It’s important to take the time to go through everything in your home office on a regular basis in order to keep it organised and clutter-free. Here are 21 things you can declutter from your home office right now, so you can be more productive and get things done more quickly. After all, once you’ve decluttered your home office, it may even become a place of inspiration for all of your future projects!
What To Look For In Each Type Of Item When Decluttering Them
Before we get into the list of things to declutter from your home office, let’s talk about what you should look for when doing your decluttering.
Ideally you’ll gather together all the items that fall into each item type in the list below. That way you can see exactly what you’ve got at a glance.
When you can see them altogether, here are the key things to look out for in each group. This will make the decluttering process a lot easier.
- Duplicates / Excess – Pick the one you like best, that works well, and that you use the most. Have a backup if necessary, but let the rest go.
- Old / Outdated – Unless sentimental, these can be let go of without effecting your life
- Broken – Decide whether it’s worth fixing, or whether you can simply let them go
- Used (and won’t be again) / Unused (and won’t ever be) – Why are you holding on to something that someone else may be able to use?
Related: 14 Different Types Of Clutter And What To Do About Each One
The Home Office Items You Can Let Go Of Today:
#1 – Mail
You can do this by a two pronged attack! Firstly, getting rid of items that you already have, and secondly, to stop excess extra paper coming in in the future.
Gather up all the mail you’ve currently got, and work through it. For each item, decide if it’s to bin, to action, or to keep.
You can then file away the ‘to keep’ pile, and work through the ‘to action’ pile asap – but then you’ll minimise what you’ve got left by shredding or recycling the ‘to bin’ pile.
To stop paper mail from coming in you can signing up for electronic billing on all of your accounts, and register to stop junk mail as well.
This will help reduce the amount of physical mail you have to keep track of, as well as save time and energy when it comes to filing paperwork away.
#2 – Files
Go through your physical files and get rid of anything that’s no longer relevant to your current home life.
You may have created a file in your filing cabinet for a car you don’t own any longer, or a lever arch file on a shelf for a school year that your kids aren’t in any longer. Whatever files you’ve got – just double check you really need them all!
#3 – Magazines
If you have a stack of old magazines sitting around, consider donating them to your local library or charity shop so that someone else can read them.
TIP: It’s worth checking on any subscriptions you’ve got, and cancelling any that you can do without. A lot of the time now you can get the information you need / want online.
#4 – Books
If you haven’t read a book in the past two years, it may be time to pass it on.
Unless they’re reference books that you use regularly in your office or home, then it’s best to get rid of them and free up some valuable space.
#5 – Office Supplies
Go through your office supplies and only keep what you actively use on a weekly basis. It’s all too easy to have collected too many supplies over the years and not even realised it until you start to look at what you’ve got!
Donate any extra items to someone who can put them to good use.
#6 – Cables And Cords
Take some time to unplug and discard any cables and cords that you no longer need. This will help reduce the amount of clutter in your home office, and help you to find the right ones when you need them.
TIP: Take this opportunity to label the ones you keep, so you know what cable is for what item.
#7 – Papers
Go through old documents, papers, and printouts that are no longer relevant or needed.
These all too quickly pile up without us realising it, until we don’t know what is and isn’t important anymore. It’s a category that we can get clutter blind to i.e. we don’t see it any longer…
Get rid of anything that is outdated or unnecessary so you can reclaim your desk space.
#8 – Personal Items
Your office is a place of work and should not contain any personal items that don’t need to be there.
Now is the time to declutter them and either store these away in a separate area such as a dresser drawer or closet, or let them go entirely.
#9 – Food
If you have any old snacks or treats in your office, it’s time to get rid of them.
Stale food can attract pests and take up valuable space, and all other food items should be kept in the kitchen.
Remember that it’s good to get up and stretch your legs regularly when working, so this gives you the excuse to do just that!
#10 – Electronics & Devices
If you have an old laptop, printer, or other electronic device that is no longer in use, it’s time to recycle or donate them.
#11 – Boxes
Get rid of all the empty boxes from past purchases and free up some storage space in your office.
You really don’t need that iPhone box, you know.. (I see you, I do this all the time lol).
#12 – Furniture And Furniture Parts
Take a look at any furniture that is no longer serving its purpose in your office and consider donating it or repurposing it for something else.
Also get rid of any unused office furniture such as chair legs, drawers, or desktops that are no longer being used.
#13 – Decorations
If you have knick-knacks, pictures, or other decorations that are taking up space in your office, consider getting rid of them to open up some room for more important items.
The best sorts of decor in a home office are inspirational and motivational prints, and green plants to clean the air.
#14 – Software
If you have any old software that is no longer being used, it may be time to uninstall it and free up valuable storage space on your computer.
#15 – Warranties
If you have any old warranties in your office that have expired, it’s time to get rid of them so they don’t take up space unnecessarily.
#16 – Receipts
Take a look through your old receipts and get rid of any that are no longer needed.
Only keep those that you need for your business or home records (usually you can let these go after 7 years if for business, but check with your accountant.
To make this easier to do – collect them all in yearly folders, then just let the 7th one go each year and reuse that folder for the new year).
#17 – Calendars And Planners
If you’re still holding onto last year’s wall calendar, it might be time to let it go and make space for a current one.
Remember to transfer any important recurring dates onto the new one, and note down anything that you’ve added onto the old calendar / planner that you need to keep.
#18 – Notebooks
If you have notebooks filled with notes that are no longer relevant, it’s time to get rid of them and declutter your desk.
#19 – Ink Cartridges
Old ink cartridges can take up valuable storage space. Consider recycling or donating unused ones instead of keeping them in your office.
#20 – Computer Files
Sort through any old files on your computer and delete any that are no longer relevant or necessary.
This will help keep your system running smoothly and free up space for more important documents.
#21 – Computer Accessories
If you have any extra mouse pads, keyboards, or other computer accessories that are no longer being used, it may be time to pass them on to someone who can use them.
Related: How To Get Rid Of The Stuff You’ve Decluttered – 7 Ideal Options
Decluttering your home office can seem overwhelming at first but it is well worth the effort!
In fact, having a clutter-free home office can bring an amazing sense of calm and focus to your life.
By getting rid of unnecessary stuff lots of distractions are reduced, making it easier to concentrate on tasks that you need to get done.
This newfound clarity will help to lower stress, boost creativity, and create a comfy environment to do all the planning and paperwork you need to do at home.
And last but by no means least, by getting rid of things that are no longer relevant or useful, you can free up much needed space.
So – what are you waiting for?
Hope you have a great time with your newly clutter free home office – enjoy!