Keep That Home Office Organized
On the job, your workspace is tidy and well maintained, with all your projects lined up like neat little soldiers. You can put your hands on just what you need at a moment's notice, and never fail to throw away useless items. But while co-workers see you as the poster child of organization, you hide a dirty little secret: Your home office looks like a typhoon just hit.
Files are scattered. Family members have dumped various things in your office, including an unused exercise bike, an old video game system and what appears to be the inside of the broken toaster. Tax records are mixed in with recipes printed out sometime last year, and the dog has shredded the office chair fabric that is now held together with masking tape. There is no flat surface that is not stacked with papers, magazines and books.
It may be of some comfort to know that you are not the only one who could have a home office declared a disaster area. The problem is so common that March 13 has been declared "Organize Your Home Office Day" by the gurus of organization who make a living helping those with home offices regain control of their space.
"I think the most important thing we have to do is to be really clear about what we're going to do in the home office," says Dorothy Breininger, an organization expert. "You've got to organize your space according to how you function."
That means that if you want to focus on your health by spending more time exercising, you need to be realistic about getting rid of accumulating magazines and newspapers that you will not have time to read. Or, it may mean you're not someone who files all your items, but rather uses bookshelves to hold "piles" of papers.
"In organizing today, it's not just organizing around stuff anymore," Breininger says. "You really need to organize around your values -- what is important to you in your life."
Because so many home offices are shared by families, Breininger advises that each family member have a cubby, basket or shelf to place individual items. In order that respect for work is maintained, she says that turning on a special light in the office lets others know that work is being done, and interruptions should be kept to a minimum.
"The difference in organizing today is that we're not really recommending products. This is a process that starts in the mind," she says. "Some people may thrive with a bit of disorganization in the home office -- they have plants, posters, etc. But that's how they best thrive. I'm not saying there is a set answer, but rather you set up the home office according to how your brain functions."
Some other tips for the home office include:
- Get rid of the "to do" lists and instead have a "stop" list. With offices at home, we've become more addicted to work and the constant e-mails and phone calls. "We're not just in information overload these days, we're in adrenal overload. We're always at the ready," Breininger says. "Step back and find ways to relax. Learn to parent yourself and put limits on when and how you will work at home."
- Have a "dump" zone. Rather than everything being tossed in the office awaiting further action, have containers or cubbies near the door for books, bags, shoes, coats, sport equipment, etc. A blackboard or message system is also helpful so that there is one place where the family can maintain communication. This allows you to put necessary items -- such as work brought home that needs your attention -- in the home office without fear of it getting lost.
- Stop being indecisive. If you have a system set up that allows you to take action, then the home office will function better for you. For example, you can use files labeled with the months of the year. If you have a wedding in June, then you can put the invitation, gift registry and other information in that folder. You can put all your medical information in a folder so that at a moment's notice you can grab it and go to the doctor or hospital. A designated shelf can hold specific projects from work that you bring home.
- Finally, make sure your workspace is comfortable. Invest in the proper lighting, chair, desk, etc. to make sure you don't face an injury, just as you would on your job away from home.
Anita Bruzzese is author of "45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy."
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