Clutter is one of the major distractions and productivity barriers in any kind of office. According to psychologists, it impairs our brains’ ability to focus, and increases the chances of procrastination.
In addition, clutter is a serious problem if you’re planning to welcome clients, partners, or other visitors into your home office at one point. It’s hard for your workspace to look professional if loose papers are stacking up on every available surface, topped by the inevitable empty coffee mug.
For all these reasons, decluttering your home office should make your business’s list of New Year’s resolutions. Here’s how to best go about it.
Set Up a Decluttering Work Plan
First, start by making a plan of what you want to declutter — and when.
Depending on how big your home office is, and how long you have been working in it, sorting through everything and giving it a deep clean can take quite a while.
Block tasks like sorting through filing cabinets, checking various electronic devices, and deciding which office furniture and decorative items stay or go. By spreading out your project and sticking to a plan, you will avoid getting overwhelmed.
Plus, having a schedule makes it easier to time appointments like having a waste disposal company drop by to pick up bulky items, or to arrange the delivery of new office furniture.
Create or Designate Appropriate Storage Areas
Before you start sorting through things, also consider where you will be storing those items you’ll be keeping. During decluttering, you will free up existing storage spaces, but you might also need to create new ones.
Especially if your home office is small, consider investing in smart storage solutions like floating shelves, pull-out filing cabinets, and peg boards for loose papers.
Bin, Recycle, Donate, or Sell What You Don’t Need
Next, throw yourself into the core activity of decluttering: sorting through things and categorizing them. Separate items you use frequently from those that you need from time to time, and those that no longer serve a purpose.
Be ruthless in ridding yourself of old papers by the binder-full. If anything is important, digitize it.
Plan carefully what you want to end up in the landfill, and what you can recycle, donate to charity, or even sell as second-hand equipment online.
Take the Opportunity to Add Fresh Touches
Decluttering your office is a great opportunity to put things in perspective, and spruce up your workspace.
Move around furniture to create a more open and ergonomic work set-up.
Consider giving the place a deep-clean while you’re at it, or even a paint job to add brighter, energizing colours.
Add a few decorative and functional elements, from artwork to an air humidifier. In particular, think about adding plants. According to several recent studies, greenery in your office has amazing effects on your productivity and mental well-being.
Draw Up a Clutter-Prevention System
Finally, implement a system to keep your home office clutter-free.
Set apart an hour or two at the end of every week to get rid of the items and papers that have accumulated during your work. Make it a policy to digitize important documents straight away, label them appropriately, and make regular back-ups of your files.
At the end of the day, this will help you create an orderly, productivity-boosting work-from-home environment that can enable you to thrive.
