This weekend I spent a good couple of hours tidying and reorganising my home office. I have to admit that I am far from tidy and while my office may often look as though a bomb has hit it, it is in fact quite well organised. It is simply that I am the only person who knows where anything is.
So I decided the time had come for a bit of a spruce up. Needless to say I have come into my office this morning and suddenly my head is clearer and my productivity rate is up. I look around me at the ordered piles, the clear work surfaces and the dust free computer monitor and I wonder how I managed before.
There are certain people in my life who would say a big “I told you so” at this news. But I am now a convert to the importance of a nice clean and well-ordered work space. So, if you are a little like me and you want to create a home office which fits all of your needs, helps you to stay organised and ensures that you can work in harmony, then read on.
Use space wisely
Not everyone has a huge room to spread themselves out when they are working from home. You may be in the corner of the living room, at the kitchen table, in your bedroom or (like me) in the loft space…
Where ever you are, you need to dedicate this area to your work. This means that it is the place you always work and it is always set up as such. There is nothing which will put you off getting started in the morning than the boring job of having to set up your office space each day. You need to be able to work on a spontaneous level and having a permanaent space is helpful.
Don’t skimp on space. Thinking you can run a business from home with a laptop sized desk is madness. You need room for peripherals such as printers, as well as filing cabinets, bookshelves and more.
Inject some personality
Just because it is work, it doesn’t mean it has to be as faceless as your booth back in your old job. Make sure your office reflects who you are and is a place you would want to spend time in. Paint walls, bring in soft furnishings and colour coordinate. Just make it into your space and no one else’s.
Keep important stuff close
As a writer you will be needing access to certain books, reference materials, paper for jotting down ideas and more. Make sure you have enough space for all of these things. Use a book shelf to store your reference books and magazines. Keep a pot of pens on your table and a stack of paper close by.
Extras like cellotape, rulers, staplers and spare batteries have all made their way into my drawer. It just makes sense as you never know when you might need them.
Cleaning materials
I have found that the simple act of having a cleaning spray and a duster in my drawer has meant that I keep on top of the cleaning of my office more regularly. All too often the thought of having to head downstairs to the cleaning cupboard is just too much trouble. If all it takes is opening a drawer – even I can do it!
Work surfaces
Have as many of these as you can. I am lucky as my desk extends around three walls. I doubt I could cope with any less now. I have my computer set up on one wall with a large space for books and papers to be spread out next to me. My printer is at the same desk, making it very convenient. All my stationary is close to hand and I have blank space, just waiting for when I next have a pile to books to place on it. You can never have too much desk space, so build the most your office can handle.
The environment
Your office needs to be a space where you feel comfortable. This means the temperature needs to be easily controlled. You need fresh air, natural light, good artificial lighting, adequate heating, a fan or air conditioning in the summer and comfortable furniture.
You could be spending eight or more hours a day in your office and you deserve the best environment you can get. Remember that if you worked for an employer they would be obliged to provide you with a comfortable temperature and the right furniture for you to carry out your job. Why wouldn’t you give yourself exactly that?
I have to admit that my office is far from perfect, but I have survived quite well up to now. I could do with some better heating, a window I could open and some natural light. But I have peace and quiet and few distractions. I also have a nice a tidy workspace – this week at least!