Kitchen counters, dining room tables, and in some dire cases of much-needed quiet, bathrooms, are being used as home offices around the world and in Reno. No matter what room in your house has been designated the hot spot of paperwork, phone calls, and business, follow these simple rules to keep your “home office” tidy.

Color-code your filing system.

It’s likely that your personal mail and paperwork have been mixed with your business paperwork since you’ve been confined to your home. If that’s true, take some time to sort out everything into two piles – work and personal. From there, you’ll want to store the papers in color-coded files that make it easy to find what you’re looking for. Be sure to label the files, and feel free to create as many subcategories as you need.

Create a mail station.

If you have a habit of throwing your mail into a pile and not looking at it again until it’s been turned into a mountain, change that. Create a rule that the mail isn’t allowed to touch any surfaces when you bring it in. Go through the mail immediately and throw out anything you don’t need/want. From there, you’ll sort out the mail into your own system, but be sure to spend time each week taking action as you need to in order to start with a clean mailing station each week.

Make the most of the tablespace you’re working with.

Store all your office supplies in containers, drawers, baskets, and bins that are close by, but aren’t taking up space on your table. It keeps you focused and allows for a decluttered look. If you have a family printer that is being used for your work as well as your children’s schoolwork, you may want to move it to a neutral part of the home, that way you aren’t being interrupted when the kids come in to pick up the practice sheets they’ve printed out. It also clears up some valuable table space for you to use.

Make use of your wall space.

Don’t be afraid to hang your filing system, mail organizer, and office supplies to the wall. It’ll keep you organized, free up some table space, and immediately answer some of those “mom, dad, where can I find ______?” questions.

If you’re finding it difficult to make the most of your space and are considering selling your home or finding a new home with a dedicated home office and a few flex spaces, give the David Morris Group a call at (775) 828-3292. We’re more than happy to help in any way we can.