Our home office space can quickly become cluttered and unorganized. A messy office not only looks bad, but it can lead to decreased productivity. Time is wasted when you must search around to find what you are looking for, having a dedicated place for everything saves time and frustration and just makes the area feel calmer.

Here are some ways you can easily clean up and organize your workspace.

Invest in a Shredder & Fireproof Safe

A shredder is essential for the home office. All personal paperwork and mail should be shredded before you throw it away. Discarded documents that are not shredded can lead to identity theft. At the end of each day shred what you are throwing away to prevent it from accumulating.

There will always be important documents you have to keep. Purchase a fireproof safe to store valuable items.

Start with the Desk

Start by taking everything off the top of the desk and empty the drawers, then sort through the stacks of paper, office supplies and other items and make three piles (Save, scan and shred) and sort the items accordingly. Scan documents you want to save to your computer and if you no longer need the originals shred them. Wipe down the desk and drawers and organize and put away what you are keeping.

Keep items you often use such as pens, scissors, stapler, tape, paperclips, notepads and other supplies in a desk caddy or drawer organizer, for easy access.

Electronic & Digital Clutter

If you have outdated or unused tech items, take them to the donation center or throw them away, they are just taking up space. (Remove any personal data on your devices before disposing of them) Go through your computer and create folders to organize your files, delete old data you no longer need, clean up your mailbox and unsubscribe from newsletters and other email you no longer wish to receive.  Create a backup system so that your data is backed up on a regular basis. Keep the backup in a fireproof safe. (Ideally you should have three copies of your data, the original and two backups)

Create a File System

Create an organized file system for your paper documents. Store important documents like birth certificates, the deed to your home, the title to your vehicles, insurance policies, Social Security cards, your passport, marriage and divorce certificates and anything else that is important to you in the safe. It is a good idea to scan all your important documents to your computer, so you always have a backup copy. For other documents that you need to keep, scan what you can and file the rest in a filing cabinet or organizer. If you work from home, keep your personal and work filing systems separate.

Use a Pending Bin

We all have paperwork that we may not be able to file right away because it is still pending, you may have bills to pay, or you might be waiting on a response before you can complete a job, whatever it is use a bin to store those items so that they are not scattered around. As you complete the task remove them from the bin and file them, scan them or shred them.

Store Accordingly

If your home office is small, storage space can be challenging. Vertical and wall storage is perfect for small spaces. Use shelves or stackable storage containers that are tall and slim taking up less floor space, hang cork boards, peg boards, hooks, dry erase boards, over the door organizers and baskets to store and organize your office supplies.

Clear the Cables

Clearing or hiding cords and cables can make a big difference on how your office looks. If possible, purchase wireless gear such as printers, mice, and keyboards. Use cable ties and clips, and cord organizers to manage and hide the rest.

With just a little time and effort your home office can be a clean, organized area to work.