How to Organize a Home Office – Case Study
My client, who is the creative director for a dance company, wanted a more efficient and organized home office but… how to organize a home office was the issue. She had a dedicated home office space all set-up but couldn’t work comfortably at the desk. The problem? Piles of paperwork that had collected over the past couple of years were cluttering up the workspace, floor around the desk and other surfaces. My client had gone paperless as a result of COVID but hadn’t focused on clearing the piles. In addition to sorting the paper piles, she needed systems for managing the paperwork so she could better maintain the space going forward.
We scheduled 4 virtual organizing sessions and created a plan for tackling the space. We divided it into zones and worked in one area at a time. During our virtual meetings, we created a process for sorting the papers and assigned homes for the different categories of paperwork. Current files and office supplies were stored in a cabinet adjacent to the desk. Archive files were stored in a file box under the desk. Company memorabilia and marketing materials were designated specific bins in the cabinet.
As my client was doing all the sorting and filing away herself, she quickly learned where each category of information was stored. This would be helpful not only in maintaining the space but also when she had to quickly find a specific document. To further help with keeping her home office organized, I recommended an end of day routine which included clearing her desk daily and opening and processing that day’s mail. Paperwork that required some type of action could then be put in the appropriate folder in her workflow system.
As you can see in the after picture above, my client’s home office was completely decluttered and organized by the end of our last meeting. Here are her thoughts…
“I had a wonderful time working with Stephanie to reclaim my workspace from the wilds of overwhelm and years of paper. I’ve plowed through cleaning a messy desk before, usually in a weekend of putting my head down and getting it done, but this process was different, and so much better. Stephanie held me accountable for the tasks we laid out together, and with a few days between each session, I had time to think through where I would place things, and how I would actually interact with what I was putting away. She is calm, direct and clear, and very importantly, I never felt judged for the visual paper-popping craziness that we were analyzing together.” -Choreographer and Artistic Director
If you have questions concerning how to organize a home office, reach out and I’ll share a couple of tips.