Home offices have garnered more attention in recent years. Restrictions implemented as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic forced many professionals to start working from home, which created a greater need for home office space.
Though millions of professionals have now returned to the office full-time, millions more have continued to work from home five days a week or are now working on a hybrid schedule. As a result, home office spaces have maintained their utility even as restrictions related to the pandemic move further into the rearview mirror.
Since home office spaces remain vital for so many, it’s important that these spaces are conducive to productivity. Conquering home office clutter is a step in that direction.
Cut through the piles of paper. Home offices have a tendency to transform into paper depositories over time. Work files, notes, monthly bills, receipts, and junk mail can quickly overwhelm a home office. Professionals who spend ample time working from home can resolve to cut through the piles of paper. Use a paper shredder to discard documents with sensitive information, such as bank statements and utility bills. Signing up for e-statements can prevent the piling up of paper in the future. Invest in a small file cabinet to store important personal and professional documents.
Discard old devices. Old devices are another space eater in many home offices. In fact, a recent survey from Material Focus found that more than 20 million unused electrical items are currently hoarded in homes throughout the United Kingdom. Old smartphones and laptops that users are afraid to throw out can be wiped clean and discarded in adherence with local laws. Contact your local government to determine how to safely discard old devices rather than simply tossing them in the trash once they’ve been wiped clean.
Buy a bigger bookshelf. Home offices often double as reading rooms, which makes them vulnerable to clutter associated with leisure time as well. Books stacked in a corner or taking up space on your desk can create a cluttered look, but also compromise your ability to concentrate. A 2011 study from researchers at Princeton University published in The Journal of Neuroscience found that clutter can make it difficult to focus on a particular task. If books are strewn about your office, purchase a bookshelf that can hold them. Once books are shelved, the less cluttered space can make it easier to concentrate.
Go digital. If space is limited, forgo traditional file cabinets in favor of digitizing important records and documents. Scan important receipts and statements and store them on a desktop or backup hard drive so they’re never out of each. This creates space and makes it easier and quicker to find important files.
