3 Steps to Creating An Office Space You Love
Have you ever walked into someone’s house or a place of business and thought “Oooo this is so…inviting” that you just wanted to stay for a while or move in? The surroundings seemed to summon you, make you feel instantly at ease and enveloped in the space. Where were you when you last felt that way? Calm, inspired, energized all at the same time. Is that even possible? You know it is! As our homes reflect our taste, life and personality so do our workspaces. As an organizer many of my clients have chaotic lives. I always find that their homes and offices reflect their lifestyle. They are often unorganized stem to stern; the house, color, furniture and layout are often chaotic, too. I compare the surroundings to the feeling of chaos when all my children are asking me a question at the same time while I’m on the phone and making dinner all at once. It does happen, I hate to admit it, but it does. How do we organize and build an aesthetically pleasing environment that promotes creativity and inspiration? Aesthetics means appreciating beauty. This is so important as an entrepreneur. We are loving our chosen field, competing with the big guys and doing it ourselves while balancing the daily lives of our family. Beauty around us sparks inspiration.
Sit down and write some of your thoughts to the following questions.
1. Do I have an efficient filing system? 2. Are there to many papers, office supplies, electronic cords on your desk and surrounding areas? 3. Do I feel inspired by my surroundings? Does it reflect my personality an image I would like to portray? There are doable solutions to these questions. Much like looking through the pages of Real Simple magazine we can create “calm” and increase production in our own environments.
1. Start with your filing system
What do you need to keep on file? Keep in mind that many copies of the documents we need are available on line. It is not necessary to keep a year worth of electric bills. A simple file marked “Utilities” will do the trick. When you receive the new bill throw the old one out. So many of our bills can be paid on line. This saves the company time and money; it can do the same for us. The information you need to do this is usually on your bill or the companies website. Keep to major categories for your files and avoid subcategorizing everything. For example, banking. If you have several bank accounts and need to keep original documents and loan agreements, use one hanging file and mark it banking. Within that insert separate folders for each account. Anything that has to do with banking will be confined to one area. Color-coding your categories with folders that have fun designs add spunk to any file drawer.
2. What about our daily paperwork shuffle?
This is where you can be creative and add beauty and inspiration to your workspace. First notice what type of papers and items that end up taking over your workspace. Divide those items into categories. Since the things on our work surface are typically the ones we use the most we need to create easy to reach zones for each. A drawer with properly fitting dividers works well for paperclips, post-it notes, scissors etc. If you are constantly using pencils and pen chose a holder for your desk that fits the look you are going for. On your work surface chose a freestanding file holder. Next select 3 to 4 folders and label. (Preferably with a labeler, they're worth the minor cost.) a. To Do b. Urgent c. To File d. Call List The files can be customized to your daily workings. It helps to write down your daily tasks to figure out the categories. Store the other categories in zones of like items such as copy paper, order forms, receipts and other items used frequently. As far as the electrical cords go, there are many cord tamers available at your local organizing stores. Or simply purchase some zip lines for a few dollars from a hardware store to keep cords at bay.
3. Think about the last time you felt like a million bucks
I bet you were having a good hair day looked extra sassy in your outfit and how you felt resonated to those around you. Just like when the home or shop you entered that instantly made you feel inspired. Does your office make you feel that way when you’re in it? What is your style? Do you need calm and serene for inspiration or colorful and patterned to get the creative juices going. Whatever your flavor, here are a couple ideas for you to implement easily. There are many different styles of files available. Some with soft colors such as sage or linen, others with fun and funky brightly colored patterns. Organize your desk top into the divided categories and arrange them into color-coordinated boxes that match your files. Purchase these containers in similar sizes, which is more pleasing to the eye and balances the space. Add an inspirational item that keeps you going such as your favorite vase or a beautiful painting you found in an antique store. These items add the “Oooo” to the feeling of the room. Be creative. Treat your workspace the way you want your home to feel. Remember it’s for you, a reflection of the image you want to portray. If a client were to visit you today, would they be impressed? You want to them to think, “Wow, this woman knows what she is doing” and trusts you to make the right decisions for them. The important element is that you have to feel like a million bucks in your own space first and the rest will resonate outward. About Julie Verleger, founder of Organized Home:Over the past 6 years, Organized Home has created peace and order in the homes and offices of many satisfied clients. "Our lives are busy, we wear many hats and our days are packed with responsibility. I know first hand the crazyness life can give us, Julie says." Julie runs a successful business and manages a household with 3 children, a spouse and several pets. Julie understands the need to be organized at home, in business and scheduling.