Each room in your house is equipped for purpose. Your bedroom is where you sleep so you have your bed. Your kitchen is where you prepare meals, so you have an oven. Chances are you spend the majority of your day working in your home office, so this should have the same level of attention as the rest of your home.

A disorganised office will affect your productivity and won’t look professional for video meetings. Below are 10 of the best ways to organise your home office.

1. Unclutter your desk

When it comes to working from home your desk is the focal point of all your activity. Whether you have a desktop computer or a laptop, keeping the rest of the space simple and tidy is important. Desk storage is essential for keeping paperwork, pens and pencils neatly displayed, whereas desktop drawer cabinets can be used to organise paperwork and other documents. Get rid of any items that you don’t use daily so that you have ample space to work effectively.

2. Get shredding

We live in a world where we can operate virtually paperless, but this doesn’t mean your job can operate online alone. However, do you really need invoices from six years ago and could you scan in different documents to save yourself space? To streamline your files why not invest in an automatic shredder to ensure your documents are disposed of safely? Just insert your unwanted paperwork, close the lid and carry on with your working day.

 

 

3. Floating shelves

You know the empty area of space above your desk? Instead of a poster or piece of artwork try installing some floating shelves for extra storage space. They are a fantastic solution for maximising space in smaller offices.

4. Invest in storage solutions

Treat your home office as if you are building in a city – go up! It is likely that you’re working from home space is cluttered due to a lack of storage, so why not utilise valuable wall space from floor to ceiling? Purchase some bookshelves or cool cube-style units that you can fit storage boxes and lever arch files in neatly.

5. Keep electronics under control

If you’re looking into home office essentials, then a pack of zip ties has to be at the top of the list. If you work from a laptop you may not need to worry about this, but if you have a computer with multiple screens and countless electronic gadgets plugged in, keeping the power cables tidy is a must. Any easy way to do this is by zip tying them together and tucking them out the way.

 

 

6. Tiny work space hack

Some of us have had to get creative with our home offices – we may have a box room or the nook under the stairs is where we get to work. A fantastic space-saving solution is to invest in a fold-out desk. At the end of the working day you can simply close it up and tuck it away, converting your space back into the bedroom, hallway, or lounge until the morning.

7. Bag it up

If you don’t have sole use of your home office space it may be wise to keep your surplus electricals out of harm’s way. Plus, even if the office is yours alone, there’s no harm in keeping your belongings tidied away. We live in a world where we operate multiple devices, it’s not uncommon to have a dual screen set up with a laptop, tablet and smartphone whirring away on your desk too. Why not invest in a laptop bag or tablet sleeve to keep your items safe when they’re not in use. It will help clear your desk too and provide more space to work.

8. Organise your drawers

Everyone has that draw. It’s brimming with random items, some of which haven’t seen the light of day in months. Now is the time to get your hands on some drawer organisers and separate items out. Not only will this help you find things when you need them, but it will create so much extra storage space.

9. Cubby bookshelves

If you have hard-to-store items or want to display objects for home office visitors then a cubby system could be the organisation tool you are after. You can purchase decorative storage baskets and boxes that neatly fit into the square slots, leaving the remainder free to act as neat shelving.

10. Downsize your printer

If having a printer is a necessity for your job have you considered streamlining your machine? The days of giant printer units are gone, and the market is host to countless smaller machines, some of which are portable and can be easily stored away. No longer will you have a giant machine stifling your space.