Why Organize Your Home Office?

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There are many reasons for organizing a home office space. Whether you are new to working at home or have always done it, having an efficient, clean, and peaceful place can help you be more productive and less stressed.

What Goals Do You have in Mind?

What is your goal(s) for working from home? Do you find yourself needing to limit distractions so you can be more productive?  Are you wanting to have better boundaries between your work life and personal life? Do you do your best thinking in a particular time of day or a particular space?

Let’s look at what an organized home office can help you accomplish. As you will see, the goal you have in mind will suggest different ways of organizing your workspace.

Productivity

Working from home can be full of distractions: the kids, the cat, the neighbor moving a lawn, or that snack calling from the kitchen.  If being more productive (read: disciplined) is your goal, you might try some of the suggestions offered in this article, starting with eliminating any items that you don’t need or that call your attention away from your work. Only keep items in your immediate workspace that say, “we are here to work”.  When you evaluate items in your work area, ask yourself if they motivate you to work or bring out your personal best, the way a diploma or a wedding photo or an award might.

From there, it will be easy to set up your space so it is comfortable and well-lit. Be sure and keep a large trash can handy to help keep it free of clutter!

Work Life Balance

Sometimes, when working from home, we find it hard to separate ourselves from our work emails, calls, or projects.  Setting aside specific work hours can help. Be sure to include time for breaks and movement so you don’t get burned out. If it’s possible for you, set aside a separate workplace within your home, whether it is a separate room, or a space carved out for your computer and paperwork.  Suggestions how to do that efficiently, without getting too comfortable (which can decrease your effectiveness) can be found here.

Finding work life balance requires organizing both your space and time so that you can shift your focus as you move through your day.

Creativity

If you need help being more creative when working from your home office, you are in luck! Studies show that workers are, on balance, more creative working at home than in the office. However, if you need a little boost, think of all the things you can’t typically have or do at an office and make them part of your work day at home. Think color, art on the walls, standing up and dancing to music you enjoy, and making a work schedule that allows you time to recharge in your favorite ways – naps, the outdoors, aromatherapy… in other words, be creative!

Try some of these tips to help you meet your goals for working at home and let us know what works for you! If you need help identifying your goals or getting what you need in your home office space done, reach out to Queen B Organizing and we can help you discover what works best for you.

September 2020: Safely Cleaning Ash and Smoke

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Kristin B, and some of the team members who worked to organize the donation room at the fairgrounds.

Like many of you, Queen B Organizing stepped into the thick of volunteer efforts this past weekend to help those affected by wildfire. Cleaning up may not be the first thing on your mind just now, but when it is, it will mean the worst is past us and we begin the process of moving forward.  Here is some information to keep in mind to help you continue to stay safe.

Ash and Smoke in the Air

As wildfires continue to rage around Oregon, Washington, and California, the valley has been inundated with smoke and ash, causing the air to be hazardous to breathe.  While uncertainty about wind and weather patterns keep everyone in a state of high alert, they will shift, leaving those of us fortunate to be in our homes and businesses with the task of clearing them of the dangerous residue left behind.

The smallest particles of ash are extremely dangerous and can trigger serious health issues, particularly for those in vulnerable populations: children, pregnant women, those with chronic lung or heart conditions. Do not attempt to clean without following proper safety precautions, and if you are unable to do so, call a professional.

Safe Cleaning Guidelines

Start with the guidelines created by the EPA on this Wildfire Smoke Factsheet.  Wear protective clothing, including gloves, and an N95 mask. Choose your cleaning supplies carefully as well, to keep from spreading particles back into the air. The factsheet includes links to other resources that monitor air quality, and to recommendations for home air cleaning devices.

For cleanup related to smoke odors, follow this guide.  Something as simple as placing bowls of baking soda around your home can help clear the air of odor. Cleaning items inside and outside your home will help as well, when safe to do so.

Cleaning Your Car

Lastly, your vehicle may need to be cleaned of ash. In order to limit damage to the exterior paint, you can follow the simple guidelines presented in this short video for thorough cleaning.

Take the time to learn about safety precautions for the cleanup of ash and smoke, and share these resources with others.  May we all see blue skies again soon.

 

Featured image by okjumena from Pixabay

4 Steps for Balancing Your Family’s Remote Work and Learning Routines

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Calming the chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may feel impossible, but it doesn’t have to be overly complicated. The keys to juggling such a complex and demanding schedule without having your home descend into chaos are actually pretty simple: planning and organization. In fact, you can achieve order in your home and your daily life in just a few steps.

Structure Your Family Routine

Dedicated schooling space will help you work and your children learn, but first it’s essential to create consistent daily routines for your entire family. You may think that scheduling online lessons and remote work assignments should come first, but you can actually reduce stress if you structure these tasks around more basic needs, like sleep and meals. Then, fill the remaining hours with reading and learning blocks for your children and work hours for yourself. Be sure to discuss your new routines with your family, so you can set clear boundaries with each other from the start. It can also be helpful to post printed schedules in your family command center. If you don’t have a family command center in your home yet, you should seriously consider setting up one so that you can keep things low-stress and organized.

Set Up Your Home Office

Keeping your home free of clutter is important for maintaining focus, but it can also help to have some dedicated office space. The most productive home office spaces have a door that you can close to minimize distractions, but you can also create separation in a multipurpose space using screens or room dividers. Once you have a spot picked out for your workspace, you should get to work finding a comfy chair and desk. Investing in a supportive chair is especially crucial when you will be sitting and working in it all day, but you should also choose something that will reflect your personal style. Spending a little time decorating your space can also inspire more productivity.

Keep Your Kids Focused

Establishing a distraction-free workspace can help keep you focused, but what about your kids? Well, you can also set up a dedicated study space where your children can focus on their online lessons and avoid interrupting your tasks. Apply the same principles here that you did to your workspace, but also keep in mind that kids may need a few extra pieces of equipment. For example, you may want to pick up some headphones tailor-made for children so that your little ones won’t be distracted by other noises inside and outside of your home. Having them use headphones can also be beneficial for you, since you won’t be interrupted by the sounds of live instruction, watching movies or even playing games.

Speaking of games and live instruction, make sure your internet connection can handle the extra usage so you’re not dealing with frustrating lag times or crashing connections. Look for internet service that can handle multiple devices simultaneously with plenty of bandwidth.

Get Your Home Organized

 Balancing remote learning and remote work can be stressful enough, so don’t let a cluttered home add even more tension. Research shows that working or living in cluttered spaces can produce more feelings of stress and anxiety. When you are feeling more stressed, you are also more likely to feel distracted. So, if you want to improve your family’s focus and reduce your stress, spend some time organizing your home before the new school year begins. If you just don’t have the time to tackle serious organization, you can always turn to a professional organizing service like Queen B Organizing to take care of this task for you. Think of it as a gift to yourself and your family, and get the school year off to a successful start!

 

With thanks to Cherie Mclaughlin, Couchbasedbiz.com

Photo Credit: Pexels