Working from home can be a great opportunity to work in your pajamas and sit in a favorite chair. Even at home, though, it is important to get things done efficiently and stay on task. Home offices often have to serve multiple purposes, so organization becomes key to keeping things productive. Use these tips to create a workspace in your home that makes the most of a small space.
1. Use Vertical Space
For many people who work in home offices, space is limited. You might have to deal with your children’s toys or a spouse’s collection taking up valuable office space. Using vertical shelving and storage helps solve this problem by using space that is often ignored. Installing a pegboard is a great option for those who need storage for lots of office supplies like pens, highlighters and rubber bands. If what you need is space to organize your thoughts, investing in a whiteboard or corkboard can help you spread out, even if your desk is too small for you to lay out all your papers.
2. Label Cables
In the modern home office, scanners, printers, monitors and more are standard fare. With so many electronics, unplugging a single item can prove difficult. If you ever need to move things around or reorganize, sorting through plugs and extension cords quickly becomes frustrating. Your future self will thank you for taking the time to label all the cords and cables in your workspace. Use colorful rubber bands for quick color coding or use adhesive labels for more specificity.
3. Get Creative With Storage
Instead of shelling out for fancy dividers and drawers, try using containers from food and other products. Metal canisters and sturdy cardboard come in all sizes, and you probably have a few things lying around that are perfect for holding pens or storing paper. Just add an adhesive label so you remember what is stored in that cookie tin or jumbo cereal box. Use plastic shoe boxes to keep old papers together and try using old dressers for filing purposes. With the help of these household items, you can put together a useful, and cost saving, storage system.
