Storage & Organisation
More Rooms
Do These 7 Things to Get an Organised Home Office
Follow these organising rules to create a calm and inspiring place to work
Struggling with drifts of paperwork? Overwhelmed by a messy workspace at the end of each day? Don’t despair. These rules, from fitting plenty of storage to getting a planner and setting standard hours, will help you transform your home office from a messy jumble into an inspiring place to work.
2. Subdivide your storage
Once you have your storage in place, you may need to subdivide it. Use drawer dividers or small, open boxes to carve out dedicated spaces for all your office items.
Create a home for each of your smaller desk items, such as cables, ink cartridges, notebooks and pens, as well as bulkier office supplies, such as printer paper and large envelopes – as shown in this pleasingly ordered drawer interior by Farm Fresh Therapy.
Using drawer dividers will also really help if you have a creative job that involves lots of materials. Marking out dedicated spaces to contain all those ‘bits and pieces’ will help to keep your desk surface clear.
Find an interior designer on Houzz today.
Once you have your storage in place, you may need to subdivide it. Use drawer dividers or small, open boxes to carve out dedicated spaces for all your office items.
Create a home for each of your smaller desk items, such as cables, ink cartridges, notebooks and pens, as well as bulkier office supplies, such as printer paper and large envelopes – as shown in this pleasingly ordered drawer interior by Farm Fresh Therapy.
Using drawer dividers will also really help if you have a creative job that involves lots of materials. Marking out dedicated spaces to contain all those ‘bits and pieces’ will help to keep your desk surface clear.
Find an interior designer on Houzz today.
3. Use vertical space
As well as under-desk storage, make the most of any vertical wall space to help get items off the surface of your desk. If you use lots of reference books or magazines for work, having shelves nearby will be essential to help put everything away at the end of the day.
These box shelves, in a project by Black & Milk, hold a lot and also look beautiful. Wall cupboards are ideal if you have lots of bits and pieces you want to keep behind closed doors.
If you’re a creative and need visual stimulus around you, you can utilise wall space for this as well. Hang up a large pinboard or use hooks and rails to store craft materials.
As well as under-desk storage, make the most of any vertical wall space to help get items off the surface of your desk. If you use lots of reference books or magazines for work, having shelves nearby will be essential to help put everything away at the end of the day.
These box shelves, in a project by Black & Milk, hold a lot and also look beautiful. Wall cupboards are ideal if you have lots of bits and pieces you want to keep behind closed doors.
If you’re a creative and need visual stimulus around you, you can utilise wall space for this as well. Hang up a large pinboard or use hooks and rails to store craft materials.
4. Follow the rule of three
Once you’ve sorted out a storage plan for your space, it’s time to think about which items you want to keep on your desk. Having a few practical items to hand is necessary, but it can be useful to limit yourself to a maximum of three things to keep on show permanently to prevent clutter from building up.
Choose items that are both practical and beautiful, such as a lamp, plant, pen pot or desk tray. But be strict with yourself and, apart from your three chosen things, put everything else into a drawer or cupboard at the end of the working day. Let this calm, clear space by Mon Concept Habitation London, inspire you to tidy things away.
More: 6 Office Decor Ideas from Our Tours
Once you’ve sorted out a storage plan for your space, it’s time to think about which items you want to keep on your desk. Having a few practical items to hand is necessary, but it can be useful to limit yourself to a maximum of three things to keep on show permanently to prevent clutter from building up.
Choose items that are both practical and beautiful, such as a lamp, plant, pen pot or desk tray. But be strict with yourself and, apart from your three chosen things, put everything else into a drawer or cupboard at the end of the working day. Let this calm, clear space by Mon Concept Habitation London, inspire you to tidy things away.
More: 6 Office Decor Ideas from Our Tours
5. Set yourself ‘office hours’
To keep your home office feeling as organised as this one, designed by Clearly Renovations, try treating the space as you would a communal office. At the end of every day, take your cups to the sink, clear your desk, and return any items to their rightful homes in the same way you would if you were leaving a shared space. That way, it will feel clean and calm when you sit down at your desk the following morning.
Imagine others might be using the desk after you. Keep non-work items to a minimum and clear away all the things you wouldn’t take to a regular office.
To keep your home office feeling as organised as this one, designed by Clearly Renovations, try treating the space as you would a communal office. At the end of every day, take your cups to the sink, clear your desk, and return any items to their rightful homes in the same way you would if you were leaving a shared space. That way, it will feel clean and calm when you sit down at your desk the following morning.
Imagine others might be using the desk after you. Keep non-work items to a minimum and clear away all the things you wouldn’t take to a regular office.
6. Get a monthly planner
To minimise paper clutter on your desk surface, get a wall or desk planner and use it every day. Scraps of paper and scribbled to-do lists can quickly pile up, but a dedicated desk or wall diary like this monochrome design in a room by Organise Space, will help to keep all these thoughts, notes and appointments in one place.
A wall planner will allow you to write all your notes or to-do lists in one place, keeping your desktop free. Alternatively, if you tend to collect lots of bits of paper throughout the day, such as expense receipts, a desk planner will allow you to keep them all neatly grouped together.
To minimise paper clutter on your desk surface, get a wall or desk planner and use it every day. Scraps of paper and scribbled to-do lists can quickly pile up, but a dedicated desk or wall diary like this monochrome design in a room by Organise Space, will help to keep all these thoughts, notes and appointments in one place.
A wall planner will allow you to write all your notes or to-do lists in one place, keeping your desktop free. Alternatively, if you tend to collect lots of bits of paper throughout the day, such as expense receipts, a desk planner will allow you to keep them all neatly grouped together.
7. Look at your space through the eyes of a visitor
Finally, try to look at your home office through another’s eyes and ask yourself if your office space would impress or put off prospective clients.
Creating a calm and organised working space into which you’d be happy to invite guests – like this serene office by First Sense Interiors – can help you to put yourself in a more professional headspace. And if you love your home office, you’re more likely to be motivated to keep it looking that way.
Tell us…
How have you created an organised home office space? Share your thoughts or photos in the Comments.
Finally, try to look at your home office through another’s eyes and ask yourself if your office space would impress or put off prospective clients.
Creating a calm and organised working space into which you’d be happy to invite guests – like this serene office by First Sense Interiors – can help you to put yourself in a more professional headspace. And if you love your home office, you’re more likely to be motivated to keep it looking that way.
Tell us…
How have you created an organised home office space? Share your thoughts or photos in the Comments.
Sponsored
While many of us focus on choosing the right desk or chair for our home office – and these items are important – the one thing that will ensure your work area looks and feels professional is storage. Lots of it.
If in doubt, overestimate how much you might need. Drawers underneath a desk are great; a rolling trolley or small unit positioned next to a desk will also work. Floor-to-ceiling shelves like the ones in this room designed by Jane Perfect Interiors are ideal if you have the space.
At least some of your storage should be closed: lidded containers or closed cupboards will instantly make your space feel tidier and more organised.