5 Proven Tips to Declutter Your Home Office by Year's End

Todd Saieva • November 20, 2023

With the approach of the new year comes the opportunity to pare down, start fresh, and make resolutions for the coming year. While a few of those might revolve around lifestyle goals, you might also want to optimize your home office to make work days better for you. From breaking the project down into manageable steps to removing items that don’t belong, adding new storage options, and more, we’ve got the tips you need to declutter your home office by year’s end.

Once you’re ready to get your home office decluttered, you should:

Break the project down into manageable steps
Remove any items that don’t belong
Add some new storage options
Archive and digitize whenever possible
Remember that labels are your friend

Now let’s dive into the details of each step and see how you can declutter your home office by the end of the year.

Break the Project Down Into Manageable Steps

There’s nothing worse than starting a decluttering project, only to get completely overwhelmed by all you need to do. In situations like these, it’s all too easy to fall into analysis paralysis and find yourself unable to take that first and most important step.

To avoid this problem, you can break the project down into smaller steps. Maybe you’ll start by getting the surface of your desk clean and clear, then move on to organizing your filing cabinet. Whatever works best for you, it’ll help to know you can handle this in small, digestible chunks.

Remove Any Items That Don’t Belong

Take a look at your work desk. Are there a few old mugs sitting there you haven’t taken to the kitchen? Maybe a book you brought in for break time but finished reading? As with any other part of the home, it’s easy for things to end up where they don’t belong.

While this isn’t a problem at first, it can easily add up and make it harder to find space for the things you do need to keep in your home office.

Add Some New Storage Options

If your home office is messy, you might jump to blaming yourself, but more often than not, the prime driver of clutter and mess is a lack of proper storage options. If you have too many papers accumulating, it might be time to invest in a filing cabinet or even just a three-ring binder. If you have miscellaneous office supplies everywhere, you might invest in a wire mesh basket to keep things where they belong. Whatever works for you is what’s best.

Archive and Digitize Whenever Possible

We may live in a digital information age, but it’s still just as common to be overwhelmed with documents and old files you can’t seem to find room for anywhere else. For important documents you need to physically store, a binder or filing cabinet is your best bet.

With that said, wherever possible, you should try to digitize documents and shred/remove them from your home office. As long as your workplace allows it, there’s no reason you should find yourself under a mountain of paperwork if you can instead store all of that in the cloud.

Remember That Labels Are Your Friend

As the organization pros at Bob Vila point out, one great way to get your home office in order is to section off certain areas based on how you tend to get your work done. Along that line, having a proper labeling system can go a long way toward helping you keep everything in order.

Instead of having to dig through stacks of papers or rifle through drawers to find what you need, you can have clear, legible labels to help you find exactly what you’re looking for without any undue hassle.

Conclusion

With the new year comes new opportunities to make and stick to resolutions, simplify your life, and start fresh. By following these tips and getting a little creative in your approach, you’ll be able to get the new year off on the right track.