Rethink Your Space

With so many of us moving from our corporate offices to home offices, I am noticing that space in our homes is needing to pull double duty. This can mean that your husband's once beloved "Man Room" is now also your sewing room, your living room has been taken over by toys so the playroom can be a dedicated office, or you find yourself clearing the dining room table of piles of papers before meals. There are a few simple and easy solutions to make sharing space more comfortable.

• Rethink Your Space: Try to see the space with new eyes. 
• Take a picture - it lasts longer! Taking a picture of your space can help you see your space in a new way.
• Find a friend.This is the easiest way to get a new pair of eyes! Have them challenge you with questions such as "Why do you have X item here?" 
• Make a list! Write down how you use the space, how you want to use the space and who will be using the space. This information will help you see items in the area that don't fit in. 
• Use areas of the that are either not being utilized or underutilized such as walls. If it is a small space, the most valuable area is the floor. Try to move items off the floor to desk tops or other areas. 
• Use your walls! Wall mounted shelves, file organizers  and racks can replace standing filing cabinets and keep information at your fingertips. 
• Don't forget doors! There is a slew of organizing products that can be hung without hardware and installed in seconds. No room for your shoes in the laundry room? A hanging shoe rack behind each closet door keeps shoes and other items sorted and out of sight.
• Downsize and Re-Purpose. Are you getting the most out of your entryway closet? Could the items such as coats, sports equipment and shoes be moved to other areas? Be creative in how you dedicated the storage spaces in your home. If the entryway closet is close to the new office, could it now hold a filing cabinet or other materials that you're constantly clearing away?  Decide if you need each item in the space. 
• Toss any broken items right away.
• Think of how to use items in new ways. A small vase to hold pens, diaper caddy to hold various office supplies (and it's portable too!) or small tupperware that has a long, lost lid for paper clips. Cost? FREE!

Just remember to be creative and have fun with rethinking your space. Life changes can be a stressful time so remember that it doesn't have to be done alone. A Professional Organizer can be a great source for any project! To find a Professional Organizer near you visit the NAPO website.