How to Prevent Clutter from Collecting?

During my first meeting with a home office organizing client either virtually or in person, they give me a tour of their space. The clutter that I see may be the result of indecision, procrastination or overwhelm… sometimes a combination of all 3.  What I can tell you is that the outcome is an unprofessional, unproductive and ineffective home office.  We tackle the clutter and the good news is that my client can overcome these 3 issues.  Here’s how to prevent clutter from collecting.

Make decisions. If you don’t, the piles will collect around you. When my clients don’t know what to do with the papers or where to store office supplies, they are stash them on shelves, in drawers or let the piles multiply. Part of the issue may be emotional. Perhaps they are afraid to make the wrong decision or that they’ll toss something important. If there is an emotional tie to a document or item, then the decisions are sometimes more difficult to make. Questions like “when did you last use this” or “can you get another copy” help with them make decisions.

Stop procrastinating. If you don’t, you won’t achieve your goals. My clients who are still making-due working from their sofas because their desks are covered in piles know it’s time to make some changes but don’t. They don’t know where to start to set up a more effective workspace and aren’t sure how to proceed should they get started. They dread the thought of this task so it’s easier to just postpone it.  However, it they just got started with a small and easy task, they would start to see results which would keep them focused on clearing the desk. 

Don’t let overwhelm rule. If you do, it will paralyze your ability to declutter your space. While my clients recognize the benefits of setting up a more professional and productive home office, the prospect of doing so can be overwhelming. Maybe the clutter that has collected due to lack of systems which is causing chaos and frustration. The overwhelm has affected their ability to make the decisions necessary to get the organizing tasks started.  Once they step back and regain their perspective, they are better able to tackle the clutter. They can focus on one specific pile or section of the desk and ignore the rest temporarily. Get it organized and then move onto another section.

Are these mistakes preventing you from having an organized home office?  Reach out to me today with your questions on how to prevent clutter from collecting. I’ll share some tips to get you started.