Help me trick out my new office
October 11, 2016 12:18 PM Subscribe
Good news: I'm getting a bigger office! Can you provide tips, tricks, or inspiration on how to set up a comfortable, productive, organized work space?
Good news: I'm moving into a nicer, bigger office at work!
Bad news: I've been in my current office over 8 years and it's a hot mess. I have three junk drawers packed full of crap. My overhead flipper compartments are so full of old granola bars and unused training books I'm afraid to open them. I'm a woman who keeps a lot of shoes under my desk. A good portion of the stuff in my junk drawers is female-related (old makeup, nail polish remover, a brand of tampons I haven't used in over six years (eek)). For paper, I usually keep about 20-30 file folders in rotation at one time (think one folder per project or issue).
Obviously, I would *not* like to be in this position in my new office in another 8 years.
What can I do now to ensure that my new office will help me be organized, productive, and effective into the future? Imagine a standard office, windows on one side, a big L shaped desk, some low drawers and some file drawers. I'll have a small table and chairs to host meetings and probably a stand-up file cabinet. It's good enough for government work, so no new office furniture, but I would be willing to bring in things like rugs or lamps.
I'm open to any ideas - what works for you?
Does one of your coworkers have a great well-organized office you envy?
If you're a cube-dweller, what would you do differently if you got your own office?
Is there anything trendy in office organization that I should be paying attention to (see: chalkboard paint)?
Thanks for any inspiration you can provide!
Good news: I'm moving into a nicer, bigger office at work!
Bad news: I've been in my current office over 8 years and it's a hot mess. I have three junk drawers packed full of crap. My overhead flipper compartments are so full of old granola bars and unused training books I'm afraid to open them. I'm a woman who keeps a lot of shoes under my desk. A good portion of the stuff in my junk drawers is female-related (old makeup, nail polish remover, a brand of tampons I haven't used in over six years (eek)). For paper, I usually keep about 20-30 file folders in rotation at one time (think one folder per project or issue).
Obviously, I would *not* like to be in this position in my new office in another 8 years.
What can I do now to ensure that my new office will help me be organized, productive, and effective into the future? Imagine a standard office, windows on one side, a big L shaped desk, some low drawers and some file drawers. I'll have a small table and chairs to host meetings and probably a stand-up file cabinet. It's good enough for government work, so no new office furniture, but I would be willing to bring in things like rugs or lamps.
I'm open to any ideas - what works for you?
Does one of your coworkers have a great well-organized office you envy?
If you're a cube-dweller, what would you do differently if you got your own office?
Is there anything trendy in office organization that I should be paying attention to (see: chalkboard paint)?
Thanks for any inspiration you can provide!
Can you set yourself a recurring calendar reminder to do a weekly or monthly clear-out?
Also definitely use containers and dividers to keep things organized.
posted by radioamy at 1:02 PM on October 11, 2016
Also definitely use containers and dividers to keep things organized.
posted by radioamy at 1:02 PM on October 11, 2016
Best answer: Dedicated kits (even if they're just ziploc bags) for makeup, sanitary supplies, etc., so nothing's rolling around loose. Get interior desk dividers for the pens, clips, post-its, and so on. Maybe sacrifice one of those low drawers to shoe storage alone, if you're going to be holding meetings in your new office. Any lighting that give you a break from harsh overhead bulbs or window glare is a good idea. Put art on your walls. Decide if you like plants and act accordingly.
And congratulations!
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:27 PM on October 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
And congratulations!
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:27 PM on October 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
I think it's nice to bring in some personal flair to an office. A piece or two of art on the wall, a family photo, a nice lamp. However, I've noticed that some people go way overboard on the personal effects in an office. It can make it feel really crowded and like they don't understand personal/work boundaries. Also, people who are relegated to cubicles can feel resentful.
posted by radioamy at 1:34 PM on October 11, 2016
posted by radioamy at 1:34 PM on October 11, 2016
I too use the "one file folder per project" system, and the folders I use the most are organized on my desktop in a wire organizer like this. Not revolutionary, but very handy!
posted by slmorri at 1:35 PM on October 11, 2016
posted by slmorri at 1:35 PM on October 11, 2016
Best answer: I set aside the last 15-20 minutes of my day to make a to-do list for the next day (which includes transferring things from today's to-do list, not keeping multiple concurrent to-do lists) and get my space cleaned up. This means all paperwork into its proper folders, all personal shit either squared away into the (SINGLE, SMALL) drawer organizer I have or packed up to take home, desk baubles straightened, and office sweater unfrumpled and folded neatly.
If I don't do this every day shit becomes wildly out of control and the situation quickly becomes intractable. Don't do that. Leave your office neat at the end of every day and things will never get this bad again.
posted by phunniemee at 1:35 PM on October 11, 2016 [6 favorites]
If I don't do this every day shit becomes wildly out of control and the situation quickly becomes intractable. Don't do that. Leave your office neat at the end of every day and things will never get this bad again.
posted by phunniemee at 1:35 PM on October 11, 2016 [6 favorites]
Best answer: I have only just organized my office (and my life) in the last 3-4 months. Since I've been in my job for 6 years and in this office for a year, it was about time. Here are the things that I've done that I've found hugely helpful:
Hanging folders in my file cabinet, color coded for the different areas of my job, some of them with dividers in between them, for example: Today's Interventions (therapist), then divided into the days of the week.
Dedicated snack bin for snacks/tea/k-cups, whatever else. I try to only keep food in that bin and nowhere else in my office. This is great because it automatically makes me feel more like an adult that's adulting.
Immediately organizing paperwork etc into the hanging folders. If I start to let it pile up ("oh, I'll do that tomorrow") it gets wildly out of hand in short order.
I also re-make my to do list each morning when I get into the office, re-prioritize etc, so that I know exactly what needs to be done in my downtime when it happens, gather any materials I need for that day and put those in their spot.
In terms of personal items, I had a bunch of smallish makeup bags from my Ipsy subscription, and I sorted the things that I need (or think I need) at work into one bag for makeup, lip balm, lotion, etc, and one for other things like toothbrush, toothpaste, feminine items, Tylenol, etc. I carry these with my in my (gigantic) purse, but they could easily be kept in a desk. I like the little bags because it keeps everything separate and I know exactly where to look for my stuff.
I also have a bookshelf in my room (which is mostly filled with craft supplies and toys because of the nature of my work) and I put all of my therapy-related books, stories that I use with children, etc, on one shelf.
All of my other items are separated into clear plastic bins to make them easy to pick up (for kids and for me). Another thought is that for my project related stuff at home, I got a set of 6 of those fabric cubes on Amazon and sorted everything (that had previously been tornadoed all over my coffee table/living room/life) into those, and that has also been really helpful. I'm thinking of bringing one in for some of the stuff that tends to pile into my desk drawers that isn't "in its place."
All in all, even if it took me 7 years, I'm very happy to be organized now. It has really been hugely helpful.
posted by fairlynearlyready at 2:32 PM on October 11, 2016
Hanging folders in my file cabinet, color coded for the different areas of my job, some of them with dividers in between them, for example: Today's Interventions (therapist), then divided into the days of the week.
Dedicated snack bin for snacks/tea/k-cups, whatever else. I try to only keep food in that bin and nowhere else in my office. This is great because it automatically makes me feel more like an adult that's adulting.
Immediately organizing paperwork etc into the hanging folders. If I start to let it pile up ("oh, I'll do that tomorrow") it gets wildly out of hand in short order.
I also re-make my to do list each morning when I get into the office, re-prioritize etc, so that I know exactly what needs to be done in my downtime when it happens, gather any materials I need for that day and put those in their spot.
In terms of personal items, I had a bunch of smallish makeup bags from my Ipsy subscription, and I sorted the things that I need (or think I need) at work into one bag for makeup, lip balm, lotion, etc, and one for other things like toothbrush, toothpaste, feminine items, Tylenol, etc. I carry these with my in my (gigantic) purse, but they could easily be kept in a desk. I like the little bags because it keeps everything separate and I know exactly where to look for my stuff.
I also have a bookshelf in my room (which is mostly filled with craft supplies and toys because of the nature of my work) and I put all of my therapy-related books, stories that I use with children, etc, on one shelf.
All of my other items are separated into clear plastic bins to make them easy to pick up (for kids and for me). Another thought is that for my project related stuff at home, I got a set of 6 of those fabric cubes on Amazon and sorted everything (that had previously been tornadoed all over my coffee table/living room/life) into those, and that has also been really helpful. I'm thinking of bringing one in for some of the stuff that tends to pile into my desk drawers that isn't "in its place."
All in all, even if it took me 7 years, I'm very happy to be organized now. It has really been hugely helpful.
posted by fairlynearlyready at 2:32 PM on October 11, 2016
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For personal items, try to keep one or two dedicated spots only for them so that 1. you can find things quickly and 2. they don't meander all over the office and multiply.
Since you may be holding meetings, maybe have a water cooler and a kettle with a basket of different teas and a few nice mugs on hand with a bamboo serving tray or something.
posted by Klaxon Aoooogah at 12:31 PM on October 11, 2016 [1 favorite]