I know I’m extremely lucky to work from home, but there’s no denying that it also has its downsides - especially if you have a small house like me. My ‘home office’ also serves as the spare guest bedroom, junk room, and the just-about-anything-else room, and the constant clutter seriously impacts my productivity (sorry, boss).
And while I’ve been making a conscious effort to add things that people with a tidy home always have to my house over the past few months, my work-from-home space has always slipped to the bottom of the priority list. But now I’m finally putting myself - and my work first - in an effort to make my home office more streamlined, efficient, and organised.
That’s why I’ve been taking stock of the things people with a tidy home office always have and adding them to my basket to boost productivity, organise my desk and create a workspace to be proud of. And I thought I’d share them with you, too.
1. A cable management system
It’s surprising how something so small and unassuming can make such a big impact, but wires and chargers can instantly clutter a home office. This is something that really grinds my gears, as I have a desktop computer, a laptop, a clock and a lamp on my desk - which means I’ve also had to add an ugly extension lead into the mix.
The result is a messy work area covered in wires, chargers, and leads, which are all very distracting. That’s why I’m going to invest in a cable management system to hide the wires without hindering their practicality. My first step is to buy a much prettier extension lead, like this sage green Cube Extension Lead with USB Slots (£17.99 at Amazon). It comes in three other colourways, too.
People with tidy home offices also make the most of cable tidies and boxes to keep these extension leads out of sight, and I’m also considering where I can cut cords out of the equation altogether. Dunelm’s new cordless lamp range seems like a good first step to do that.
These clips can be attached to the back of a desk to tidy up all of your wires, from computer power cords to your phone charger.
This no-drill desk cable management tray lets you hide all kinds of extension leads and wires in it, and is a bestseller on Amazon.
Both practical and stylish, this cable management set comes with two organiser boxes in two different sizes to control your cables.
2. Desk organisers
Although I work primarily online, a lot of my personal life also seeps into my office space. It’s the place where I store all of my stationery, printer and printer paper, and a lot of paperwork in general. And since I don’t have much storage in my home office, it tends to get dumped on my desk, which means almost all the clutter is limited to one small space.
Not only is this not conducive to a productive work environment, but it also means that a lot of things go missing. In fact, I’m notoriously bad at losing important documents like utility bills and bank statements, and I’ve even lost my marriage certificate before (thank goodness for spares). That’s where desk organisers can come in.
Desk organisers make up one of the best home office storage ideas as they’re small but effective. They also come in so many different shapes and forms, from stationery pots to paperwork trays and more.
Incorporating a desk organiser into a computer stand is a genius idea, and this one has two drawers for all of your bits and bobs.
Available in 16 different colourways, this desk organiser is both cheap and cheerful. It also has seven compartments for desktop organisation.
I love the woven design of this document holder, and it's ideal for keeping important paperwork to hand - while also keeping them organised in a home office.
3. A wall-mounted memo board
For me, my home office is so much more than just a place to work. It’s also the place I venture when I want to sort out my calendar for the month, and tackle any household admin tasks that need to be ticked off the to-do list. That’s why I’m going to invest in a wall-mounted memo board, too.
I was inspired to do this by Jenny, our Senior Digital Editor, who bought one for her family command centre to banish clutter in her home, and I think it can work just as well in a home office, too. It’ll become the place I hang up any important documents, post reminders to myself, and even keep track of any work ideas that come to mind throughout the day.
This should banish the pile of Post-It notes that get stuck to my desk and the other clutter that fills the rest of the room. I’m also hoping that by creating a system where I choose what goes onto the memo board and what doesn’t, it’ll also help me get rid of things that I would often keep hold of just because.
This is so much more than just a wire memo board. It's actually two panels with a pack of clips, four hooks, and even some twine and fair lights to make it pretty.
Scallops are still huge, and this scalloped peg board is a beauty. It also comes in a sandstone colourway if the sage doesn't quite fit your home office decor.
This is the memo board that Jenny bought for her home, and I love the use of the cork material. This set includes four 30x30cm boards and one larger 40x60cm board.
4. A desk with storage
One of the biggest mistakes I made when buying furniture for my home office was buying a desk without storage. It’s the largest piece of furniture in the room (aside from a sofa bed and an overflow wardrobe that’s filled with clothes), and I assumed that a smaller, sleeker design would suit my home office idea.
The reality is that no desk storage means all of the ugly-but-practical items in the room have to stay on show, making the space look extremely cluttered. That’s why I’m going to follow in the footsteps of things that people with a tidy home office have and invest in a new desk with storage - whether that be one with drawers or cupboards.
The beauty of having a desk like that in a workspace like mine is that it can be used for work items and home items - and serve as an extra piece of storage when I’m dealing with a multi-purpose room that has to be a home office and a spare room at the same time. But more than anything, it will free up space and banish clutter… hopefully!
This desk has over 5,500 reviews on Argos, and for £80 you definitely get a lot - including six colourway options and a storage desk with three large drawers and shelves on the side.
It may be slightly pricier than average, but you can't deny that this desk is stunning. It's made from mango wood, has carved wood fronts, and has two cupboards with two shelves.
With four colourways to choose from, this writing desk also features a scalloped edge and comes with two drawers for extra storage.
My once-cluttered home office won't know what's hit it when I'm done with it!
