Whether you are trying to organize your regular office space, or spruce up one from home, now is the perfect time to take your space from a drab, sterile space to one that brings you both function and joy. If that space is a combined work office and home office, you can even make sure that it can accommodate both duties seamlessly with the right organization and tools. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Purge Your Space – Can you remember the last time you really cleaned both inside and outside your desk? If not, start by taking out each piece of paper, all
   
   office supplies, literally everything and leave just your computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Next, sort through those items you removed. Consider trying the three-pile method: keep, trash, donate. Put all the items in one of the piles. This will allow you to focus on keeping what it important and minimize the amount of “stuff” you have in your space.
2. Keep Things Simple – Although it may be tempting to design your digs to your 
   liking and have mounds of photos and plants in your office, it might be best to keep clutter to a minimum. Consider keeping only one personal item that means something to you. The rest of them, try to find them a new home, even if that means recycling, donating, or trashing the rest.
3. Create a Dedicated Workspace – Right now many of us have “coworkers” aka 
   
4. “kids” that don’t understand that you need to get into work mode and focus so you can be more productive. A home office doesn’t necessarily mean 4 walls with a door and may mean setting up your space at the dining room table. To get your coworkers involved in your quest for a functional, organized space, get them in on the set up. They might have really useful ideas, and at the least, it will help them understand that your workspace and time is important to you.
5. Set up a System – Even the most organized person can get overwhelmed, especially if they are working from home. Invest in some organizational tools to help you keep everything in its place. This about how you do you work. Do you need hard copies of paperwork and files to organize them? If possible, consider moving your filing system to the cloud and take your office paperless.
6. Go Vertical – You know that storage is important in any office, regardless of the size. And even if your office is paperless, there’s still going to be supplies and
   
   other items you will use to make your home office functional. The dilemma is that so many offices only have a limited amount of space. That’s where vertical storage becomes your friend. Use the walls to create organizational space that is both functional and beautiful.
7. Create a Pending Bin – Do you find yourself waiting on a reply from your boss before you can wrap up a project? Those piles can stack up and create clutter. Consider placing a bin on your desk, or wall, where these temporarily pending items have a home until you can clear them.
8. Don’t Break the Bank – You don’t need to spend a fortune organizing and beautifying your office space. Think about items that can pull double, or even triple duty. A variety of storage containers can be found at discount stores and hold a lot of supplies. Don’t think you have to buy all new gear either. Look around your home for items that you can repurpose. Old jars make great pencil holders, for example.

Having an office space that is clutter free and clean is one of the first steps to better productivity and workflow. And as if being able to find what you need isn’t enough, you’ll also enjoy the image of professionalism that your space relays to visitors, your coworkers, and more. Not only will your space be easier to maintain once it is cleaned, but you’ll be motivated to keep it neat and tidy too.