TL;DR
When your home office shares a guest room, keep office supplies on a small rolling cart that parks in the closet when guests arrive and rolls out beside the desk when you work. Sort supplies into simple categories, such as things that stick, things that bind and things that write, and keep them all in one place.
More and more people are working from home offices, either part time or full time.
The challenge is that often, the house they live in does not have room for a full scale office. Perhaps they are stealing part of their dining room or a corner of their bedroom (not recommended by the way.)
Most frequently I find clients using part of the guest room to conduct business. Most guest rooms cannot completely commit to business alone and still need a place for the occasional guest to visit!
This was the case of this particular client. We needed to use the closet for luggage, extra clothes and of course, leave a little space for the guest suitcase etc. With that in mind, I recommended that we implement a portable office supplies system in the form of this little cart on wheels.
When the office was in action, the cart could be rolled out of the closet and positioned by the small desk. When guests arrived, it could be parked inside the recessed area to the right of the closet.
My favorite organizing categories were used and you might want to try using them as well. They work great to combine ‘like items with like.”
The categories we used were:
Things that Stick – Tape, glues etc
Things that Bind – Staples, paper lips, rubber bands etc
Things the Write – Pens, pencils, markers etc
Tools – Scissors, stapler, hole puncher, etc
Mail Supplies – stamps, address labels, envelopes etc
Batteries – this one is obvious. You might not need it positioned in this area like this client did, but please make sure that you have a designated battery storage bin somewhere within your home. It will save you hours of frustration each year.
Other potential categories I have created over the years and that you might decide to use could be titled:
Things to Write On: Paper, post it notes etc
Things to Write In: Notepads, journals, day planners etc
However you decide to organize your office supplies, make sure that the majority of your collection is stowed into one contained area and not scattered throughout your house.
There is nothing more frustrating than finding the box of staples and not being able to find the stapler. Right?
If you have created other successful solutions for this common problem, please tell me about it in the comments section below. If you have a photo that you wold like to include to show off your idea, please email it and your tip to [email protected] and we will post it with your comment.
Keep reading
- Organizing a Busy Work DeskAn inbound spot, a holding zone and a place for every type of item.
- Home Office Design, Organizing Desk Configuration (part 1)The L-shaped desk setup that keeps paper off your desktop.
Frequently asked questions
How can I organize office supplies in a small home office?
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Use a portable system, such as a small cart on wheels. Kathi set one up for a client whose office shared a guest room: the cart rolls out beside the desk during the workday and parks in a recessed spot by the closet when guests come to stay.
What categories should I use to sort office supplies?
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Group like items with like. Kathi’s favorites are things that stick, such as tape and glue; things that bind, such as staples and rubber bands; things that write; tools, such as scissors and a hole punch; mail supplies; and batteries.
Where should I keep spare batteries?
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Give batteries one designated storage bin somewhere in your home. It doesn’t have to be in the office, but having a single spot for them will save you hours of frustration each year hunting for the right size.
Should all of my office supplies be stored in one place?
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Yes. Keep most of your supplies in one contained area instead of scattered through the house. Nothing is more frustrating than finding the box of staples and not being able to find the stapler.
Is it a good idea to set up a home office in the bedroom?
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Kathi doesn’t recommend it. Many people borrow a corner of the dining room or bedroom for work, but she most often sees clients using part of a guest room, with a portable system so the room can still welcome visitors.
