Home Office

Working from your own home office certainly has its advantages: and is something more and more of us are doing either full or part time. But it can also present some design, space and organisational challenges.

In this new series we speak to a variety of interesting people who all work from home. They’ll give us guided tours of their work space, share some home office design ideas and tips on how they work and get organised.

For this first feature, let me introduce you to Will who is a freelance writer and stylist living in the UK. You might already know him from the popular interior blog he writes – Bright.Bazaar – which focuses on colour and bright interiors.

As you might have expected, Will’s workspace is stylish and organised, with dashes of colour and some cool desk and office accessories.

Describe your work space?
I decorated it with a muted range of grey neutrals, with a dash of black for masculinity. I added in some yellow hues as I always need at least some colour, after all it is what I love. We are renting so we are not allowed to paint or wallpaper, so I tried to add some interest with whimsical items such as the grandfather clock.

What are your three essential home office accessories?
A good supply of stationery (pens, notebooks etc), books nearby for inspiration and a never-ending pot of coffee!

Is there anything on your wish list that you’d love to have for your workspace?
It’s purely for decorative purposes but I have been hankering after a vintage 1950′s Royal typewriter to place on the windowsill above my desk. I find that there’s something comforting about them.

How do you think design can help in creating a productive home office?
For me it’s all about good organisation. I work so much better when all my paperwork is filed, I have a pen to hand when needed and that the desk is near a window for both natural light and inspiration.

What inspires you?
Magazines (and lots of them!), long walks, creative visual merchandising.

Do you have a To-Do list – and if so what system do you use?
I sure do! In the pictures of my office you can see a small notebook with camera illustrations printed onto it. Well, in there I write daily to-do lists (or at least I try to!). Sometimes I’ll pop things onto my iPhone, but I like the satisfaction of being able to cross things off when they are done. Small things, and all that jazz…!

Any tips for creating an organised work space?
I try to set aside half an hour a week for organising my workspace so that I keep on top of bills, letters and other paperwork. I’ve also colour co-ordinated my files so that I can quickly and easily file away (and find when needed) paperwork.

Where would be your dream destination to work mobile?
I like to write and plan my shoots from home. Sure, I gain inspiration whilst out propping or on exotic holidays but I feel I write best when I am in the comfort of my own home. That said, I do enjoy living and working in the city, so it just depends on my mood!

Photo credit: Will / Bright.Bazaar

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A clear desk is like a blank piece of paper: a space for new potential, possibilities and ideas.

But standing between us and that ideal working environment is paperwork. Clutter creating and time consuming, it stifles creativity and productivity.

There’s an almost mysterious process as it gradually morphs on your desk, and you’re suddenly faced with a threatening mass invading your workspace. So daunting, that often the temptation is to try and ignore it, in the hope it will simply disappear (by trying to hide it with yet more paper on top).

Then one day, the inevitable happens. You need an essential document and are forced to spend ages rummaging through the chaos in order to locate it.

How can we prevent that overwhelming paper clutter and the stress it brings with it?
What is the secret to having a clear minimalist desk where we can work more efficiently and with a sense of calm?

The solution – you’ll be happy to know – is in fact quite simple and just takes a few easy steps:

Tackle your pile of paper one piece at a time, starting at the top.
Handle each piece of paper just once and sort them into four separate piles: Action, File, Forward (anything that needs to be sent to someone else to deal with) or Bin.
Once completed, immediately dispose of the Bin pile; dispatch everything in your Forward pile and place anything to file in your filing system.
Sort your Action pile in order of priority then place in a file off your desk, but close to hand, in a drawer or on a shelf.
Only keep on your desk the paperwork you are working on at that particular time.
When you need to jot down memos and ideas, don’t leave your notes scattered around your desk to begin accumulating again. Instead, use a memo or notice board kept on a corner of your desk or hung above it.

And to make sure your clear desk stays that way, all you need to do is ask the same question each time a new piece of paper crosses your desk – Action, File, Forward or Bin?

Photo credit Laure Wayaffe

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