Are you feeling overwhelmed by the chaos that’s taken over your home office? Then let us take a deep breath and get down to business. In this blog, I’m sharing 10 top-notch tips to help you clear the clutter and make your home office spotless in no time! So, put on your cleaning gloves and get ready to get things organized!
Contents
Clear Your Desk Surface
Having a clear desk surface can be an important part of keeping your home office organized. Start by clearing away any debris and papers that have been collected on the surface, and move them to a different space where they can be filed or set aside until they are ready to be properly dealt with. If your desk has drawers, go through those and clear out anything that is no longer needed.
Give yourself enough room on your desk surface to complete tasks without having items in the way. This will also make your workspace feel less cluttered and easier to manage.
If needed, bring in some additional storage solutions like filing cabinets or labeled boxes to help you store important items away neatly while still keeping them within easy reach. You can also consider hiring expert professional cleaners to deep clean and organize your home office for a fresh start.
Dust and Wipe Down Surfaces
Keeping your home office clean should be a priority, especially if you are sharing the space with family members. Dust and wipe down surfaces regularly to make sure that your office doesn’t become a dumping ground for stray papers and other clutter.
Start by dusting cabinets, shelves, and window sills using a dry cloth or vacuum with an attached brush attachment. Then, wipe down surfaces like desks, tables, chairs, and bookcases with a household cleaner or all-purpose wipes. Functionally-sorted drawers and compartments will also help keep your workspace dust free.
Be sure to empty out trash bins on a regular basis as well – full trash cans can harbor bacteria and dust particles that get distributed into the air.
Tackle Clutter and Organize
Tackling clutter and organizing your home office are two important steps in keeping your workspace clean. Start by making a list of items that need to be sorted and put away. Designate an area for each type of item, be it files, pens or paper clips, to help you stay organized. Once you have determined which categories items should go in, use storage containers or filing systems to keep everything neat and tidy. Keep in mind the larger items such as desks, bookshelves, and printers when organizing your office so they don’t take up too much room.
There are also some simple tasks you can do on a regular basis to help maintain your workspace:
- Place trash cans out of sight and empty them regularly;
- Wipe surfaces at least once a week with appropriate cleaning solutions;
- Vacuum or sweep the floor regularly; and
- Check under furniture for dust or debris that may have been left behind from previous cleaning sessions.
Clean Your Keyboard and Mouse
Assuming you use your home office PC daily, it’s wise to give your keyboard and mouse regular cleanings. Dirty keyboards are a haven for germs and dirt, so wiping down the keys with gentle cleaner can help ensure that these items stay in the best condition possible.
- Start by switching off the power supply or removing the batteries from the devices.
- Wipe down both items with gentle cleaner or antibacterial wipes, making sure to get in between all of the cracks.
- To really get into all nooks and crannies, use a vacuum cleaner or canned spray air to get in between any tight spaces on your keyboard.
Disinfect High-touch Areas
High-touch areas like computer keyboards, phones, doorknobs, remotes, and light switch plates should be disinfected on a regular basis. Use a solution of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and water or an antibacterial cleaner to wipe down these surfaces. For hard-to-reach spots or intricate items such as keyboards and phones, use cotton swabs to get rid of dust and grime build-up. Be sure to let the surfaces dry completely before touching or using them.
Vacuum or Sweep the Floor
You may not consider it important to clean the floor of your home office, but it is a quick and simple step that can make a big difference in the overall appearance of your workspace. Depending on the type of flooring, you should vacuum or sweep using a dustpan and brush on a regular basis. It won’t take long for dirt and dust to accumulate, so it’s important to sweep away any dirt or debris from carpets every week or two.
For hard floor surfaces such as vinyl, tile, or laminate, you can use a damp mop with an all-purpose cleaner once or twice a month to keep the floor looking its best.
Wash Windows and Blinds
For a sparkling clean office, it’s important to keep your windows and blinds looking their best. Windows should be washed from the top down with a solution of mild dishwashing liquid and warm water. Make sure to use a soft, lint-free cloth or recycled paper towels in order to avoid leaving streaks or lint behind.
For Venetian blinds, use a small brush or vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment. Vacuum window frames, then wipe them down with a damp cloth.
Clean and Disinfect Electronics
With the rise of remote work, most of us have become accustomed to working at home. In addition to taking regular breaks away from our desks, it’s important to maintain the cleanliness of our workspace to ensure a healthy environment. This includes regularly cleaning and disinfecting all electronics used in your home office. It is best to begin by unplugging all equipment and wiping down surfaces with an appropriate cleaning solution for each material.
Care should be taken when cleaning fragile electronics as some materials can be easily damaged. For example, avoid spraying directly on keyboards or monitors as these contain delicate parts that can’t tolerate prolonged exposure to liquid cleansers or disinfection agents. Always use lint-free cloths and mild cleaners such as rubbing alcohol.
Other effective ways to avoid introducing germs into your home office include:
- Wiping down laptop cases, joysticks, or external mice with anti-bacterial wipes.
- Washing frequently used items such as headphones and keyboards in warm soapy water before drying them thoroughly.
- Using specialized sanitizing wand devices that emit ultraviolet light (UV-C) or phone sanitizers with UV lights or alcohol pads included in the kit.
- Disconnecting cords and packing them away after you’re done working to help keep dust out of electronic equipment ports and jacks that could cause malfunctions in the future.
Organize and Declutter Your Files
One of the essential steps to cleaning your home office is organizing and decluttering, especially when it comes to papers. Your papers might be physical, in the form of documents or magazines, or digital, such as emails. In order to make sure that your home office stays neat and organized, you will want to create a filing system and go through everything that is in your office.
Creating a filing system should be done before anything else. Decide if you are going to go digital or physical with this task, as both methods have their own pros and cons. Once you have made a decision on how you will file things, assign each type of document its own shelf or folder – depending on which format you chose – so that they are easier to find later.
Next, you will want to go through all the items in your office that can be categorized as documents or ‘stuff’. Sort things into different piles – recycling pile for stuff that can be thrown away (for physical documents) and keeping pile for items that should stay in the home office. This decluttering process should help make it easier for you when it comes time to organize them into folders since there will be less clutter overall in the room. It can also help free up space if there are any bulky items taking up unnecessary room.
Take a Break and Enjoy a Clean Space
If you’re working from home and have your own office space, it can be easy to forget about cleaning when you have deadlines looming and a to-do list a mile long. But the cleanliness of your workspace is an important factor in maximizing productivity. Taking regular breaks away from your desk can benefit not only your physical health but also the appearance of your workspace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some tips for cleaning a home office?
- Some tips for cleaning a home office include:
- Dust and vacuum regularly.
- Wipe down surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner.
- Organize files and documents to keep clutter to a minimum.
- Use storage containers to keep items neat and tidy.
- Clean your computer keyboard and mouse regularly.
- Disinfect often-touched surfaces.
- Empty the wastebasket regularly.
- Keep supplies stored away in labeled boxes or containers.
- Use a microfiber cloth to quickly clean up spills.
- Open windows to let in some fresh air.
Conclusion
Staying organized and tidy can help you become more productive and efficient in your home office. Keeping these ten tips in mind can be a great help if you are looking to organize and clean your home office.