Wouldn’t it be nice to walk into your home office and be able to find exactly what you need, right away? Imagine the time you’d save – time you could instead spend on your family, friends and stepping up your business.

With a little time, effort and – most importantly – the right organizing tools, you can make this a reality! Transform your home office from a cluttered catch-all to an efficient, well-functioning space that does what it’s supposed to do: help you achieve your biggest business goals.

Start small

This might sound counterintuitive, but the best way to ensure that you achieve a fully-organized home office is to start small.

Pick one thing that needs attention – like your papers or your filing cabinet – and tackle that from start to finish. Redoing your entire office is a big undertaking, so unless you have a full weekend to devote to it, it’s more realistic to organize one area at a time.

Clear out and organize your papers

A great first step is to clear out all the papers in your office, whether they’re stacked on your desk or spilling from your filing cabinet. Take this chance to scrub the cleared-off areas, too, so you’ll have a perfectly clean space to work with.

Then use the rule of threes to organize to sort your stacks: one pile to toss or shred, one to file and one that needs action.

A couple of Fold N’ Files in a color that complements your home décor work well to store the important documents you need to keep accessible.

Use creative storage solutions to better utilize space

Often, a home office is part of a shared space, which means getting creative with your storage.

Portable storage like the new-for-spring Your Way Display Bin not only gives you a handy place to store loose odds and ends like staplers, calculators and pens, but it also lets you combine (and carry) multiple solutions to best fit your needs: Think Double Duty Caddies for paperwork, Mini Storage Bins for crafts or a Mini Catch-All Bin for gift-wrapping supplies. The result? A clean, uncluttered home office with more desk space where you need it.

Incorporate a larger tote or storage container to help you stay organized

Since it’s inevitable that certain items will make it into your office that don’t belong there, keep a portable tote or storage container under your desk to toss them into. A Catch-All Bin, Your Way Rectangle or Your Way Rectangle Basket all work well for catching your miscellaneous bits and pieces. Don’t forget to color-coordinate for added appeal!

Once a day or once a week, take the container with you through the house to return your stray items to where they belong.

An organized home office doesn’t have to be just a dream. Once you’ve transformed your space, share your pictures with us! We love seeing newly organized spaces that make great use of our fun and functional Thirty-One Gits products. Tag us using #thirtyoneWithAshley to show off your new look!