Working From Home: How to Stay Organized and On Track

Brooke Chaplan

October 04, 2013


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Struggling with self-discipline while you work from home? Working from home can be extremely rewarding, but admittedly it can be hard to focus at times. Here are a few tools, toys, and supplies to keep you focused and on the job even if you are doing it all in your pajamas.

Supply Organizers

Stop losing an entire afternoon searching for your paperclips. Invest in or invent some kind of system where everything is easily in reach, and all together. You could donate a drawer to it, for example, or buy a supply organizer where everything has its designated place. If you don't feel like spending money on more office supplies, you can also use an empty ice cube tray to keep smaller supplies in their place.

Cord Covers

If the tangle of cords behind your desk resembles Christmas lights right out of the box, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get those puppies organized. Don't waste time trying to shape them back into straight lines; instead, just buy cable covers, preferably in different colors, or with different labels, and then you'll always know what goes where, even when the cords resume their place in the pile.

Paper Racks

File cabinets are going the way of the dinosaur, so try your luck with an on-desk paper rack instead. They are an easy way to keep things neat and tidy, and as a bonus, having all your paperwork right in front of you makes it harder for you to procrastinate and ignore it.

Rolodex

Forgotten another password or random company log-on? Try storing them in a rolodex. If you're concerned about security, you can always just leave yourself hints instead of actual passwords. Make sure you have them organized by which you use the most or least.

Pen Holder

Most people just throw a cup on their desk and call it a day. These people, incidentally, are the ones who are always losing their pens, because they don't know how many they have, and aren't keeping track of them. Buy a pen holder with a finite number of holes, and then fill every single one of them. Before you retire for the night, make sure every hole is filled once again.

Wastebasket

All trash goes in the wastebasket. Wait, read it again: All trash goes in the wastebasket. Stop leaving your crumpled-up papers on the edge of your desk, and your candy wrappers hanging out with those paperclips you still haven't put away. Buy yourself a wastebasket and sit on it if you have to, because the number one method of maintaining a neat, clutter-free office is by cleaning up behind yourself.

These are just a few ways to stay organized while you're working at home. At the end of the day it all comes down to your own commitment to making it work, so good luck!