More and more people are now working from home – whether that be running their own business, or as part of their employers increasingly popular working regime of utilising the available technology to allow people to operate from outside of the company premises. Some people may have the luxury of a totally separate workspace within their homes, whilst others have to compromise on the shared space of the home environment. Either way, it is very important that this workspace be utilized in the best manner and, therefore, needs to be organized in an efficient way.
Here are some considerations on how best to set-up your home work space to achieve this efficiency:
Declutter
It always seems an obvious statement, but it’s amazing how quickly – and how often – you manage to acquire ‘clutter’ in your work – and home – environments! Follow the simple rule – get rid of what you don’t need! Identify all the items in your office that make a positive contribution to your working space and, by doing so, identify what you really don’t need. Once identified, simply dispose of the unnecessary items!
Clear out the junk drawer
In every office – home or otherwise – you have a drawer, or cabinet, that acts as a ‘dumping ground’. You know the one – it’s where you put that novelty merchandise you picked up in a promotional pack from the business conference, or where you hurriedly threw your pen when finishing late last week – now making a total of 24 pens in there!
Clear the drawer out – retain the things that are of use – yes, there WILL be some – and then dispose of the rest, and organise the drawer accordingly.
Conceal ugly wires and cables
Every time we plug in a new laptop/tablet/charger etc. we make a mental note to ‘set it up properly’ later. The usual end result is a mess of wires and cables just waiting to trip you up at the most inopportune moment! It’s easy to remedy – just use cable clips to bundle the individual wires together and tuck then neatly out of the way. This will immediately make your office space look tidier and will also contribute to better health and safety in your work space.
Make use of shelves and trays
It’s easy to watch the pile of paperwork and documentation build up on your desk in a short space of time. Not only does this look untidy, but it hampers efficient work, when you constantly have to search through haphazard heaps of papers to find what you need. If you have shelving in your office space, then organise it properly and create a workable filing system to allow easy identification and access to your documents. Alternatively, make use of stacking document trays and keep them in an organised, labelled system on your desk.
Use self storage to clean up the space
If your work involves keeping stock or supplies, or if you need to retain historical, or legal, paperwork and documentation for a period of time, then renting a self-storage unit is a great solution (especially for improving your home life). It allows you to keep these items in a dry, secure environment and can also serve as a safe storage solution for other items that you need to retain long-term, but don’t necessarily need on a daily basis – this could include bulky items such as office furniture or appliances. Using a self-storage unit would free up vital space in your home office, making it a more efficient, and pleasant, environment to work in.
