Guest Blogger: Cristin from Simplified Bee

I'm out of town for the week, and have asked some of my favorite bloggers to help me out while I take a few days here and there away from blogging.  My first guest is Cristin, who is offering up her best tips on organizing your home office. If you saw the current state of my desk, you might think she wrote this one specifically for me. . . .

This is Cristin from Simplified Bee and I am thrilled to be guest blogging today on Emily’s blog.

Have you organized your home office recently? Do you have stacks of papers piling up around you? Not sure where to find your latest Elle Décor? If you answered yes, to any of these questions it’s time to organize your home office. Here are five steps to make your office space functional and beautiful.

Image from Bright, Bold and Beautiful

1. Declutter Your Space

Declutter your office by purging {toss, recycle or donate} a few items that are broken, not being used or don’t hold any sentimental value. Perhaps all those dried up pens and broken pencils? How about donating the extra calculator in your draw to a local school? When is the last time you read or reference that book? Purging will help you fight the visual clutter in your office and is an easy exercise to perform monthly or quarterly.

Image from Brooklyn Limestone

2. Set Up a File System

A home office filing system should not be overly complicated. The simpler the better. Think about how you look for a particular file or piece of paper. What would be the easiest way for you to find it? Then create a file system that works for you. Don't worry about it being perfect. You can always go back and modify later.

In our home office, I prefer the FreedomFiler – a self-purging file system. I loved it so much; I became an affiliate and recommend it to my clients looking to revamp their filing system. FreedomFiler has compiled a wonderful {and free} learning center that explains the art of filing successfully.

Image from Coco+Kelley

3. Purge a File or Two

Pick a file drawer and shred all documents that you no longer need to save. Here is quick overview from Bankrate.com of which records you need to keep and which ones your need to toss {shred}:

• Taxes - Seven years. The IRS has three years from your filing date to audit your return if it suspects good faith errors, and six years if it thinks you underreported your gross income by 25 percent or more.
• IRA contributions - Permanently.
• Retirement/Savings plan statements - From one year to permanently. Keep the quarterly statements until you receive your annual summary; keep the annual summaries until you retire or close the account.
• Bank records - From one year to permanently. Throw away checks that have no long-term importance, but keep checks related to your taxes, business expenses and housing and mortgage payments.
• Brokerage statements - Until you sell your securities.
• Bills - From one year to permanently. In most cases, when you receive the canceled check, the bill can be tossed. However, you should keep bills for big purchases (e.g., jewelry, appliances, cars, collectibles, etc.) for proof of their value in the event of loss or damage.
• Credit card receipts and statements - From 45 days to seven years. Keep the statements seven years if they document tax-related expenses.
• Paycheck stubs - One year. If your W-2 form matches your stubs, you can toss your stubs.
• House/Condominium records and receipts - From six years to permanently.

Image from Drake Design Associates

4. Organize a Desk Drawer

Desk drawers tend to be dumping grounds. Another way to streamline your home office is to organize your desk drawers. Start by taking everything out of it and sorting through the contents and placing in groups (i.e. pens, note pads, paper clips, etc.). Items that belong in other areas of the home should go in a box temporarily and put away at a later time.

Sort through the contents, throwing out whatever is no longer useful and moving whatever is misplaced back to its better location. (The recipes, for instance, are probably best located near the kitchen rather than in your desk.)

Then insert a plastic organizer tray (available at any office supplies store) and put things back into the drawer, using the different sections of the organizer tray to keep things separate and easy to find.

Image from DecorPad

5. Clear Your Desk Top

The easiest way to do this is to remove all items from your desktop except for items that are absolutely necessary for your work (i.e. phone, computer, task light). Determine which items you use on a daily basis (i.e. pen & pencil holder, letter tray) and place them back onto the desk. Add a personal item or two (i.e. family photo, decorative figurine or small plant). The other items that you have removed will either need to find a new home (i.e. desk drawer, filing cabinet, recycle bin). If you perform this exercise weekly, it will take less and less time to complete and your desk will look beautifully organized.

It might take a few organizing sessions for you to complete all the tasks, but you will be so happy with the results. A well-organized home office will allow you to be more productive and removes exhausting visual clutter. For more home organization and design tips, please drop by Simplified Bee!

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Thanks, Cristin!  On another note, don't forget there are only a few more days to enter my giveaway from SimaG Jewelry.  Go here to post a comment for a chance to win a beautiful engraved necklace.