The home office is probably the most important area of the home were many things take place on a daily basis, next to the kitchen. This is where we run the household. We read and reply to our paper mails and emails, plan our activities and take care of bills and documents from the home office. For some people this is where they earn their living. It can be easy to see how the home office can easily become cluttered and disorganized as a result of this.
What do you do to keep your home office from being buried under clutter? Here are a few easy ways to that clutter-free desk:
Deal with papers promptly. Do not let your letters, subscriptions and other papers pile up on your desk. Read through them, file or store what needs to be stored in their proper bins or boxes, and throw away the rest.
Invest in storage containers, cabinets or drawers. "A place for everything and everything in its proper place" goes the familiar saying, and this is true for anything that finds its way onto your desk, like clutter. For those small things like paper clips, you can get multi-purpose holders with many spaces in them. Store these holders inside your desk drawers or a separate cabinet (if you have the space) that can also hold your office supplies. This way you can use your desk anytime you need it and have anything you need within arm's reach, saving you both time and energy.
No eating or drinking at the home office. This will prevent your desk from getting dirty from food that falls on the desk. Food scraps on the table is one of the best ways to attract pests. So make sure there are not any in the first place. This rule will also protect your equipment from accidental spills. If you really need to eat or drink at your desk, set up a small table away from your equipment where the food can be placed.
Update your notice board. Make sure that your family message board is current, if you have one. Do a check once a month to remove what's outdated or completed. This way you also make sure that nothing is forgotten if gets buried under more recent announcements or reminders.
That clutter-free home office is something you do not have to spend hours on to get. With these steps, a little hard work and some discipline, you can have your clean and organized desk in no time.