Organization is Hard for Everyone

Do you ever catch a glimpse of that dreaded pile of papers in the corner of your desk? Does your office chair serve as a location to drop clean laundry?

Here at Office Upgraded, we know staying organized can require a lot of time and effort – that’s why we have come up with a few ways to make it easier for you. Whether you have a dedicated office or are working from the kitchen table, Office Upgraded has the solution for you!

If your home office seems overly small and crowded, the problem may not be the square footage! If you have papers piled up on shelves, bulky bookcases, and a messy desk, the clutter is likely the issue.

Check out the list below to find great, practical storage solutions for your home office! We include tips and tricks to keep your space neat, along with potential purchases to help with storage.

Keep in mind, having an organized workspace can improve your productivity and communication skills while at work.

If you find yourself running out of desk space, you can nearly double your workspace with a height adjustable desk. This gives you a multitude of options for storage, including adding more underneath your desk. Not only that, some height adjustable desks come with platforms with space for more than one monitor.

You can add a 3-drawer file cabinet beneath your adjustable desk, like this one from poppin.com:

If you need more office supply and computer storage, you can pick a desk like this FlexiSpot Standing Desk. A height adjustable desk like this will allow you to customize the height of your desk, create space underneath your desk, and provide multiple surfaces for storage and use.

Check out our article on the best standing desks at officeupgraded.com. Additionally, if you simply want an updated desk, but don’t want to stand, check out Cool, Classy, and Uncluttered Desks for 2021.

With all that extra workspace, it can be helpful to have a Desk Organizer to go along with it. Container Store has a hugeee selection of collections, including the Graphite Stockholm Collection to help organize your desk.

For only $12.99, you can customize your workspace and have plenty of available storage. Plus, these products are constructed using heavyweight, 70% post-consumer recycled paperboard so they are functional, environmentally friendly, and sure to survive whatever stuff you throw in them.

If you get a new desk and new desk organization systems, a space saving chair is a wonderful next purchase. If you need a small, but timeless and comfortable chair, this Executive Office Chair will make you feel professional and improve your office space.

With a grey and white option, this chair is made of microfiber leather to offer sumptuous material and a timeless silhouette. While this office chair is similar to traditional chairs, it offers a contemporary look and touch. Adjustable and moveable with caster wheels, this chair is a great addition to your office. It allows you to save space with its small size, and quickly roll it aside or beneath the desk if needed.

A desk and chair might not be enough to keep you organized, so another great way to reduce clutter is to digitize your paper storage. For a lot of people, most clutter originates from notes, print-outs, paper, and files laying about on the desk.

However, that is an easily fixable issue! For the most part, try to keep your files in easily accessible, organized online storage. Something like Google Drive can help a lot! Plus, with Google Drive you can collaborate with others and increase workplace connection and productivity.

If one of your main organizational challenges is your computer (and its associated parts), organizing your wires and cables can make your space seem much neater. With little effort, you can install a cable tray like this Cable Tray from autonomous.ai.

With a solid steel and anti-rust finish, and easy installation without drilling required, these are functional, useful, and aesthetically pleasing. 

If you want a quick fix, rather than purchasing a cable tray you can use electrical tape to ball up your cords in an organized fashion. Without letting them get tangled, these cables can then be tucked away behind your desk or computer. Out of sight, out of mind.

If most of your cords are for charging, a Charging Station like this 8 Device Quick Charging Station from sharperimage.com can provide all the organization you need. This charging hub allows you to connect any USB device, including phones, tablets, iPods, and computers. This is ideal for your home office, and keeps everything organized with almost no extra effort!

For those files that just have to be paper, grab a nice filing cabinet. A small, but functional, filing cabinet like the Realspace 22” Vertical 2-Drawer File Cabinet can be fashionable and useful. Helping you configure your space using adaptable pieces, allowing for 45 lbs of storage per drawer, and providing security with a removable lock, this file cabinet is perfect for the less-than-organized office space.

Check this out at officedepot.com.

Of course, with file cabinets, you also need file folders. Take a peek at target.com for a number of great options, including this 12-Pack Geometric Decorative File Folder set.

And, once you’ve organized your large papers, if you still like to keep notes or pictures at your desk, a small pinboard is a must have!

For one that matches a mid-century modern office, and takes up that empty wall space behind your desk, this Mid Century Pinboard from West Elm provides a place to put your child’s artwork, family pictures, important meeting notes, and anything else you need.

Even with pin boards and file folders, one of the key ways to stay organized is simply to prevent clutter from accumulating in the first place. If you can get your desk organized, make sure to take a couple of minutes at the beginning and end of each day to put things away.

By giving everything a particular location and purpose, it allows you to focus and function in a neat, organized, and clean environment.

Sometimes, organization isn’t about what you can buy to hide your mess. It is about keeping that mess and clutter away, and making your office presentable for any on camera interactions. Speaking of cameras, if you need to get your office camera ready, check out our article on How to Design a Zoom-Friendly Home Office.

Keep these tips in mind when organizing your office: 

1. Get a height-adjustable desk
2. Utilize a desk organizer
3. Purchase a space saving chair
4. Digitize your paper storage
5. Organize your wires and cables
6. Purchase a charging station 
7. Use a pinboard to keep your notes neat
8. Prevent clutter from accumulating

And check out the above products at these links: 

1. Poppin File Cabinet
2. FlexiSpot Standing Desk
3. Graphite Stockholm Collection
4. Executive Office Chair
5. Google Drive
6. Cable Tray
7. 8 Device Quick Charging Station
8. Realspace 22” Vertical 2-Drawer File Cabinet
9. 12-Pack Geometric Decorative File Folder
10. Mid Century Pinboard

Don’t forget to glance at some other relevant articles, including: 

1. Cool, Classy, and Uncluttered Desks for 2021
2. How to Design a Zoom-Friendly Home Office

And finally, keep a lookout for other interesting articles on officeupgraded.com.