An Office That Works For You
Last Updated on January 5, 2019 by lydiaf1963
Are you tired of fighting your unorganized office? Life is so much better when you can find your office supplies or easily lay your hands on an important paper. If that doesn’t describe your experience, don’t worry! This week we’re going to gin up our office space and make it work for YOU.
This post is part of the Tranquil Home 28 Day Declutter Challenge, but there’s no reason why you can’t start in the office if you want. Before we begin you might want to download the free companion guide (this will open a pdf file you can download). Then gather a bag for trash, a bag or box for donations and get ready to begin!
Now, if you don’t have a formal office it’s not a big deal. I’m talking about the place where you work on your computer and store your bills, etc. It might be a desk, or it might be a little filing cabinet. For years I used one of those portable boxes that are sized for hanging file folders. Before that, I spent a lot of time looking for bills, my checkbook, stamps, etc. It caused a lot of stress and because I was so unorganized I would miss a payment on occasion, which is never a good thing.
Give yourself plenty of time to go through your bills and papers. Sort them into categories which seem logical to you. At the minimum you’ll probably want:
- Bills I need to pay
- Papers I need to sign (especially if you have school aged children)
- Stuff I need for tax time
- Receipts, warranties and user manuals for appliances and household electronics
- Insurance policies and payment books
- Rental agreement or mortgage and purchase paper work
- Tax returns and supporting documents
- Paperwork related to each family member (birth certificates, vaccination records, wills, etc)
You don’t have to keep every receipt unless you need them to support your tax records or you’re tracking expenses for your budget. If you have access to a shredder make use of it to destroy your paperwork, especially personal stuff. Check out shredding services offered by office supply and shipping companies in your area if necessary.
As you sort through the items in your desk remember you don’t need 100 pens and pencils (unless you have school children) and that cable from your old dot matrix printer is no longer useful. Drawer dividers or pouches are helpful for corralling items together.
While you’re decluttering don’t get caught up in creating the perfect filing system with pretty folders and coordinated labels. Afterwards you’ll have leisure to create something beautiful. You’ll also have tamed the paper tiger and created an office that works for you.
Don’t miss these other posts in the Tranquil Home 28 Day Declutter Challenge:
Transform Your Bedroom Into a Haven in One Week
Create a space fit for royalty in your bathroom!
A Living Room with Space for Family
An Office That Works for YOU
Creating Success Beyond the 28 Day Declutter Challenge
