Technically, the official Organize Your Home Office Day is observed in March, but I believe any day you feel the inspiration to organize or clean should be celebrated.
The truth is that it doesn’t matter what day you do it as long as you take the time to organize your home office. So today is as good a day as any.
Even if you’re not self-employed, you may still have a home office for paying bills or organizing files. Take a few minutes today to put everything in order. And share on social media with #organizeyourhomeofficeday.
To help you get started, here are some of our best tips!
Digital Spaces
Every home office has a digital workspace. It may be as simple as a few apps on your phone or as complicated as a massive computer with all the bells and whistles (or anything in between.) Whatever your home office technology looks like, now is the perfect time to get it cleaned up.
Some quick wins when organizing your digital space:
- Delete and unsubscribe from unwanted emails – A cluttered inbox makes important emails difficult to find and quickly becomes overwhelming. Take the overwhelm out of your digital space by cleaning up your email!
- Organize digital files – This includes on your desktop, cloud storage, and the photos on your phone.
- Bookmark your most used sites – Make your frequently used websites and apps easily accessible and delete other bookmarks or icons you no longer need.
Tackle the Physical Workspace
Having an organized workspace is so important. It improves productivity and decreases stress. Even if you only use your home office to pay bills, you’ll find the entire process less painful when you’re organized. Learn how to get your desk in order right here!
Some things to consider when organizing your physical workspace:
- Start with surfaces – Declutter, file away important documents, and make sure everything has a proper home on your physical desktop.
- Create a filing system – An effective filing system simplifies your life. Start by decluttering and categorizing your documents into clear, manageable sections tailored to your unique needs, whether it’s for personal, family, or professional use. Use concise labels for easy navigation, and regularly review and update your files to keep them relevant.
- Organize drawers – Draw organizers are a lifesaver here! The key here is to make things as easy to find as possible in order to get your tasks accomplished efficiently.
Know What to Keep and For How Long
In my work as a professional organizer, I’ve learned that people often hold on to documents or other things simply because they’re not sure if or when it’s okay to discard them. I get it. It can be tough to know, especially when it comes to legal and/or financial records.
To help you out, check out this list of things to keep forever and our quick guide on how long you need to keep things.
