Four-fifths of company decision-makers and 70% of the general public believe our city centres have changed forever and won't return to the pre-pandemic levels of commuters going to the office each day.
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Why is decluttering important?
If you're planning on setting up a productive home office, you'll need to declutter your spare room to make it into an efficient work space. The obvious benefit of working in a tidy environment is being able to find everything you need without rummaging through mounds of surplus junk.
In addition, decluttering helps to improve our general wellbeing - physically, mentally and emotionally. You may not realise how much of a negative impact living in chaos has on your life, as it can cause significant stress.
Apart from general cleaning taking much longer, it's difficult to keep track of your possessions, so you spend ages looking for missing items, or even have to buy new ones. A feeling of discontent can result from an untidy workspace, leading to anxiety and depression over time.
Due to the embarrassment, you won't be able to invite any business contacts to see you. As there is visual disarray, you will probably find it difficult to feel relaxed or comfortable there, because the visual clutter is distracting. You may feel like your "to-do" list never ends, so you could become less productive.
What do you need for a home office?
It's quite simple to complete a bedroom-to-home-office conversion by working to a plan. Choose the most suitable space in your home, in terms of the size, electrical sockets, lighting, broadband access, privacy and noise levels. Design it around your individual needs: choose a desk large enough for your office essentials, without overpowering the room and you will need a comfortable chair to give your back the correct support.
Think about your needs: if you have to take Zoom calls during the day, consider creating an aesthetic background. If you have a lot of paperwork and books, you might need a larger desk. If you want a scenic view, so you can have a serene moment while thinking problems through, pick a room with a view - but have blinds so it doesn't become a constant distraction!
Don’t forget storage solutions. If your work needs a lot of supplies or paperwork, you need sufficient space to store everything. Knowing what you're going to need ahead of time will help you decide how the end product should look.
Other important factors include waste bins and stationery such as paper, envelopes, staples, paperclips, pens and more. Consider spare charger cables or power cables for electronic devices to avoid downtime if something breaks.
Organise storage space
Existing household items removed from the new home office space need to be put into safe storage in another part of the house. Don't leave them in the same room, or it will start to look cluttered again before you start. Use clear plastic airtight storage boxes to keep the contents clean and damp-free, while enabling you to see at a glance what's inside.
Next, organise efficient storage solutions for your office equipment and stationery. In a corporate office, you would probably have filing cabinets - but you have a lot more options for compact storage: The world-renowned Really Useful Boxes offer a uniform range of clear plastic storage containers in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from 0.2 litres to 145 litres.
Invest in a shelving unit so all your stationery and other boxes can be kept together and also for an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Where should you put your rubbish?
Most workplaces have a recycling scheme, making it important that people working from a home office should implement one too.
A survey of 4,700 adults, Wrap's Recycling Tracker Report, revealed 89% of UK adults were recycling regularly. Invest in some recycling storage waste bins to keep your waste organised, as you would in a corporate office.
Many items can be left out for kerbside collection by the local authority, including paper, which will make up the bulk of your waste. Check on the council's website to see what they will take.
Finally, when you've finished with the practical design of your home office, add some personal touches. You'll probably spend a lot of time in there, so ensure it fits your personality and brings you joy. Include photos, or some meaningful memorabilia on your desk or shelves.
If you love the space you are working in, you will likely get a lot more done!