Has your home office or work-from-home corner become a little chaotic? You might not be surprised to hear that a spring clean to help declutter your work zone can improve your productivity, but did you know it can also benefit your mental health and wellbeing? Use this round-up of expert tips to give your space a spring reset: improve functionality with savvy storage and organisational updates, and extend the feel-good effects to other areas of your house for a total rejuvenation.
How to Clean and Declutter Your Home Office
The first step in an office overhaul is a thorough spring clean. “The best way to minimise clutter is to declutter,” says professional organiser Maria Patisso, founder of Organise My Life. She suggests focusing on one small achievable area at a time, like a single drawer. “The same applies to the kitchen and other areas of the house. If you can set an alarm every day for a time when you can head to a spot and declutter for 10 minutes, it makes a big difference.”
For a spring clean feel throughout, professional organiser and founder of The Lifestylers Group Natalie Morey’s go-to solution is eucalyptus oil diluted in warm water. “It smells great and because it has powerful cleaning, deodorising and germ-killing properties, it can be used in many areas of the home,” says Natalie. She recommends using it with a microfibre cloth to wipe down desks, removing sticky labels and pen marks, adding a cap full to your laundry, using it to mop floors and as a mattress spray.
Hot Tip: For a quick keyboard cleaning hack, Maria suggests using an air duster spray. “Also keep surface wipes in your desk drawer. If they’re close to hand, you’ll be more inclined to use them,” she says.
What to try
- Dettol Trigger Surface Cleanser 500mL Lime and Mint
- Glen 20 Disinfectant Spray 300g Summer Garden
- Northfork Glass Cleaner 750mL
- Hercules Antibacterial Wipes 80 Pack Lemon
- Sabco All Purpose Microfibre Cloths 3 Pack
- Sabco Microfinger Duster
- Sabco Dustpan Set
SEE ALSO: Office Desk Styling Guide: Hot Accessories Trending Now
Switch to Multipurpose Furniture
Investing in furniture better suited to the space will dramatically enhance the look and functionality of your work zone. This might mean using slimline pieces in a compact area or opting for versatile furniture that offers flexibility in a shared zone.
“We’re often asked to design office areas around the whole family, and not to make it look too ‘officey,’” says Maria. “I love the Copenhagen solid timber corner desk, designed to maximise space in a small room, paired with the Otto Nusa rattan chair. A benefit of corner desks is that storage can be easily added under one side, without compromising desktop space where you can spread out, or share as a duo work surface,” says Maria. To further free up desk space, look to maximise walls with floating shelves. If space is tight, consider a slender desk with drawers where stationery essentials can be stowed out of sight.
What to try
- Larvik 1200mm 2 Drawer Desk Oak/White
- Otto Mistral Chair Natural
- Otto Nusa Rattan Chair Tan
- Otto Lofoten Ergonomic Chair Natural
- Copenhagen Solid Timber 1500mm Desk
Add Functional Design With Desktop Accessories
Using practical organisation solutions and coordinated stationery will beautifully complement a refreshed office setup. “Consider cable ties to reduce cord lengths, update plug adaptors, and we prefer magnetic phone charger pads rather than cables,” says Maria.
When selecting accessories such as pen holders, file trays and notebooks, choose a theme, whether it’s textural or colour based and keep the look consistent. “Using matching pieces is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, which makes it a happy space to be in,” says Maria.
Magazine holders in a colour you love or tactile material like leather look or rattan will further elevate your office style, says Natalie. “They keep papers contained, take up minimal space and you can turn them round so you just see the front of the box.”
Hot Tip: “A 10-minute ‘tidy up’ at the end of the week is the perfect way to keep your desk and office space clean and tidy,” says Natalie. “Because you’re doing it regularly, you don’t get a build-up of clutter. It’s a great way to finish off the working week and helps create an organised and productive start for Monday morning.”
What to try
- Belkin BoostCharge 10W Wireless Charging Pad with Cable Black
- Otto Monochrome Cement Pen Cup White
- Otto Recycled Magazine File Kraft
- Otto Pastel Magazine File Green
- Marbig Wire Instyle Magazine Rack Black
- Otto B5 Tri-fold Notebook Tan
- Otto Rattan Desk Riser with Drawers White
- Otto Grove Wooden Desk Lamp
SEE ALSO: Revamp Your Workspace With Simple and Stylish Updates
Consider Smart Home Office Storage
The key to maintaining a well organised, streamlined work area is to allocate a designated spot for everything. Natalie recommends the versatility of cube shelves like the Horsen cube bookcase. “They work well in a home office, living area, garage or by the front door. They’re a practical alternative to built-ins if you’re renting and if space is limited, you can stand them vertically.” The separate compartments are ideal for storing everything from office folders to kids’ craft supplies, toys and shoes, with the option to conceal the contents using cube inserts or storage cubes.
“When it comes to systems, having categories and labels on everything makes a huge difference. Not only do you know where things are supposed to go, but other family members do, too,” says Maria. She likes to use stackable Ezy Storage file boxes within cupboards. “We use colourful suspension files and coloured vinyl labelling to identify the contents or who it belongs to,” she says.
Beyond corralling office papers, file holders are also a handy storage solution throughout the home. “In the pantry we use them for holding tortilla wraps, they’re great for hair dryers and bottles in bathroom cabinets and in the garage for storing sandpaper packs and tools,” says Maria.
What to try
- Cobalt 3 Shelf Metal Shelving Unit White
- Horsen 8 Cube Bookcase White
- Horsen 4 Cube Bookcase White
- Copenhagen 3 Drawer Semi Assembled Filing Pedestal
SEE ALSO: 6 Clever Cube Storage Ideas to Organise Your Workspace
Choose Your Filing Style
Personal preference and quantity of paperwork often influences how it’s best stored, says Natalie. “I personally love using A4 two-ring binders and adding dividers for relevant categories like rates, phone, electricity and water bills, insurance and receipts. Setting up a folder for each financial year makes preparing paperwork for tax time easier and there’s an array of colours to choose from to ensure they suit your look,” she says.
To reduce paper clutter, Maria recommends going digital. “Consider scanning documents and switching utility bills to online statements, which can be stored on an external hard drive or cloud-based system. Just remember to shred documentation that contains personal information.” For any hard copies you wish to keep, Maria suggests using expanding files or document wallets.
