Whether you are working from home or not, one way or another, there’s an area in your house that is dedicated to your work-related stuff. It could be a desk, a table, a shelf, or it may even be the floor. This area of your home can be anything from a small nook in the corner of your room to a whole separate room.
You may have heard about the concept of “clutter” and how it can affect your productivity. But what exactly does clutter look like? And how do you know if your office is too cluttered? Here are some signs that your workspace might need a little organizing and how you can resolve the issues:
1) There Are Too Many Things On Top of The Desk
If you’re constantly piling things in stacks to be moved from one place to another to make room to work, then chances are you’ve got too many things living on your desk.
Be selective when choosing what is allowed to occupy this valuable space. Only items you use on a daily basis should find their home on this precious surface.
2) Papers Are Everywhere
Even if you’re mostly paperless, you still may find yourself with papers strewn about your workspace. Using tabletop file holding stands helps corral desktop clutter.
Create a separate filing system so that your papers will be organized and easier to find. Clearly label files and organize them. This way, you won’t waste time searching for what you need.
3) Cluttered Drawers
Are your drawers looking messy? Your desk is “Prime Real Estate”. It’s the closest storage space you have while working, so you should be conscious about the items you choose to store in your desk.
Also, use small, clear containers to designate homes for and keep paper clips, pencils, and other supplies from sliding around when you open and close the drawers.
4) Books Are Stacked All Over
Is your bookshelf overflowing? Do you still have books from your college days you think you might use for reference someday? Read through the title of each book, and purge those that are outdated. Then, group similar books together by subject or author.
5) Your Office Furniture Looks Old
Does your furniture look old and worn? If so, it might be time to replace it. Investing in new furniture will give you a fresh start and a boost of energy.
6) You Have A Lot Of Junk In The Room
We often get blind to the spaces we are living in every day. It’s important to look at your room with new eyes like someone else would. This way it’s easier to become aware of those items that don’t belong. Remember, the more you keep in your office, or any space, the harder it becomes to locate what you want.
Remove and rehome anything that doesn’t fit with your goal of the room.
7) You Can Never Find What You Want
Do you ever feel frustrated because you can’t find an item you need? Create zones, or designated areas where supplies and resources are housed. Having similar items together, makes taking inventory a breeze.
8) The Room Or Area Feels Smaller
Is your workspace feeling cramped? Often rooms look cluttered because there are too many small pieces of furniture in the room that take up a lot of floor space. You can find more storage space if you look vertically. Using taller bookshelves is a great solution.
9) The Space Doesn’t Serve Its Purpose
Consider the placement and convenience of your things. Even when space is neat and organized, it may not be efficient.
Pretend you are going through your work day. What do you need at your fingertips? Having what you need, where you need it, will save time and make you more productive.
Pictures of loved ones and decorative pieces may create an attractive area, but having too many of them can limit your physical workspace and distract you from the main objective of working.
If that’s the case then you should start to declutter. Sometimes, a minimalist setup can make you more productive and organized.
The Bottom Line
Having a well-organized workspace gives you the freedom to focus on your job. You won’t waste time and energy trying to find important documents or supplies you already purchased.
Assessing your space and purging clutter comes first, then organizing the room to maximize storage and productivity.
Become More Productive By Organizing
Healthier Spaces Organizing was founded in 2013 by Laura Souders. Her goal is to help her clients create attractive, efficient, and functional spaces.
Laura provides services such as home organization, office organization, kitchen organization, closet organization, and much more. She is also an engaging speaker and author, motivating and inspiring her audiences about organizing their spaces and their lives.
