Sustainable home office decluttering

Following the natural rhythm of the seasons is an ancient custom still cultivated in, for example, Ayurveda. Coordinating your everyday life with the cycle of nature helps in achieving wellbeing which can lead to increased productivity, creativity, and receptiveness to new possibilities. The beginning of each season is the perfect time to recap the past few months, review your plans, and clear your space – including your workspace.

Get rid of unnecessary clutter

The best way to kick off a thorough spring clean is getting rid of unneeded items. This doesn’t mean you have to throw away things you don’t use straight away. You can give away or sell appliances and electronics in good condition – good quality accessories can last someone else several more years. See if you can fix (or get serviced) any broken or damaged items. Throwing things away should be your last resort which is why investing in quality and durability is so important. 

Optimize your space

Once your home office is reduced to only the most necessary accessories, you can start organizing your space. Focus on figuring out what type of changes you can implement to make your office space more comfortable and ergonomic. Perhaps you need more access to natural light, a more comfortable chair, a bigger desk, or an additional filing cabinet? A thought through and deliberate interior design choices are especially important if you have limited free space: you might need to demonstrate some ingenuity in combining functionality with style. This is why small spaces call for minimalism.

Desk organizers are a huge help in optimizing your workspace and our OakyBlocks are the accessories to get. Their modular construction makes them ideal for both bigger and smaller desks: you can choose two or more elements and connect them at will thanks to their magnetic walls.

When it comes to smaller desks, a good solution that provides more space is adding a second level: our Desk Shelf was designed specifically to do that. This sleek but at the same time durable shelf holds your monitor, wireless charger, an iPhone dock, and other things you need to have on hand. Our Desk Shelf gives you extra room on your tabletop and you can place a wooden Catchall Tray directly underneath to store your smaller office supplies. If you use a MagSafe charger, our multifunctional MagSafe Desk Shelf Mount is a great tool to help you save space and comfortably charge your iPhone.

Dealing with unruly cables and wires can be the most daunting part of tidying your space. Good news is that there are plenty of options for you to use: dedicated boxes, sleeves, and covers that help you gather and camouflage all cords. Here at Oakywood, we must recommend our Underdesk Organizer which attaches to the bottom of your tabletop, making it an ideal solution for small desks.

Get yourself a decent desk

An office without a desk is like a car with no wheels – it will not take you far. Spring cleaning is perhaps the best time to invest in an ergonomic desk that fits your needs and helps you work comfortably and efficiently. One thing to look out for in particular is the height of your desk: its top should allow you to bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle. When buying online, you can use online tools to calculate the right height for you.

A more advanced option would be a desk with adjustable height – it will allow you to fit it perfectly to your height but also regularly change position while working. Alternating between sitting and standing at your desk promotes good posture and back health while introducing some novelty to your daily routine and stimulating your brain to increase productivity and creativity.

Add some greens

A well-organized workspace can also be enriched with the addition of some greenery in form of a small plant pot. Plants are always a good idea for home offices not only because of their aesthetic appeal – they help you destress, provide oxygen, and boost focus. The plant kingdom offers a lot of variety. Even if you lack the green thumb or are notorious for letting your plants wilt and wither, you can still find something to suit you. ZZ plants, sansevierias, echeverias, aloes, and crassulas are all examples of sturdy plants that can survive some adverse conditions.

***

Spring cleaning and organizing your home office together with Oakywood is a truly sustainable endeavor: this is where functionality meets style and high-quality production remains environmentally friendly. You can optimize your workspace using accessories made from sustainably sourced materials, manufactured using renewable energy, and transported in a carbon neutral way. Is this not the perfect gift you can give yourself for this year’s Earth Day?