When you just don’t have the luxury of a separate room for your home office you have to work really hard to make your workspace organised and user-friendly. Here are some tips to show you how it can be done.
The function of a home office is different for every family but more and more commonly it is a multi-tasking epicentre of bill paying, masters studying, homework and online businessing. With so many balls being juggled by such a small and visible space, it is imperative that it is an inviting and organised place to look at and be in.
Before
Aarrgh! The first thought that comes to mind is STRESS! There is too much going on in this small space and the result is a chaotic mess. It looks like it started with good intentions and then life sped ahead leaving untidy piles of paperwork in its wake.
A work in progress
A bit of hard work, sorting, reorganising and styling can see your home office completely transformed, all in one afternoon. Here’s how to do it:
- Take everything out of the office area or desk space.
- Sort everything into piles of like items and then decide what can be thrown out, scanned to limit paperwork, moved to a better location or filed.
- Plan a layout and storage for the area.
- Clear and calm — keep the desk space as empty as possible
- Let there be light — good lighting is essential. Not only does it prevent eye strain, it can improve your mood.
- Prioritise comfort — don’t double duty the dining room chair, investing in a comfortable chair will support your posture and look after your back.
- Find a spot for everything — consider the piles you have made as well as the different tasks the area is used for and assign an area for each of them. Think storage solutions like binders, magazine files, stationery holders, a charging station and a well-labelled filing cabinet.
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After
All the hard work is done, now it is time for the fun finishing touches: styling!
- Functional and stylish. A great way to decorate your home office is to choose matching folders and storage boxes. You could also consider a funky and unique stationery holder or message board. Consult a book or website for tips about feng-shui to really create harmony and positive energy in your workspace. For example, wood and the colours green and brown promote creativity while metal represents financial success.
- Be inspired. Have something motivating to look at while you are thinking. It could be a family photo, inspirational quote or even a statement vase or artwork.
- Write away. Select some good quality stationery including pens and notepads that you can have on hand to make those routine tasks a bit more enjoyable.
- Cords, what cords? Don’t let a jumble of cords be your undoing, find a way to hide them and condense them. Some cheap and effective tricks of the trade include using zip ties or twist ties to combine a number of cords and run them along the back of your desk and into a corner.
- Green thumb. Incorporating a real, live plant into your office space has been proven to reduce stress levels and increase productivity.
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There you have it, a workspace worthy of creativity and productivity that also reflects your personality. To keep it that way you’ll need to discipline yourself (and fellow users of the home office) to end each day with a clean desk.
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