Here are 5 practical things you can do to transform your study or home office.
1. Be prepared.
That’s going to mean going through stacks of papers and making decisions about what to toss and what to keep and file. When you’ve organized categories of things—bills, catalogues, artwork–you can then begin to think about what organizational supplies you may need.
Also, before you go to the big box department store or Container Store, be sure to measure—your drawers, desk, wall space, shelf depth—before you buy.
2. Put everything in its place.
My disorganization starts right at the front door. The mail piles up alongside sunglasses and keys. Leslie suggested a wall pocket, where I could easily separate mail and save space.
Then it was time to move things around on my desk so that things that I needed on a daily basis were close by, while things I used weekly or monthly could be put up on shelves or in file cabinets.
Putting reminders and coupons up on a cork board with the calendar has made a huge difference because now those things are literally in my face as I walk by.
3. Label it.
I was skeptical about the necessity of a label maker, but I’m now a believer. There is something about seeing your files with that perfect, uniform font that makes you feel secure and motivated to stay organized.
4. Find a home for everything.
When your stuff, properly sorted, is in its rightful spot, all feels right with the world. My son’s artwork has a box, as do all our chargers.
The stuff that needs to be dealt with each week, is within easy reach, neatly filed and sorted.
That huge tangle of cords from the computer and printer under the desk? Wrapped up in this cool little device.
Our phones and cameras that used to mysteriously disappear each morning now have a comfortable docking home.
5. Reuse, Reduce, Recycle.
When you purge, whether it’s paperwork, socks with no match, old Chapstick or rubber bands, you’ll end up with containers. Bowls, baskets, trays, even a napkin holder can be re-purposed. For me, a little basket once filled with loose change became a great spot to stash business cards.
