The biggest source of clutter in the home usually comes from the home office. Paper clutter – including junk mail, school papers, work related documents, and bills are typically scattered among piles of books, pens, pencils, magazines, and who knows what else. There are 10 things you can do today to get a handle on the clutter and make it a perfectly organized office.
Tip #1 Declutter your desktop. A clear desk = a clear mind. When your desk is free of clutter, you are more likely to concentrate and focus on the task at hand. Take a couple of minutes each day to tidy your desk and put things away.
Tip #2 Organize vertically. Many home offices are small so space to organize is limited. If you have an open wall, hang some shelves. I store my favorite magazines in the top organizers. The bottom two baskets house my planner inserts & supplies as well as my printer paper. (The shelving is from Ikea, the aqua magazine organizers are from Staples, and the Baskets are from The Container Store).
Tip #3 Create a desktop filing system. Paper piles accumulate because we don’t always have the time to file away. By creating a desktop filing system for your ten to fifteen most used files, you can eliminate paper clutter from the desk immediately. (File folders are from Staples).
Tip #4 Separate into categories. Designate a drawer for each office supply category. Pens, pencils, and markers can go into one drawer. Store cutting and punching supplies into another drawer and so forth.
Tip #5 Store away. Not everything has to be on display. The more you see, the more cluttered the space looks. Store some items out of sight for a more streamlined and tidy space. For instance, I keep my planner collection behind closed doors on my shelf. Learn more about my love of planners here and here.
Tip #6 Label. My favorite way to organize is by labeling. It’s simple and to the point. No need to look through every binder to find out what I’m looking for. This is my favorite label maker.
Tip #7 Display. If you have any cherished collections, proudly display them! It’s a great way to personalize your office and make it comfortable for you. There is a fine line between tidy and cluttered collections though, so don’t go overboard.
I display my essential oils on a caddy in my office. I use them daily so it makes sense to keep them within arms reach of my desk. Learn more about essential oils here and here.
Tip #8 Containerize. When organizing your office, it’s a good idea to containerize items that you have a lot of. I keep packing supplies, planner supplies, and essential oil supplies in these large bins. (The bins are from Walmart and the shelf is from Ikea).
Tip #9 Color Code. A simple way to organize your filing system is by color coding. Learn more about my filing system zones here.
Tip #10 Personalize. Last but not least – put a stamp on your office space. Decorate and make it your own. Hang artwork, add a splash of color, or purchase a comfy chair. Whatever you do, make it an inviting space so you’ll want to spend time in there.
The Complete Book of Home Organization. If you love learning about ways to organize your home, check out The Complete Book of Home Organization. It is full of ideas about how to organize your home from top to bottom, including more office organization tips.
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Tags: office, office organization, organize, organized
binders, Blog, Cabinets, decluttering, July 2016, Office, Organize, Planners & Binders Posted in
24 comments
24 comments on “10 Ways To A Perfectly Organized Office”
Where did you get that awesome chair. This office space is beautiful!
Where did you purchase your lamp and lining paper? I love your color choices!
Wow, that is a pretty office! Just curious…do you still make scrapbooks and where are all of your Project Life albums and accessories, are they behind the closed doors?
I also have an “L” shaped desk set up. I currently have wall-to-wall carpeting in my office, but want to get hardwood. I see that you have a small rug in your desk area. I can’t tell from the pictures, but does your chair sit on the rug? If so, do you find that the rug impedes the rolling of the chair?
LOVE it, thanks so much for sharing, Toni! This is something for me to strive for. Thanks to your previous articles, I’ve got the basics in place but now I need to purge and organize. But I’m also a procrastinator, so maybe I’ll wait until fall?? 🙂
Hi!
Where is your basket marked “stickers” from?
TJ Maxx
Toni,
What a beautiful office! I love the clean lines with the pops of blue! I’m working on designing my new workspace (you’re right–they are often small and mine is just a little nook). You have given me tons of inspiration for how I can organize and beautify my workspace. Thank you so much for this post!
P.S. That chair looks so comfy!
Hello Toni!
Where is your basket marked “stickers” from on the cube shelves?
TJ Maxx
Beautiful as always. I love the kitty corner. I just need you and Nikki to come over and help me renovate and organize my office for me. It has turned into a dumping ground for clutter.
I’m so excited to learn more about how to organize my home! Thank you for your help!
Such a beautifully tidy office!
Perfection, as always!
xx,
Sam
Toni, can’t you just come over to my house and help me get organized? You are amazing!
Beautiful office! Where did you find your chair?
Thank you for giving me the motivation to get started! Where did you get your gorgeous chair?
TJ Maxx
Where is your chair from? Love the color and sophisticated look it adds!
TJ Maxx
Very nice.Where did you get the wire baskets with the stars?
Ive had them for years.
I love your office. You do such a wonderful job organizing and making your office look so cute, yet functional at the same time. I am so inspired to do the same to mine.
I would like to know where you got your desk and filing cabinets please.
Thank you.
Where did you buy that cute cat bed?