If you’re running an office or classroom then you’ll want to make the most of both your furniture and storage. When space is limited, every centimetre of the room counts, especially when it comes to the storage of school supplies (crafts, books and toys) and stationary (all your pens, papers and office materials). Research has shown that clutter can negatively affect our moods, but anyone working in a school or busy office knows how elusive order can be. You may even think it’s practically impossible to keep a classroom or office neat and tidy, but we beg to differ. To effectively manage your workspace you need furniture and storage options that facilitates organisation. Read on for our top tips on how to keep your workplace in check. But first, how do you know if you have a clutter problem?
The root cause of clutter
There are many reasons for clutter, but in the workplace it often comes down to not having appropriate storage and furniture for your needs. If your work environment is in constant chaos then you may need to ask yourself the following questions:
1. Do you have enough storage?
2. Do you use everything you have?
3. Do you know where to put everything?
4. Do you have a waste management plan?
If you answered “no” to any of the above then you may have a clutter problem. Here are our suggestions to clean up the mess:
1. Invest in storage
If there’s nowhere to put things then is it any surprise that clutter takes over all the available space? If something isn’t being used there’s no reason to have it on your desk, but it’s not going to look any better on the floor, either. Thankfully, storage options are easy to put in place. Cabinets and storage units tuck everything away and look neat and tidy. Better yet, as many cabinets and tray systems stand up vertically, they don’t take up much floor space.
2. Take stock of everything you own
Before you buy any kind of storage solution, you should know what you need to store first! Put everything into like piles and take stock of everything you have before you decide on the kind of storage to buy. There are many storage solutions designed for specific products that may come in handy, such as mobile racks for hanging drawings and posters, folding bookcases for picture books and magazines, and stackable trays and containers for arts and crafts.
3. Once you have an inventory, find a place for every little thing
Now that you know what you have and have storage solutions in place it’s time to find a place for every little thing. Make sure your storage options are easy to find, convenient to use (if working with children make sure they can reach!) and memorable. If adding labels will help give everything a place then go for it!
4. Don’t forget waste management! Make it easy to put things in the bin
One of the primary culprits of clutter is a lack of waste management. If bins are not placed at regular intervals, and there are no recycling bins or facilities, then are you really surprised that your workplace gets chaotic? Make it easy for staff or students to keep their space neat and tidy by investing in an easy to use waste management system.
5. Invest in multi-use furniture that makes the most of space
Multi-use furniture with inbuilt storage can seriously declutter a space. For example, our rover chair not only includes a fold-away desk but comes with storage space underneath that can hold everything from books to school bags. Workstations and desks with inbuilt storage also make it easier for employees to store away their belongings. Finally, rather than get three pieces of furniture for three different functions, look out for multi-use furniture that can do it all in one and save you floor space.
