In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, workers that are able to are now working from home. For many people, this is a new experience, and one that is difficult to get used to. There are new distractions to get used to, and in some cases, the lack of face to face interaction throughout the day can be difficult.

One action you can take to help make working at home an easier experience is to keep your home office setup clean and tidy.

A tidy and functional workspace plays a key part in helping you to be productive and organised, so here are our top tips for keeping your home office clean.

Declutter and get organised

Things can quickly get wild and disorganised when you are working at home, but following a few simple steps can help you prevent clutter:

Make use of wall shelves to store books and notebooks. This helps to keep your desk space clear.
Try to keep your workspace as paperless as possible – consider using a whiteboard and drywipe marker to take notes without the need for keeping scraps of paper all over your desk.
Make a space for keeping used mugs, glasses and anything else that doesn’t need to be dealt with right away. Clear them away from your desk and clear them away when it’s time for a break.
Keep any pens scattered around your desktop in a pen holder. You might be surprised at how much clutter a few pens and pencils can cause.
Recycle any papers, junk mail, and receipts you no longer need.

Clean and maintain your workspace

Once your home office space is organised and clear of clutter, not only will your working day go much more smoothly with a bit of luck, but you’ll also find it much easier to keep your space clean:

Dust your keyboard, computer, monitors, lamps and desk surface. Ensure you are dusting at least once a week.
Wipe down surfaces with disinfectant on a daily basis. It isn’t too excessive to wipe your workspace down in the morning and evening.
Vacuum your home office space. If you have access to a hand vacuum cleaner, this can be very useful for keeping your chair and the space around your desk clean and free of dust.

Treat your home office the way you would treat your usual workspace

It’s unlikely you would eat at your desk and leave crumbs, or discard food wrappers all over your desk in the office, so don’t get into the habit of doing this at home. Make sure to spend time away from your desk and take a proper lunch break.

We hope that these cleaning and decluttering tips will help your transition to homeworking. We hope you are staying safe and doing your part to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

For more information on how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus, please click here.