Once your home office is organized, cleaned, rid of papers, things that don’t belong, and free of unworthy, broken, duplicate, or useless items, how do you plan to keep it that way? Let me help you keep you, your office, and your family on track with my proven, long-term, organizational techniques.
Problem - Solution
Paperwork still collects in the home office, and is always all over the place - Create a working file system. Create files for ongoing projects, bills that need to be paid, open invoices, and have and use an inbox, outbox, and immediate attention box.
Storage of bulky items like reams of paper, extra office supplies, books and mailing supplies still don’t have a dedicated space (or the space is not being used) - Consider using an old dresser. Deep drawers can hold large amounts of bulk supplies. Also consider using the garage, attic, basement, or outbuilding.
Spouse or family members won’t or can’t put paperwork away in a file, or stay on top of the family’s shared paperwork, keeping your office disorganized - Attach a paper holder to your office door. Tell family members to put paperwork there they want to keep. This includes user guides for new appliances, voter registration cards, and warranties. You file the papers yourself.
Family members never know when you are working and when you are not, and they are constantly interrupting you while you work - Hang a white board, including a calendar, in the entry area. Have family members write down appointments and meetings on the calendar, and you write when you will be working and want to be left along. Have each member check the board daily.
You or family members never put things back where they belong, so after a week or so, everything is disorganized again - Put labeled bins on your desk and on available shelves. Add so many organizational bins that it’s hard NOT to know where things should be stored.
Your office always feels cramped - You probably still have some wall space left. Build more shelves or hang a wire organizer.
You can never find your scissors, tape, pens, pencils, stapler, calculator, and other items when you need them, either because you move them or family members do – Use an organizer to store them, and label each compartment. Leave a note to replace anything that is removed immediately after using it. If this doesn’t work, attach the item to the organizer with super glue, string, or tape.
And remember, it’s YOUR home office. If you have to, you can bolt everything down and lock the door!