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Spruce Up Your Home: A Guide to Budget-Friendly Decorating

February 7, 2024

by Jenny Morin and Sharon Wagner

attractive living room sofa with cushions

Spruce up Your Home: A Guide to Budget-friendly Decluttering & Decorating

Is your space lacking that spark? The atmosphere might need a spruce up, and the good news is it won’t break your budget.

We will dive into uncomplicated, effective ways to invigorate and energize your home.

Give Old Furniture a New Lease on Life

Before you discard that aging sofa or dining table, think about giving it a second life. By sanding down rough edges, applying a fresh coat of paint, or reupholstering the cushions, you not only save money, but also create a piece that’s uniquely yours.

This form of recycling is also environmentally friendly. Plus, the satisfaction of reviving something old can be deeply rewarding.

Delegate the Fix-it Jobs With a Home Maintenance App

Problems like a leaky faucet or a drafty window need attention but can often be time consuming. By outsourcing these tasks to a skilled handyman or repair service, you can free up your own time for activities that you enjoy.

See Jenny’s blog about outsourcing here. https://efficientspaces.org/how-much-does-a-professional-organizer-cost-anyway/

If you are a DIYer, utilizing a home repair app to is convenient, and can help eliminate repair-related stress. You can fix a problem while a trained professional skilled in general repairs walks you through the entire process.

Hire a Professional Organizer

A professional organizer can transform and declutter your space into an efficient, well-ordered home, making your life more productive and stress-free.

In her book, Get Organized Quick, Jenny talks about how to set up a mail zone that will eliminate the piles of unopened mail. Avoid late fees and the overwhelm created by visual clutter when you follow her tips!

Other areas that easily turn into dump zones are the kitchen counters and dining table. When you declutter your space, you’ll be able to invite people over without stress.

When you have clear kitchen surfaces, (and a home for food & tools) everything is faster. Meal preparation and sitting down to eat at a table together are important daily activities!

If you haven’t received Jenny’s Give it a home: 111 Ideas to find homes for your Stuff please check it out. Anyone who signs up for my blog gets it free!  

Play with Textiles and Materials

Having a singular texture or material throughout your home can make it look and feel bland. To spruce up your rooms, consider adding a blend of textiles and materials.

For example, a metal coffee table might pair well with a wooden bookshelf, while a velvet sofa can be spruced up with contrasting silk throw pillows. This creates tactile as well as visual richness.

Scan Papers to Declutter

Decluttering your space by digitizing papers not only saves physical space but also makes document management more efficient. Using a mobile scanning app to quickly scan a document, you can easily convert all your important documents into digital formats, making them accessible anytime, anywhere.

Scanning eliminates a huge amount of paper clutter. Jenny approves of scanning; just make sure to store any documents you’ve scanned in assigned folders so you can find them later!

Scanning paper with your phone camera is easy, and you can create folders in your phone’s digital ‘photo album’.

You can store them in the cloud as well, on Google drive, Box or Dropbox, for example, which is a huge step to declutter your space.

Some documents you do need to keep (deeds, titles, legal documents and other signed documents). However, most tax preparers accept and encourage digital supporting documents and expense receipts now.

Boost Comfort with Cushions

Boost Comfort with Cushions

A straightforward way to amplify both the comfort and appearance of your living room is through accent cushions. Bamboo fiber pillows are not just comfortable, but also have the added advantage of being durable. As for maintenance, it’s advisable to fluff them regularly and use washable pillowcases that can be easily cleaned.

If your furniture is neutral colors, choose cushions & accents with bold colors like reds and yellows to brighten up your living room. This will punch up the color & add variety.

Switch Up Window Dressings

The drapery or window blinds you choose can dramatically change the mood of a room. The right choice will serve as a beautiful backdrop, subtly elevating the entire space. Whether you opt for something light and airy, like sheers, or a solid color for privacy, make sure it meshes well with the existing color palette.

Streamline Your Living Areas

High-traffic areas in your home, like the kitchen and restroom, often end up being cluttered. Investing in some nifty organizational solutions such as spice racks, drawer dividers, or vanity trays can make a world of difference.

With everything in its designated place, your daily tasks become a breeze. Your quality of life is enhanced when we declutter your space.

Finding homes or enclosed spaces for the types of things that clutter up your surfaces is a key to living an uncluttered life. Things like keys, glasses, remotes, purses, wallets, etc. need a place to ‘live’.

Why Everything Needs a Home

  1. So you can find items when needed
  2. So clutter doesn’t take over your desk or dining table

I found a solution for my teenager leaving his wallet and keys scattered around the house. I gave him a 10-inch wide basket to hold his personal stuff and put it on a corner of the counter. (I don’t let people put their stuff on my kitchen desk.) This works great for him—as long as he puts his stuff there when he gets home, that is!

Conclusion

Ready to declutter your life and boost your productivity? Visit Efficient Spaces now and transform your space today!

You don’t have to go through a major renovation to bring zest and flair back to your home.

With straightforward solutions like digitizing your documents and hiring a professional organizer to declutter your space, your home will be transformed into a place of beauty, comfort, and efficiency. Make just a few key changes, and you’ll see your place re-energized!

Resources:

Thank you to guest blogger Sharon Wagner for contributing to our article!

Invite a friend to check out this great resource with pictures & links:

Find Homes for All Your Stuff: 111 Ideas

Jenny’s book Get Organized Quick: 15 Minutes a Day to Organize Your Life

by Jennifer Morin
messy, cluttered professional desk

6 Habits Keeping You Disorganized—And How to Fix Them

July 12, 2023
hoarder kitchen messy cluttered

Do you do this? The habit of leaving everything out so you can find it later? Many people make this organizing goof. But the tips in this article will give you some great ideas and propel you to new habits to keep you organized.

Don’t worry, if you put it away, you will be able to find it – whatever it is.

Habit 1

I have no place to put this paper, so I’ll leave it on my desk.

This problem is easily solved. Decide a name that makes sense and make a file for this information, or deal with it (if it’s there as a reminder) by completing the task.

For organized files that are not too cramped, follow these two guidelines:

  • Be careful not to be too specific, or you’ll have files
  • with only one or two pieces of paper.
  • The same goes for file names that are too broad. The goal is to find your docs quickly, so more than 20 pieces of paper for a file hints that it needs to be divided into more specific subcategories. Try putting a few manilla files inside of a hanging file folder to accomplish this.
messy, cluttered professional desk

Habit 2

I leave everything out so I can find it later. I’m afraid if I put it away, I won’t find it again.

You might say, ‘I’m a visual person; I need to leave my stuff out so I can find it!’

It’s pretty obvious why this belief/ habit leads to a messy life. Does this mean all the pots and pans stay on the counter so you can find them? You’ll end up with no counter space to actually make meals.

What about art supplies, will they all be on your easel?  There won’t be enough room to create a piece of art.

For me, saying you’re a visual person is not a reason to leave everything out. I’m a visual person, and I put things away, almost obsessively.

What you’re saying is: I don’t have a system (a consistent ‘home’ for each type of item) for my stuff. So, if I put my headphones in this drawer, I worry I won’t find them again.

When you establish a system, either with my expertise or by doing it yourself, you will have the confidence that when you put items away, you’ll find them again.

We do this by establishing a system that makes sense to you.

And we use labels to mark shelves cabinets, and storage containers.

files

Habit 3

Inconsistent filing

‘I have multiple files for my receipts, paperwork, and even for projects. Sometimes I have to look in four different files for the paperwork I need, and sometimes I cannot find it at all.’

This points to a lack of a system in your filing. Organized files will save you so much time! An inconsistent system or imprecise filing habits can cause delays, inability to find documents, and even panic when you are unable to locate the info you need for a client or determine if you paid a certain bill or a vendor.

Not only that, but gathering info for taxes will be a nightmare.

A system is only as good as the maintenance you put into it!

Jenny Morin

It’s good to be proactive with filing, and to have only one place for each type of document. Decide at the beginning what will go where for organized files.

For example, say you have a very basic filing system, one file for each month, where you put most receipts and payments. Do you put the receipt for a project started in May but finished in June in the May folder or the June folder?

To avoid confusion and wasted time, decide at the outset whether to put receipts for that project in the starting month OR the finishing month. If you tend to forget, you can write it down.

cluttered disorganized shared desk

 A commercial client I work with doesn’t have a consistent habit with his monthly files, so he currently must look in both month’s files to find what he needs. We are working on creating a better system

and filing habits for him. The search for the right receipt becomes more difficult and takes longer when there are 30 sheets of paper in each file.

But won’t I have to go through all my files to fix my filing system? you ask.

Yes, you will. Or you can hire an organizer! If you’re serious about being able to find documents, you’ll have to go through each file and move the ones that need to go into a different file. Organizers call this sorting, and it’s one of the main actions I take when I work with clients to organize files.

Tree in New Zealand in hobbiton

As for not putting off until tomorrow what can be done today:

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

Chinese Proverb

The same goes for fixing a filing system. If you get motivated to make the fixes to your files, the time spent will pay off in less frustration and less time wasted looking for things in the future!

(This picture is the party tree from Hobbiton in New Zealand.)

Habit 4

‘I put my things in different places every time . . .

Then it takes me forever to find my keys, phone, purse or glasses when I need to leave the house.’

A recent client of mine, who owns a body shop, told me he scatters his tools all over the garage instead of having a ‘home’ for each tool. He realizes looking for tools is a big waste of his time, but he’s always done it this way—it’s his habit. So, we are working on some new habits and a system for his tools.

keys

It’s a sign of chronic disorganization when nothing in the house has a home.

We all lose our keys or phone from time to time, but if you feel your whole life is in chaos, it may be time to hire an organizer to help you create some order. Chronic disorganization doesn’t get better without help.

organized pantry

Habit 5

Not taking inventory before going shopping

I don’t know what I have in my:

  • Pantry, so I end up buying way too much of certain foods, then end up throwing away a bunch of expired food every year.
  • Garage, so I end up buying duplicate fertilizer, painting supplies, garden tools, mechanical tools, etc.
  • Office supply closet, so I buy way too much paper & Post-its, and sometimes run out of envelopes or other needed items.

It’s a great idea to take stock of what you have before you buy anything. I’ve had organizing clients who regularly go grocery shopping without checking what’s in their pantry first, then end up with food spoilage.

Years ago, I volunteered to clean out the supply closet for our Josephine County public library. Some of the paper & supplies were over 20 years old! We sorted all the like items together, labeled the shelves, and threw out the obsolete items. Once we were done the librarian told us she would save money on supplies since now she knew exactly what was in there.

Habit 6

Buying duplicates

‘I can’t find my ____________ when I need it, so I end up buying another one.’

Many times, this situation happens with tools in the garage or the shop. I had a friend in a networking group, a hoarder, who told me his basement was so clogged that he ended up buying a second table saw rather than excavate the table saw he already owned from the mess.

I am happy to say, he courageously cleared out his basement, bit by bit, and can find his tools now. He proudly showed me pictures of his progress.

To Conclude

I hope I’ve dispelled the myth that if you’re a visual person, you need to leave everything out to find it later. Visual clutter creates a low level of stress in our bodies; it is not good for us.

Another good habit to cultivate is to create organized files that make sense and consistently put documents away.

Being consistent is a big part of staying organized.

A system is only as good as the maintenance you put into it!

In other words, I can organize your office down to the last paper clip, but if you don’t put things away, you’ll soon find yourself in a mess again.

I hope the tips and stories in this article will help you get motivated to organize those little and big spaces in your life!

by Jennifer Morin
Bright living room with fireplace

Decluttering Living Room Tips Featured in Redfin Blog

November 15, 2022

One of my tips for decluttering living rooms is featured in the Redfin blog! 19 Must-Read Storage Hacks for a Cluttered Home. You’ll find my insights in Tip 17: Involve Your Family.

And here are some EXTRA tips to keep your living room looking neat!

1. The Clutter Buster

Here’s one creative idea I used in my family of 4 children. When the house started looking cluttered—which it often did—I would warn them ahead of time that we’d be doing a cleanup and give them some transition time. Then we started a 10 to 15-minute clutter buster. I asked everyone to stop what they were doing, pick up 10 things and put them away. It’s amazing how much better your house looks when 40 items of clutter get picked up! You can also use a timer so it’s a race against the clock.

2. Maintaining a tidy living room

In the living room especially, blankets, magazines, electronics (and cords) and gaming devices become an issue. One thing that bothers me is how messy the blankets look when strewn haphazardly over the couches.

An easy solution for a tidy living room is to get a large, attractive basket, then fold & put away the blankets every night. That way, at least the living room stays neat all day, until family time the next evening! It takes regular decluttering to keep up with the chaos.

3. Cords, Cords, Cords!

Cords are such an eyesore. I especially detest black cords cluttering my living room. So, I went to an organizing store and bought a small grey bin that fits a power strip, and a couple game controllers with room for coiled up cords. It works well and looks MUCH better.

Another solution is to get a cord “tube” (it looks like an old-fashioned spiral telephone cord) and channel all your cords through it. They come in a variety of colors, and you can hide them along the baseboard or under the couch. This is a great help in decluttering your living room and making it feel more orderly.

The Redfin blog has a lot of other great tips (besides my own), so I hope you find something that will help you work through your current organizational challenge! And don’t forget to check out my other blogs, which cover topics from holiday shopping to food storage strategies. You’ll find them all on my website, efficientspaces.org.

by Jennifer Morin
Organized Tiny kitchen

Space-saving Ideas for Tiny Kitchens: Say Goodbye to Frustration

September 20, 2022

Ideas for RVs, apartments, and tiny houses

I’ve been taking some trips in my RV lately, traveling for about a week at a time for Comicons with my husband, a writer. I like traveling! I especially love setting up and organizing a new kitchen with space-saving gadgets. It makes our life on the road easier!

It will make your life easier, too, if you have a small kitchen.

I have some ideas to help you enjoy your small space to the maximum!

Our RV is a forest River Nitro, and one reason we chose this one is the kitchen design. Some RV kitchens have a narrow ‘galley’ kitchen created by the island or peninsula, but we like this open L-shaped footprint for the kitchen cabinets.

To me, the kitchen feels more open this way. The only real disadvantage to this kitchen is the depth of the drawers, which are only 9 ½ deep! I had to improvise because a normal silverware organizer will not fit in my kitchen drawer. I’m sure there are things about your kitchen or apartment that require creative solutions. Read on for some great storage ideas!

But the kitchen in my RV has plenty of storage for food, dishes, pots and pans, etc., as long as you’re willing to get on a stepladder to get to the 2nd shelf.

One way I solved the problem of not being able to reach the back of the cabinet is by adding a large lazy susan. It almost fills the space and allows me to reach three sets of dishes without going on tiptoe. That made it so much more convenient!

The Look Up Principle. A storage idea if you don’t have enough space: whenever this happens look UP to find more space. And by this, I mean: look at your blank walls and even the space above your cabinets. These can be used for seldom-used items like a punch bowl or large vases.

A good general organizing rule-of-thumb is: if you use an item often, it needs to be closer to the hub of action. If you use it infrequently, it can be stored farther away from the action, even in a garage, basement, or attic. Just make sure to label it so you can find it when you need it!

To create a storage system for a kitchen, I always take a look at what I have for cabinets, then figure out a general idea for where to put things. Sometimes that plan is based on the size and shape of the cabinet.

Then I measure each drawer dimensions, including vertical space. I measure each cabinet too. Then I think about what kind of —– I can add to make my space as efficient as possible. To store as much food or kitchen tools as possible.

Either taking a short video or some photos helps with this planning process. Or if you’re really into it, make a sketch of your kitchen and label the drawers and cabinets with the dimensions.

Space-saving Idea 1: Use a lazy Susan for awkward areas

For example, I have a large corner cabinet which is very deep. I can’t reach all the way to the back without climbing on the counter or getting on a stepstool. As I mentioned before, I solved that by adding a large 18-inch lazy Susan, and by putting things in the ‘way’ back that I don’t need to access often (I put some canned food there). By the way, I put bowls, plates, and paper plates on the lazy Susan.

Space-saving Idea 2: Create a shelf

One thing I noticed right away in the camper: there is too much vertical space between the kitchen shelves. And the shelves are not adjustable. My solution for this dilemma is to create a shelf using a wire cabinet shelf. They can hold a surprising amount of weight, and I usually opt for the ones that can stretch to be multiple lengths. Mine stretches from 14 inches to 24 inches long if needed. These are available at organization stores or some big box stores.

Space-saving Idea 3: Maximize counter space

If you like a clear counter, you’re going to have to work hard to get it in a small kitchen. One way I do this: hang stuff up instead of using your ‘prime real estate’ counter space. This is part of the Look Up Principle. When you need more storage, look up.

  • Under-cabinet paper towel holders keep paper towels off counter.
  • Try a ‘hammock’ for bananas, they won’t get bruised in transport! This genius idea was already installed in my former camper. Its just 2 hooks, a dowel with grooves at the end to hold the hammock, and a cute hammock made of string that attaches to the dowel with 2 loops.
  • Place a small catchall basket to containerize the little things. My basket usually holds a sleeve of crackers, flashlight, small tools, and tea bags. This keeps clutter contained and keeps emergency supplies handy should the power go out. This basket has to be regularly unloaded and we are careful not to let the amount of stuff expand and become clutter the kitchen countertop.
  • Use 3M hooks on the wall above the counter for small, light things you use frequently, like potholders.

Think double-decker. I have used two-tiered storage under sinks and on counters before. They come in a few different sizes, and most of them slide in & out. Many of them are intended for the fridge, but would work great on a small kitchen counter (or inside a skinny cabinet). Most of them have a chrome framework and 2 plastic drawers. Some are about the size of a dozen eggs, and other units are bigger. It’s a bonus if you can find some with clear or opaque drawers.

Space-saving Idea 4: Clear boxes

Just ask my kids, I love boxes. I especially love clear boxes because they allow you to see what’s inside. You almost don’t need to label them . . . almost. 😉

I have 2 very thin cabinets that aren’t a very useful size. They’re about 8 inches wide each, and again, the vertical distance between shelves is HUGE. The upper shelf is so tall I can only reach the very front of it on tiptoe.

To solve this storage problem, I use 2 narrow clear open-topped boxes. One on the lower shelf and one on the upper shelf. This enables me to easily grab the clear box from the top shelf, retrieve something I need, and put it back.

Clear boxes are a great idea for just about everything! you almost don’t need a label.

. . . ALMOST!

Safety Tip: Make sure the one on the high shelf contains things that are light enough for you to easily lift above your head. Canned soup is NOT a good idea, in case one falls on your head while you’re tipping the container to lower it!

Helpful Shopping Hint

Many times, Ross or TJ Maxx will have great prices on organizing products. The only downside is they have a lot of ‘orphans,’ so if you want all your organizing products to match, pick a color or theme and buy only those. (I haven’t found matching containers all at once, I end up piecing my collection together over time.)

I opt for clear or white to have a more uniform look. But your style might be retro colors or black and chrome. Pick a style or color that makes you happy!

Conclusion

With small-space living, in a small apartment, tiny house, or RV, it is especially important to have a plan because space is at such a premium. Don’t just throw a bunch of random stuff in a cabinet and expect it to work. Take time to analyze your space and use it intentionally. Your space will seem bigger when you are organized and things are put away. This will keep you from feeling claustrophobic in your own home

You’ll be much happier with the design and more comfortable too!

by Jennifer Morin
Woman with cluttered clothes closet

The Great Closet Edit

April 13, 2021

Clothes Closets, especially walk-in closets, are a problem area in many homes. If this is you, help is on the way!

Even though I am a professional organizer, I admit, purging my own clothes can be hard!

The problem with closets is they are out of sight, out of mind. No one else sees the master bedroom closet but you, your family, and maybe your cleaning person.

It’s all too easy to let clothes and accessories accumulate over time in your walk-in closet. And before you know it, you are having to shove the hangers in because your clothes are packed as tight as sardines!

One common result of this is that you cannot see or remember what you have.

So, you end up buying duplicate items because you cannot find what you’re looking for.

Which means you’re spending hard-earned money to buy duplicate items! This is especially true for people who have more than one closet where they store clothes and accessories–they forget what they have in the other clothes closet.

And yes, I have had several organizing clients who have 2 or even 3 closets or a room full of clothes!

Questions to Ask Yourself

Before you even get started, it’s a good idea to remind yourself of the WHY, why are you doing this?

(That way, you’ll be in the right mindset to let go.) Next, let’s look at this important  question:

What is your WHY?

What motivates you to organize your closet?

  • I want to get ready faster.
  • I am tired of not being able to find what I need.
  • I know half the stuff in there doesn’t fit.
  • I’d like to feel calm, not stressed, when I walk into my closet.
  • I want it to look pretty!

You are not alone! Thousands of women and men in the US want these things too. Did you know that clutter has a “negative impact on our subjective well-being”? It’s true.

messy walk-in closet

Did you know, messy homes leave us feeling anxious and overwhelmed?

Also, messy homes and workspaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed, according to a recent Huffington Post article.

If you’d like to feel better, purging and organizing your packed walk-in closet is the way to go!

The Great Closet Edit: Motivation

It’s time to dig deep and find the strength to let go. Purging your own clothes is hard! So, get yourself into a tough mindset by using the questions in the last section.

In addition, a loving heart can motivate you to purge your clothes. Here’s how.

I promise you’ll have an easier time giving away clothes by visualizing the look of joyful surprise on the face of the person who finds just what they needed at a thrift store (thanks to your generous clothing donation.)

Professional Organizer Jenny Morin with black coat from a thrift store, 1990

This is me on my mission, shoveling snow & wearing my warm thrift store find!

Circa 1990.

      I remember when I was a poor college student in Provo, Utah. I needed a warm dress coat for my upcoming mission. I browsed at TJ Maxx and the coats didn’t look very warm, so I decided to search some thrift stores to find a warm coat. (I had plenty of time, just not much money back then, so I didn’t mind combing the city for a coat!)

          I ended up finding a super-warm dress coat that buttoned all the way up and covered my neck—I was so happy! (Most women’s dress coats have a V-neck.) It was constructed of thick black wool, lined with thick black satin, and lasted many years!

So, it will help to picture all the poor or low-income working people who can use some of the clothes you never wear—especially if that motivates you to let go.

The Great Closet Edit: The Purging Phase

The purging phase is the most important part of the closet edit.

I’ve come up with some questions for you to make the process easier. My hope is these questions will help you make good decisions you’ll be happy with.

One caution: Do this when you are in a tough, not a lenient state of mind. If you under-purge, you’ll regret it because you’ll have to do this again in 6 months or live with a packed closet.

Helpful questions to ask as you purge your closet:

One: Does this fit?

That’s a simple yes or no. If it doesn’t fit right now, let it go. In some cases, I do allow a client to keep 1 small box of clothes which are too small. I call it the “skinny pants” box. 🙂

Two: Does it look good on me?

Definitely have a full-length mirror and some good lighting while you try clothing on! There will be some no-brainers here, but some clothes you are going to need to try on. Don’t be daunted. Do it!

Last time I did this with a client, she tried on a whole walk-in closet full of clothes in just two hours, with my help.

Don’t skip this step!

Piles of clothes during closet organization

“A woman is never sexier than when she is comfortable in her clothes.” ~Vera Wang

Three: This _______ has a past with me, does it have a future?

You may have had some great times wearing that sequined dress, but if all your kids have married and you don’t go to swanky New Year’s parties, are you really going to wear it again?

Four: If I saw this in the store today, would I buy it?

If the answer is an emphatic YES, then keep it. If you’re waffling, or rationalizing why you should keep it, let it go, that’s a nope!

Five: Am I letting the original cost of this item get in the way of letting it go?

Be sure not to let the cost of the item keep you from letting it go. It won’t do you any good to let that fur coat sit in your walk-in closet taking up prime real estate for the next 10 years.

Sell it if that makes you feel better, but DO take it out of your closet and say goodbye!

The best thing to do, which takes the least amount of time, is to just let go.

boxes for decluttering and donating

I recommend just giving things away so you can move on.

Here’s a caution, though, take care not to make the donation process too difficult, or you won’t do it. For example, some people have 5 bags of stuff going to different friends. That is too complicated, too much work! Much better to take it to one thrift store so those bags don’t clutter up your house for months.

Make it easy on yourself and you’re much more likely to do it.

Six: Am I being honest about wearing this ____ again?

Be careful not to make up big, unrealistic scenarios for when you might use an item in the future. Example: “I’ll wear this one-piece hot-pink and yellow snowsuit from the 80s if I ever ski again.” See how silly that sounds?

Be brutally honest with yourself in this process of purging and organizing your closet.

As I like to say: be ruthless, not reckless when you purge.

Conclusion

Purging is a MUST to have the pretty, organized closet you desire.

And just think; once you purge all the stuff you never wear, it’s going to be so much easier to find what you want and get ready every morning. Not to mention, much faster!

Best of all, you can dress for work (or play) with a feeling of confidence now that you know everything in your closet makes you look and feel good.

Resources

“Why Clutter Can be So Bad for People With Anxiety (And What To Do About It,” Huffington Post, 4/8/2021

The dark side of home: Assessing possession ‘clutter’ on subjective well-being. March 2016, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 46.

by Jennifer Morin
woman on the phone

Working at Home During Covid and Rockin’ it! 10 tips to get more done in your home office

April 17, 2020

Has setting up your home office during COVID-19 virus been a headache? If productivity has been an issue for you, I’ll share some organizing and time management hacks that will make a huge impact on your work.

What people working at home don’t realize: everyone has an inner productivity circle.

In fact, if you think about your home office as a series of circles radiating away from you (like the parallel ripples that radiate out when you drop a rock into a still pool of water), you’ll realize that what you keep close to you is important.

Concentric Productivity Circles

I first learned about this concept from my organizing mentor, Porter Knight. She talks about it in her book, Organized to Last. In it, she coined the term ‘concentric circles’.

I recently taught this productivity principle at a lunch and learn for a large local company. Several people were blown away by this principle; the idea that your work output increases when you only keep frequently used items within arms’ reach.

It makes total sense to me, if you spend less time getting up to use tools in the office, your workday will be more efficient. I will illustrate.

Circle 1: For me, the tools I use every day several times a day need to be in my inmost work circle of my home office. I should not have to roll my chair or even swivel it to get the items I use more than twice a day.

Items in my inner productivity circle: computer, mouse, planner or to-do list, pens, Post-its, stapler, tape, tool drawer, timer, hand lotion, drawer of important files, and trash can.

You may need additional tools like a 10-key, calculator, or specialized items for the work you do.

Circle 2: The next layer for efficient work at home would contain tools and resources you might use once a day. For example: file drawers, your tissue box, projects file, business card binder, cork board or whiteboard, speakers, etc.

Circle 3: The Third layer, the one farthest from you, would have things like resource books, archived files, office supply storage, camera equipment, supplies you travel to clients with, a briefcase or bag for networking events, etc. This layer holds supplies or archives used occasionally or rarely.

When I work with a client, we concentrate on creating open space around them in their home office, The problem with most work spaces is they have TOO MUCH STUFF cluttering their inner circle. this is true for many who are working at home.

Stuff that clutters up our desks: papers that need to be filed, projects, ideas, mail, Post-its, business cards, books, food, and personal items unrelated to your work or comfort are some of the clutter.

Did you know that clutter actually distracts from your work? Visual clutter, like stacks of paper, magazines, or too much in your inbox contribute to a state of low-level anxiety for some people.

Watch what happens when you clear off all the clutter from your desk and floor in your home office. I know every time I put all my papers away in files or project binders, I feel a rush of energy and am motivated to tackle the most important task of the day. Try it, you’ll like it!

Some people I’ve worked with are comfortable with one pile of work on their desk or a large inbox, and that’s fine. The important thing is to find what works best for you.

Everyone has their clutter threshold.

To help you even more, I’ll share a list of tips for staying productive while working at home. Time management tips like these are sorely needed in these unprecedented times when all the kids are home attending virtual classes because of COVID.

10 Secrets to Get More Done in Your Home Office

Tip 1: Focus Time

Figure out what your best focus time is. Do the work that requires the most brainpower then. If you’d like to pinpoint the time of day, email me and I will send you a quiz that will show you when you do your best work! jennym@efficientspacesco.com

Tip 2: Limit Distractions

If your spouse or kids are home during work hours, make sure they know not to disturb you. Close the doors if you need to.  Put on headphones with some music that helps you focus. This has a dual job: to let people know you don’t want to be disturbed, and it keeps you from hearing background noise.

“Ambient sounds, especially with words, occupy about 5-10% of your intellectual bandwidth.  By wearing ear protectors, you acoustically isolate yourself.  This freed up bandwidth can now be focused on the desired task.

It’s a great deal.  Just put on some earmuffs and you become 5-10% smarter.”

~ Peter Rogers, Straight A Stanford and on to Harvard

Tip 3: Plan

To be effective, make a plan for your week and then break it down by the day. I I start out with a ‘dump list’ then transfer the tasks to my planner, which uses a funnel-down system to help me choose which day to put each task. I use my planner for my to-do list, but a notebook or a sticky note works well to identify the most important daily tasks. For most people, having a daily purpose is a huge motivator. It’s satisfying to check those items off when they’re finished! I would be lost without my to do list. Most professionals who excel at time management use some form of a to-do list, whether electronic or paper. *I use the Planner Pad Organizer.

Tip 4: File Emails

With emails, you can take one of 3 actions: File, respond, or delete. Try not to think about it too much!  It doesn’t have to be complicated.  The general rule of thumb: if it takes 2 minutes, do it now.  (From Getting Things Done by David Allen)

Also, have folders for emails or email categories. Organize them by topic, project, or individual names. A person wastes 6 weeks annually searching for lost documents or because of unorganized folders for the one project they need. Be consistent about filing them. It helps so much when you need that information later!

Tip 5: Clear your inbox

Have an inbox for paper, and clear it daily.

Tip 6: Prioritize projects

Have a “hot spot” for today’s most urgent project.  Personally, I prefer a clear file folder standing up in a vertical file sorter.  My home office file sorter holds 5 files.  Also, put your to-do list in plain sight and review it each morning before you start.

Definitely prioritize projects based on their ROI and on the deadline or due date!

Tip 7: Set a timer

If you tend to distract yourself:  ahem… yes I do that!  I find that setting a timer is very helpful.  This works well if you are easily distracted by “bright and shiny” new emails.  Say your purpose for opening your email is to write one necessary email and then close the email so you can focus on a project.  Set a timer for 15 minutes before you open your inbox to avoid getting “sucked in” by your email.  This really works! (I keep my timer within arm’s reach in my home office.)

“One way to boost our will power and focus is to manage our distractions instead of letting them manage us.” ~ Daniel Goleman

Tip 8: Turn off alerts

If texts, incoming emails, Zoom pop-up, or calendar notifications have alerts that distract you when you are trying to focus in your home office, make sure to turn off those alerts for the hour or 90 minutes when your project needs your full attention.  (Before you do this, check your calendar to make sure you don’t have a meeting or scheduled phone call.) If you are not sure how to do this, ask a tech-savvy friends!  Or link to the article I provide at the end of this post.

Tip 9: Delegate

Delegate email deletion and unsubscribing from sites to your kids or grandkids (it works great!).  Also, make sure to limit spam by having good firewalls in place to limit what gets to your inbox. 

My daughter Kate creates a time management map for a client.

Tip 10: Scan

For information you want or need to keep, have it scanned by someone you can delegate to (an assistant, tech-savvy son/daughter, grandchild, high school student) and file or organize it into files. Make sure and have the helpers to do it at a time when you’re doing something low-focus, like responding to emails. That way the interruptions with questions won’t affect your productivity in your home office.

Use these 10 tips to achieve more and reach your business goals!

Related posts: 5 ways to keep distractions at bay: https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/2015/02/5-tips-distractions-bay/

New Habits: you can do anything for 30 minutes: https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/2014/05/30-minutes/

How to get an extra hour of productivity daily: https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/2014/02/extra-hour/

How to turn off distracting notifications:  http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-distracting-desktop-notifications-turn-windows/

by Jenny Morin
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