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Jul 18, 2023

5 Tips to Declutter a Home Office

By Jenni GrittersAug. 25, 2023 Research has shown that the messier your space is, the more easily you’ll be distracted by all of the visual stimuli around you. Wirecutter’s work-from-home team has

By Jenni GrittersAug. 25, 2023

Research has shown that the messier your space is, the more easily you’ll be distracted by all of the visual stimuli around you.

Wirecutter’s work-from-home team has spent thousands of hours testing the best ways to keep your home office organized. Here are five things you need →

Start with a pack of Velcro Brand one-wrap thin ties. Collect all of the cords that snake around and on top of your desk, and thread them around the back, where you can’t see them. Then gather groups of cords into bundles, secured with cable ties. You can also opt for a cable sleeve, like the Bluelounge Soba, especially if you rarely unplug or move the cords in question.

Next, it’s time to sort through all of the papers on your desk and put anything that you need to access often in a desktop organizer.

After that, find the items that you need to archive, including birth certificates, estate plans and financial documents. Scan these important pieces and add them to their respective Dropbox files. The Brother ADS-1250W is a portable document scanner that does the job quickly without taking up too much desk space.

To organize the chaos of loose papers strewn across your desk, consider storing them in labeled folders. You can organize them using Wirecutter’s top-pick label maker, the Brother P-touch Cube Plus, which allows you to not only label folders but also bins and shelves, so you’ll know where stray items should land when you inevitably find them strewn across your desk.

Create a more functional desk space with the Quartet Glass Whiteboard Desktop Easel. Use it to take notes on what needs to happen during the week. Then choose two items to tackle on any given day, and then cathartically erase them when they’re complete.

Senior staff writer Melanie Pinola also loves the Wayber Dual-Sided Desk Pad, which protects your desk from spills. Also, your mouse will glide smoothly over its surface.

Now that you’ve decluttered your space, you likely have a pile of electronics to get rid of. They shouldn’t go into a landfill, as heavy metals and harmful chemicals can leach into soil and water system.

Consider repair and reuse options like iFixit, or trade in devices at Amazon, BestBuy, Apple and Dell. Also consider recycling options by contacting your city’s sanitation department. Before you donate tech, be sure to wipe your data from the device.

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