How to Organize Your Home Room by Room, Part 8: The Home Office

6 Home Office Organization Ideas to Manage Clutter and Be Productive

It’s no secret that being organized is key to productivity. But if you’re reading this, you probably have a mountain of papers on your desk, office supplies strewn around and aren’t sure how to create a better system. Not to worry. We’ve done the heavy lifting for you and found the best office organization tips to help you get important papers in order and keep your workspace tidy.

1. Get Rid of Office Clutter

First, you’ll need to get rid of the mess. Chances are, your home office is filled with odds and ends from around the house, so pull out anything that doesn’t belong there. Your kids’ toys, dishes and the book from your night stand all need to go. Store these where they’re used or find them a permanent home so they don’t end up back in your office.

2. Create a System for Paperwork

The next step in organizing your home office is to tackle the heap of bills and mail on your desk.

Paper Clutter: What To Keep and What To Toss

To figure out what to keep,  separate your pile of papers into four categories as you go through them: 

• File: Anything you’ll need to keep on hand for a few weeks or longer. Here’s a guide to help you decide which important documents to keep and how long you should hold onto them.
• Shred: Any documents you no longer need that contain personal information, like your social security or bank account number.
• Toss: Anything you’re not filing and that doesn’t need to be shredded. Obviously, junk mail belongs in the trash, but you can also ditch utility bills older than one month, ATM receipts and similar documents.
• Take action: Designate an area for papers that need your immediate attention, like bills that need to be paid.

Once you know which papers to keep, sort them into categories that make the most sense to you: financial, medical, personal, etc. Then, file them away. Denise Allan, from Simplify Experts, recommends filing over other methods, like organizing papers into binders, because it takes up less space.

Level Up By Going Paperless

A great way to stay on top of paper clutter is to get rid of it. Most banks and utility companies offer electronic billing and some offer a discount if you take this route. Cut down on paper even further and pay your bills online, too. You can also keep track of your statements through your online account, so you don’t have to worry about filing and deciding how long to keep them.

3. Organize Office Supplies

In a traditional office, there’s usually a closet to store extra pens, notepads and other supplies. You may not have a whole closet worth of space to work with, but there are plenty of clever tricks to organize office supplies at home. 

Here’s a quick checklist when considering how to organize office supplies:

□Sort everything on your desk into like piles. □Put the things you use most often, like pens, sticky notes and your calendar, within arm’s reach □Less important, less used items can be put out of reach or in a storage closet.

Get Started With Your Organization Project

The hardest part of organizing is getting yourself to do it, so Vines says to start small. Tackle one drawer or shelf at a time. Set a timer for 20 minutes and see what you can get done. With these small goals and advice from the experts, you’ll get there. 

Now that you've organized your papers and supplies and can get work done in your home office, tackle clutter in the rest of the house! Check out our decluttering rules for organizing the kitchen, bathroom, garage, closet, basement, attic and mudroom.