An organized home office can help to improve focus and productivity. The key is to put organizational systems in place to prevent clutter from building up. That way, you'll feel prepared to tackle any project that comes your way.
Here are 11 home office organization ideas to take your workspace from chaotic to clutter-free.
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Keep Desk Accessories Clean and Simple
If you organize anything in your office, make it your desk. This desk from Fancy Things has several options to keep clutter off the surface with a cup for pens, a magazine holder for folders and small journals, and a stacked drawer unit on the far left that blends in seamlessly with the desk and wall. This design keep papers and other small items out of sight.
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Bring in Plenty of Shelving
No closet? No worries. Use open shelves to organize and style your home office. In this office by designer Joanna Whittaker, the two white shelves put a substantial amount of empty wall space to good use while leaving enough room for a floor lamp. The chic arrangement is kept organized with the use of two large baskets on the bottom shelves that hold the messier work items. Prevent books on shelves from looking too disorganized by keeping them in order using sturdy and decorative bookends.
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Customize a Working Wall Calendar
Placing a calendar on the wall helps you keep a better eye on your planning needs. The result? You'll feel far more efficient and in control of your time. This DIY calendar system from Polished Habitat adds coordinated and customized glamour to an office with other gold accents. Three frames were painted gold on the inside of the glass. White tape creates the boxes, and dates can be written in erasable ink or pinned with sticky notes.
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Organize Items in Cubbies
Do you have hard-to-store inventory or need to display items for guests who come to your home office? If so, a cubby system can be your best organizational tool. This stylist's cubby bookshelf elegantly holds jewelry and accessories.
The beauty of a cubby system is that it's naturally neat, symmetrical, and perfectly proportioned. Slide decorative storage baskets into cubbies to hide items small or items that would otherwise look disheveled.
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Maintain a Bin Organizing System
Just like cubbies, matching bins bring a look of orderliness to a home office. This flawlessly organized home office from A Beautiful Mess uses white bins with labels to contain tons of crafting supplies and other office essentials. Not every bin is identical, but even the ones that have a different design beautifully blend in to make the wall of storage work.
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Take Advantage of Paper Holders
Desktop paper holders and paper sorters are perennial office staples. These tools provide a simple way to hide all of those papers that are lingering around your workspace. A white desk sorter effortlessly blends in on the desk of this chic office from The Lovely Drawer.
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Surround Yourself With Beauty
Although it sounds counterintuitive, bringing beautiful objects into your office can be a way to organize your space. By surrounding yourself with items you cherish, you're more likely to keep your space free of junk so you can thoroughly enjoy your pieces without the interruption of clutter. That's the idea behind the small shelf in the corner of this office from 204 Park. The simple shelf showcases precious vases and gemstones that also serve as decor.
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Put Inspiration on Display
Pin inspiring clippings and random pieces of paper on a board or wall. By using your vertical space, you'll give them a place to live instead of left in a forgotten pile of papers. That's what Interior designer Vanessa Francis did in her home office by dedicating the space under her shelving and behind her monitor to thought-provoking imagery. It's also a way to liven up typically unused wall space.
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Install a Wall of Cabinets
If you have the space and budget, consider bringing in a bank of cabinets to improve your organization. A wall of built-in cabinets in this office by Rookery Design keeps items out of the way. Top cabinets with a countertop for extra workspace, or, head to IKEA for cabinetry that you can customize to fit in your office.
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Create a Command Center
Bring the same efficiency of a mudroom or kitchen family command center into your office. Create a home office station that includes your printer, a corkboard, files, and a calendar. The benefit of clustering essential items into a centralized area of your space means you have immediate access to critical paperwork and supplies, preventing them from being misplaced and cluttering other areas of your office. A small table creates the base of operations for a few well-chosen items in this home office by Interior Love Affair.
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Use Desktop Drawers
A desk can be both functional and beautiful. The cubbies, computer stand, and roomy woven baskets on this desk are there to help keep everything organized. And the houseplants, terrarium, and framed art look warm and inviting. A tower of drawers works well as a desk base. Plus, a set of lightweight desktop drawers works well as a catch-all for clutter.