tips to declutter your home office

Today, more people than ever are working from home, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. According to Forbes, “68 percent of U.S. workers say that they expect to work remotely in the future."

But in order to be productive in the comfort of your home, you must have an organized office space. Here are some quick and simple tips to help make your home office a model of organization:

Dedicate a Space

declutter your home officeOne of the drawbacks of working from home is all of the distractions. Other members of your family want your attention. Household chores are never ending. And sometimes the TV, refrigerator, and sofa are just calling your name.

There is no way to eliminate these distractions, but you can minimize them by dedicating a room only for your home office. Make sure you have a few necessities -- a coffee machine, a small refrigerator, and a comfy chair -- to make your work environment comfortable. When you’re in that space, it’s easier to put yourself in the work mindset, and it’s a signal to your family that you shouldn’t be disturbed.

Try these 8 simple steps to avoid distractions in the home office.

Invest in Organization

A home office will typically have a lot of supplies - paper, staples, notepads, pens, books, and manuals. They can easily take over your workspace and lead to clutter and disorganization.

Any office supply retail store has a multitude of office organization products, from baskets and drawer dividers to desk caddies and utensil holders. These are a minimal investment that will pay huge dividends in helping you maintain order.

Try this fun and unique way to hide your router using typical office supplies.

Clean-Up Cords

Technology has enabled us to work nearly anywhere. But with all of these devices comes a snake pit of cords. Lots of them. Computers, phone chargers, internet routers, printers, not to mention plain old lamps.

Keeping these cords in check can be a challenge, but here are a few tips:

  • Invest in a good multi-plug surge protector that enables you to plug several devices into one outlet. This not only helps you keep them organized, but also protects your devices from power surges.
  • For cords that stay in place, use twist ties or zip ties to bind them all together, avoiding the tangled rat’s nest of cords that can sometimes form.
  • For cords that have to travel with you, such as laptop and phone chargers, get a sturdy nylon pencil pouch to put them in, so they don’t create a tangled mess in your briefcase. For those pesky earbuds, try these DIY organizers!

If your home office is cluttered and disorganized it can be difficult to be productive at home. The distractions that are part of working at home will become more pronounced.

When your home office is neat and organized, it creates a space that promotes creativity and nurtures productivity.

If you're looking for a home with an office, let us know! We can help you find a great home for your telecommuting needs. Give us a call today at

Posted by Larry Tollen on
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Good idea> Many years ago long before home offices were the rage, a good friend of mine, had his home office was in his basement with separate phone line from the home system, along with a special fax line. When the door to the basement was closed no one was to enter except in the case of an emergency like the house was on fire. When the door was open you were welcome to come down stairs or enter his office. He maintained the same concept until he retired in. His CPA told him by doing this concept helps when it comes to tax time.

Ron, thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Home offices absolutely need to be dedicated spaces if you're going to claim them as a deduction on your taxes.

Posted by Ron Reece on Sunday, July 30th, 2017 at 10:04am

You did such a nice job; everything looks great and creative ideas. This post is a great motivation for home organizers

Daren, thanks. Glad you enjoyed it and we appreciate you’re taking the time to let us know.

Posted by Daren Martin on Thursday, October 25th, 2018 at 11:25pm

I absolutely love, love, love notebooks. I just moved into a new office and need to buy supplies for it. But as you say, I'll use baskets and drawer dividers to keep my office organized.

Glad you enjoyed the article. Thanks for taking the time to post a comment . Larry @ My NC Homes

Posted by Johnny McCarron on Wednesday, August 28th, 2019 at 10:50pm

I did not know these ways to improve my storage space. Thanks for the tips !
Cam, Glad to hear you found our Blog helpful. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Lauren @ My NC Homes

Posted by Cam on Friday, November 20th, 2020 at 5:52am

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