or U shape to create lots of workspace and storage at your fingertips. Most people require at least a computer desk, writing space, file drawer, supply drawer and book shelves in their immediate work area.
· Set up supply zones or kits for easy access to items you need to perform activities such as shipping, mail processing, and bill paying. e.g., If you ship frequently, consider creating a shipping supplies kit or even a shipping station near your work area.
· Keep current, frequently used project materials near your desk. Choose containers to suit the kinds of materials you have, how much you have, how often you use them, and your personal organizing style. For example, to organize a project you are working on, you may want to keep related materials in a neatly contained pile in a basket on a shelf, or perhaps create a file folder and keep it in a step file on your desk, or keep a labeled binder with tabbed pockets on a bookshelf next to your desk. Another solution might be to keep a magazine file handy to hold the media and other items that don’t fit in a folder. The key is to choose a solution that feels natural to you and that you like using.
· Use an inbox! This is a common mistake people make in their work spaces. Everyone needs a place to hold the paper that enters your office, but doesn’t have a home yet. The inbox is where you keep unopened mail or any or paper that is homeless and needs you to decide where it will end up.
· Create homes for frequently used tools and supplies such as your calendar, To Do Lists, tape, stapler, etc.
· Consider creating extra storage space on your desk using a shelf to raise your computer monitor. If you don’t have desk drawers, create them using small containers under or on top of a desk shelf. Just be sure not to block your access to them!
· Keep pens, scissors, ruler & letter opener in mugs or similar vertical containers so can you always find them and to keep your drawers less cluttered.
I hope you found these tips helpful! To see photos of office organizing makeovers, including my own personal office redesign, check out my photo gallery at http://www.neatandsimple.com/gallery/homeoffices.html
You can also get over 100 more tips for organizing your office & desk in my free 29 page e-book called, “Neat & Simple Guide to Organizing Your Office” at http://www.neatandsimple.com/free-ebook.html
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Copyright © 2007 Ariane Benefit
Ariane Benefit, M.S.Ed is an organizing consultant who specializes in helping people with ADD and anyone who works from home create the home office of their dreams! She guides people in clarifying priorities and making the difficult decisions needed to conquer clutter, change habits, and take charge of their lives. You can read more of her tips on the Neat & Simple Living blog at http://blog.neatandsimple.com Learn more about how Ariane can help you overcome your organizing challenges at www.neatandsimple.com.
