If you caught my very first video last week then you know we are working on the office! I wasn’t sure how this room would come together when I started but it’s come so far since the beginning. Instead of a room full of mismatched furniture we are starting to build a functional space for the hubby to work… even if it isn’t quite as masculine as he would like!
Luckily he’s pretty cool like that.
So as I was putting the finishing touches on the office it was fun to see all my little pre-planned organization come to life! Even though we wanted the space to be beautiful we really needed it to function for several different purposes. Especially since this is not only the office but the very first room in our house… the front door literally opens up into this room!
So when I was planning out the mood board for this space I thought specifically about functional steps to organize your office!
Looking for a bunch of posts on organization & planning? I’ve got you covered! Click here to see all of my organization & planning posts in one place!
Step 1: Have a Space for Paperwork
We all know that an office’s main function is for work… and typically that includes some kind of paperwork. Even if you mainly work online most homes need a space for organizing important documents (tax information, medical documents etc). Having a designated space for these papers makes organizing them a breeze… and life much easier.
If you only have a few documents than a small file box might be the perfect solution! I decided to go with a small file box on the bookshelves directly behind the desk for our most important documents… it’s super easy to access so I love it. So easy.
Then we decided to get rid of our old yucky file cabinets. I’ve seen fantastic file cabinet makeover’s on Pinterest but most of them were for straight, square, normal file cabinets and the ones my hubby had are curved and weird and not normal. So we decided to combine our need for storage under the window and a need for a new file cabinet with a cubed bookshelf under the window!
It was the perfect solution because we have wired baskets for file folders and fabric baskets for hidden storage (aka paint… because I have sooooo much paint). Plus it gave us over flow storage for some of those random items you would keep next to the front door (like the pressure cooker lol).
Step 2: Have a Designated Spot for Items you Use Everyday
If you’re working in a small space (like most of us) think about the items you use everyday. Then think about where you’re going to keep those items and build in the perfect space for each item. I made sure we had a specific place for keys and my purse since otherwise they always going missing.
Our little key hook is actually a jewelry hook but it’s kind of perfect for anyone with loooots of keys! I also love to think out specific places for mail (in a specific fabric bin… that way we can just toss it in and look at it when the hubs comes home from work).
Of course, we also thought about things like the hubs laptop and pens. You might use completely different items in your office (my planner and scissors are super important in my office but the hubs doesn’t even have a planner!) so just make sure to think through your specific items.
Step 4: A Comfy Place to Sit
I don’t know about y’all but I think the most important item to have in an office is a good armchair. For two reasons… the first one being whenever I visit the hubby while he’s working at his desk I need a good place to sit! So really this is going to be my new chair… but I suppose it would function for any guests.
*wink wink*
Of course, the second most important reason to have a great armchair is so that you have a nice place to sit when you want to switch up your workplace. I love to sit in my desk chair at my desk but sometimes I just need a break… so switching to a comfy armchair is the perfect solution. When you work for long stretches of time it’s important to take small breaks and to change your work environment. That way you can stay focused and productive.
I thought about adding a small side table to my armchair but since this is the entry way to our house I thought it would just continuously knocked over… so no side table. What we could use was a comfy ottoman to put our feet up while we work! I have looooved sitting here with my feet propped up working on blog posts… and this is definitely my new video spot.
Step 5: Think about your Desk
When you’re setting up your desk think about how you’re actually going to use the space. The hubs likes lots of drawers to organize his supplies. He also likes a clear work surface… but he has certain items he likes to keep on his desk. So the perfect solution was a small computer stand with a built in drawer.
I use more items on my desk everyday (my planner, a container with my pens and pencils, a clock etc) so think about how you use the space and then don’t be afraid to change things!
These are great home office organization ideas! I can’t stand a cluttered desk or area so this is really helpful! Thanks for sharing!