As you all know, a few months back, I started a major clean out, which resulted in an 18-foot box truck taking a HUGE amount of stuff away. It was truly remarkable how much STUFF we had accumulated after living in our house for 13 years. I realized I have a tough time letting go of things and knew I needed some help, so I called my friend, professional organizer, Katrina Teeple at Operation Organization to come to my rescue! I knew I was in deep and needed some reinforcement. I had a few organizational projects in mind, but creating a personal workspace was definitely at the top of the list. Once we had the two kids, I lost my home office, so I needed to get creative and find a new space where I could work and focus.
This is how the space looked before Katrina came in. This was the decluttering project that started it all!
Here are some organizational tips I asked Operation Organization to share with us:
Katrina confirms, “Home offices can be tricky. People love to have them, but they often become a catch-all for paper pile-up, family clutter and unfinished projects. A home office should be a relaxing, yet beautifully stimulating environment that serves as an actual workspace.”
Katrina’s Tips For Setting Up A Home Office:
-Set- up your desk/work-table to maximize surface space.
-Control the urge to put out ALL of your pens in the holder on your desk.
-Choose just one notebook to keep all of your thoughts and to-dos (not 5!) until it is used up.
-Keep back-up supplies farther away from your desk drawers. You don’t need all Sharpies, all paper clips, or all envelopes at your fingertips.
-Keep only the essentials close: chargers, laptop, favorite pens, and your in-bin.
Use one in-bin for all unprocessed to-dos. Katrina says, “I am not a fan of separating paper into piles and categories until after they have been processed/completed. All of my receipts to enter, bills to pay, thank-
you cards to write and articles to review go into one spot; my in-bin. That way, if I am missing something important, I only have one pile to go through! After the items I am keeping have been processed, they go
into my to-file bin. Attaching a filing-caddy to the wall is a space-saving game-changer.”
Purge, Process, Put-Away!
Katrina’s Three P’s to keep you organized! This simple phrase can be used in more places than just the office. “I regularly use my Purge, Process, and Put-Away method on my purse, my car, my closet, and in my three-year-olds bedroom!” says Katrina.
Lastly…
Everything in life requires maintenance! Once you have set-up your organizational systems, they require regular follow-through.
The best part of the office is that it has become a great place for me to read to the kids. Hey, they even read books sometimes while I work!
Love it!