Working from home is a blessing. You’ve switched corporate coffee and break rooms for your own couch and espresso machine, you no longer have to deal with office drama, and your only commute is from your bedroom to your home office.
However, as you get settled into your routine, you may find that your home office is a stressful space. Papers pile up quickly when you don’t have to impress your coworkers with your cleanliness, and it can be difficult to justify expenditures when you’re the one footing the bill for wheely chairs and new PCs.
Fortunately, there are a few organization tips you can take to create a stress-free home office.
Cables
When you first got permission to work from home, you probably imagined a clean, sleek home office space for yourself. However, many who make the switch to working from home end up with a chaotic mountain of cables running in every direction. If this sounds familiar, you may benefit from a few regular and standing desk cable management tips.
Start by investing in a cable tray to hide all your plug points and power sockets. A good cable tray should also align with your decor choices, as premium offers are designed with hybrid workers in mind. Premium cable trays can, of course, get a little pricey. If you’re not willing to lay out $50+ on a cable tray, you can always DIY your own solution by adhering to power strips in easy-to-reach areas.
Once you’ve centralized all of your power sockets, it’s time to start corralling the cables themselves. Use zip ties in areas where cables can’t be seen as this will stop the cables from becoming tangled. Consider using a sleeve the same color as your overall theme where they can be seen. Your eye won’t catch on color-themed sleeves, meaning you can enjoy a peaceful space that looks cable-free.
Storage
Working from home is supposed to be a freeing, rewarding career move. However, piles of work documents and equipment in your home can cause an organizational headache. You’ll quickly exhaust traditional storage options like cupboards and will need to find other ways to increase your storage space in a pinch.
You can increase your storage space by using as much multifunctional furniture as possible. Footstools with hidden compartments and Murphey tables that quickly pack away are game changes in home office organization. Look out for any furniture that can double as storage and consider replacing traditional couches with shelf-legged replacements.
You also need to organize the space within your storage areas. This can be a time-consuming process, but you’ll thank yourself in the future when you quickly find those important documents during a remote call with your team. Organizing your own storage may even be stress-busting in itself, as giving each item a home can be a calming process.
Cleanliness
Working from home means you can eat as many stinky tuna sandwiches and odorous scrambled eggs as you want. However, going remote doesn’t mean you should turn your back on professional cleanliness. Keeping a clean space can reduce your stress and help you become even more efficient.
Keep a set of cleaning supplies in your office space. Having a dedicated set of wipes, sprays, and cleaners in your home office means that nothing will go missing when your partner or roommate decides to do a spring clean.
You should also create a short list of (home) office rules for yourself. Simple rules like taking mugs and plates out after you use them can make a big difference to your space’s cleanliness and stress levels. You may even create additional rules, like deep cleaning your space once a fortnight or a quick clean at the end of every shift.
Decor
Decor makes a big difference to your space’s overall appearance. A shabby, ill-thought-out space is sure to skyrocket your stress and reduce your productivity when you work from home.
You can make your home office more enjoyable by allowing more natural light to enter your space. Keeping the blinds open during the day and installing mirrors that reflect light into the room can significantly raise the mood of the space.
A splash of neutral color may also calm your mind and reduce your stress. Tonal blues and green can be soothing and help you think clearly during a busy workday. A few prints and paintings can be particularly effective if you have a small home office and want to fill your area with decor that reflects your personality.
Conclusion
Your home office should be a calming space that helps boost your productivity while working from home. However, for many, the home office looks more like a bomb site than a workspace. Get your space in order by corralling your cables and following a set of self-accountability rules. Once your space is clean, consider improving the decor and choose paints or prints that help reduce your stress and boost your efficiency.
