Hello Lovelies!
Due to the pandemic, a lot of people were rushed and pushed to work from home (I know because it took me forever to get a desk!). As a result, so many of us who didn’t have a proper home office had to improvise and adapt to create a workspace.
Now that we have had time to adjust, how about we make the most fabulous office areas! To help, I wrote a post “15 DÉCOR IDEAS FOR YOUR WORKSPACE“, where I provided great ideas to put together a functional yet fashionable workspace that will keep you motivated.
In this post, I will be diving into office space organization and how to keep it that way!
10 CLEVER IDEAS TO ORGANIZE YOUR WORKSPACE
I kid you not, at some point, I had a foldable outdoor table as a desk with ZERO space to store my reference documents, stationery, files, etc. It was a nightmare! My “desk” was organized but it was so cramped that it always looked messy, which made me feel so unmotivated and annoyed. Take it from me, a place for everything and everything in its place is the only way to go. So, I did some research, and here are some ideas for you to play with and achieve that organization Zen.
1. Use a Desktop Organizer
First things first, let’s get your desk organized!
There are so many different designs when it comes to desk organizers, depending on your style, you can get acrylic, yellow gold, rose gold desk accessories and so many more options. If you’re tight on budget, you can repurpose old containers and mason jars. Personally, I like see-through containers for storing my pins and clips, as it adds pops of color to the desktop, and I love the fact that I can change the colors just by getting different pins. Another way for repurposing is by painting the jar or putting ribbons around it. I feel like this is one of the best ways of injecting your personality into the workspace regardless of budget or space.
2. Hide and organize the wires
Have you ever struggled with finding the HDMI cable for screen 2? There’s a solution to avoid this pain! All you have to do is take 5 minutes and label the cables as close to the outlet as possible, I did it at the base of the cable. The way you label them is really up to you, go with whichever system makes you feel more comfortable. For example, you can use a label maker to write a description of the cable and stick it in a loop around the cable or use a color-coding system where a piece of colored tape is wrapped around your cables and each color is assigned to a description on a reference paper. Regardless of the system, you decide to use, this trick will help you greatly because any cable you want, you can identify in a split second.
Cosmetically speaking, cables are hideous but worry not, you can hide them! There are many ways of doing it, for instance, you could:
– tape the cables under your desk and down one of the desk legs.
– stick the extension and pin the cables under the desk.
– feed the wires through the desk (if you have a hole for that purpose on the desktop)
– use cord covers or cord channels to seamlessly cover the wires.
3. Monitor Stand with Drawer
You should always think of ergonomics when setting up your office space, for instance, I use two monitors and my laptop screen, which is usually lower than the monitors and that is why I got a monitor stand, it brings up my laptop screen to the same level as the rest of my screens. These monitor stands aren’t just for comfort, they can also be functional in terms of storage. So, if you don’t have drawers under your desk or simply want a minimalistic look and don’t want to have anything on your desktop, monitor stands with drawers can be used for storing those post-its, pins, clips, and such.
GREAT TIP: If you have a smaller space, I highly recommend using multi-functional items like a stand that doubles as storage because they will help you reduce clutter, which makes the room seem larger than it is.
4. Use a pegboard or a wall grid
Daily, I have to use acronyms, codes, one-page guides, etc., and remembering them is a full-time job, which is why I LOVE having them on my wall grid, one quick glance up and there are they are! Not only it offers me easy access to the materials, but it also allows me to remove the paper clutter from my desk.
On top of being super functional in my workday, it also helps in keeping me motivated and creative. How? Did you ask? I put up a few of my favorite motivational quotes as well as some family and travel pictures on the grid to give me that extra boost of motivation and creativity when the day gets long.
I strongly recommend using a wall grid or pegboard to hang in your office space and benefit from the easy access it offers! I decided to put my wall grid right above my monitors and below my floating shelves, like some sort of command center.
5. Install Floating Shelves
To add storage space and beautify my office, I decided to install a few floating shelves, stacked vertically on top of the grid board. I learned that I didn’t have to cramp up everything on my desk or add more floor furniture, the idea here is to make an airy office area and light. To achieve that, you want to use up as much vertical space as possible to avoid cluttering the floor space. So, on the shelves you can put up a couple of folder holders for your documents and reference materials, there are many designs and types of document holders you can use to best fit your style. Also, you want to bring some life and add pops of colors to your office by placing a few plants and flowers on those shelves. This will also draw the eyes upwards and make the ceiling seem higher. Lastly, you want to add a few books and unique décor items to tie the look together.
GREAT TIP: do not, I repeat, DO NOT overcrowd your shelves, if you need more space stack up more shelves. An over-busy shelf will throw off the whole look and make your room seem messy and cluttered.
6. Use drawer organizers
Have you ever had drawer anxiety? I did, opening a drawer that is not organized makes me twitch a little. Honestly, even if you are organized, stationary can get messy unless placed in a container. So, to have more peace of mind, I decided to use drawer organizers. Sweet lord! That was a GREAT idea. The organizers had compartments and I designated a spot for each of my stationery accessories, never had to organize the drawer again! Every time I opened it and see something out of place, all I have to do is pick it up and put it in its place.
I recommend drawer organizers for everyone, it will help you stay organized and you don’t even have to put a lot of money in it, you can even make your own!
7. Make use of Filing Cabinets and file holders
If you don’t have enough drawers under your desk and depending on how much paperwork you have to deal with, personal and office-related, you might want to get file holders that you can place on your shelves or floor filing cabinets. You have so many options to work with, traditional file holders, bookshelves with baskets, storage ottomans, whichever works for you, get that one. Remember what I said about keeping the furniture off the floors earlier? Well, you don’t have a choice, you can get floor storage but, get ones with longer thinner legs, this will allow the eyes to see the floor and make the room seem airy and larger. If you can’t find ones with legs, worry not, you can add them yourself.
GREAT TIP: don’t be afraid to give a little life to your furniture, paint it, add texture to it or change hardware. In other words, give it some personality!
8. Keep a To-Do list
What says organized more than a TO-DO LIST? You got it, nothing!
To-do lists can be used for everything in your life, work, family, groceries, chores, etc. I keep three lists for my work:
I. Brain dump to-do list: I put everything I can think of doing regarding work. I add to it whenever I think of a new thing, it has no priority or logical flow.
II. Weekly to-do list: Every Monday morning, I write down all the actions I should be able to do during the week. I also look at the past week and carry over anything I couldn’t complete due to priority shifts, unforeseen issues, or just didn’t have enough time.
III. Daily to-do list: Based on tasks crossed off the day before and the remainder of the tasks of the week, I try to fill out my daily to-do list the night before, but if I don’t have time, I’ll do it first thing in the morning. In this list, I will include everything that has to be done and I usually leave 10% of my time for unforeseen tasks.
I am completely honest with myself when I admit that I don’t have a super good memory, so these to-do lists allow me to be up to date with my projects and avoid those “oohhh! That… I will do it right now!”. These lists are my way of keeping organized and I recommend them for every soul!
9. Have a functional yet cute planner
I bought so many regular planners, super cute and functional but… not for me. I have many projects of different lengths, and urgent issues to deal with, and I had a hard time estimating how many pages to dedicate per project. I get REALLY annoyed when I have pages left not used at the end of a project section. SO, I found a notebook that has binds that allow me to move the pages around. Every time I take notes with regards to a project, all I have to do is move the page to its designated section. However, if you are comfortable with a regular planner go for it! And If you are more of a digital planner kind of person go for it!
Just know that regardless of the type of planner you decide to go, it will help you keep organized and allow you to remember that point Jane made during that meeting a couple of weeks ago!
10. Use a Label Maker
I LOVE labeling things! It gives me that sense of relief that if I look for something I know exactly where it is. Label makers aren’t just to label spices because I have no idea which one is which… You can use it for labeling files, notebooks, reference documents, desktop, and drawer organizers, etc. Labels come in really handy when you’re stressed and can’t find that document you worked on months ago, but they also make your overall space look cleaner and more organized. Nowadays, you can find label refills in a variety of colors even on transparent paper, also, most label makers allow you to choose from different fonts and sizes, which makes it a great way to inject some of your personality into your workspace.
Your home office doesn’t have to be bland, shake it up! Make it fabulous and most importantly make it work for you. You can increase your motivation and creativity by upgrading your workspace and it doesn’t have to be done all at once and it doesn’t have to break the piggy bank.
Alright my lovelies, there you have it, my tips, and tricks for making your office reflect who you are and make you want to work! Remember, you can either decide to use all these tips or mix and match depending on your Interior design needs, preferences, and budget.
Try my tips and let me know how it looks!
Don’t forget to tell me if you enjoyed this post and if you found it helpful in the comment section. Also, if you have any additional tips don’t hesitate to write them down as well.
Oh! one last thing, don’t forget to follow me on social media and join my newsletter to stay up to date 🙂
25 Comments
Tidy desk, tidy mind. That’s my motto. Very useful post. Thanks. I love to have everything neat and tidy.
Yes, I completely agree! Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂
Sometimes all you need to do to shift into a more productive vibe is to set the right environment. Thank you for the tips 🙂
Thank you for your feedback Marie 🙂
Beautiful post and Ideas! I love add the floating shelves, i’m looking to do that in my office. thanks for all the great tips.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Floating shelves are everything!!
I really needed to read this! Currently working hard on decluttering and a little desk inspiration was much needed!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and found it helpful!
Much needed inspiration for my workspace. So important to take care of the little things.
Our home office is a complete mess. It needs an overhaul. This post is so helpful and timely. One of my to dos is get it back in shape this winter. I also think I need a real paper journal. I use my phone and that’s becoming just one more reason to be attached to my phone. Thanks!
I completely understand the struggle! we get so busy and sometimes and we don’t even know where to start! I’m happy you found it helpful and LOVE the idea of picking up something other than my phone!
I love these tips! I have been struggling lately on how to change up my workspace to be more productive and just feel more at ease. I love the point you made about having motivational quotes up around your desk as it would really help when getting things done. Thank for a great post!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Yes, I know it sounds cheesy but motivational quotes do lift me up, or even those funny puns on mugs!
Ah, the wires, yes! And the right chargers! I wish I could get rid of the stack of paperwork I have to go through sometimes. But I need to see order around me to focus on what’s important.
Yes! and if everything has its place, you will feel more calm and organized!
My big takeaway from this post is drawer organizers! I know I have a drawer that could stand to be organized right now..lol. I don’t know how I let it get to that point but you have inspired me to get it organized!
I feel your pain! We all have THAT drawer! My trick is I take out the drawer and dump its contents on the floor, no choice but to put them back in order haha!
I am all about organization. I had an office system installed and love to keep it organized. One thing I love is a picture frame filled with sheet of metal (cut to size). Works great for a beautiful magnet board.
Yes! the organization helps me be more productive and less anxious about my surroundings! I love the idea of the picture frame magnet board! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Love the ideas! I love to keep my desk (and everything else) organized!
Thank you for your feedback 🙂 same here! I feel like it helps me be more productive!
having a home office is tough but organizing it is a separate headache, hopefully, this article will help me.
I feel your pain! Just do one step at a time not to feel overwhelmed!
I loved your idea! I organize my workspace and the surrounding area. Afterward, I felt active and relaxed.
Yes! I completely agree that feeling after you’re done organizing or entering an organized room is priceless!