Month: May 2020

Suddenly working from home? Easy ways to improve your office

Before any of us ever heard the word “coronavirus,” your home office may have been an oft-neglected corner of the house that seems to collect paperwork and dust. Then, almost overnight, our homes became our office places—and those dusty desks needed to shape up.
With remote work likely to be more commonplace even after this crisis passes, it’s a good opportunity to give your home office space a mini makeover to improve functionality and inspire quality work. Here are a few simple ways to get started…

Don’t neglect the mess

Working in a cluttered area isn’t only faux pas for video calls, but can also be subconsciously distracting when you are trying to get into the zone for work. If you don’t have a dedicated home office space and are resorting to working in the living room or at the kitchen table, start by taking 10 minutes each morning to clean up before honing in on your work.

Let the light shine in

Always wanted a corner office with a view? Now is your chance! Consider rearranging your desk to take in more natural light through a window or—if not possible—invest in a good lamp.

Make yourself comfortable

Sitting in an uncomfortable dining chair for eight hours of the day doesn’t exactly lend itself to you doing your best, most focused work. Although it may not be possible to test out different office chairs right now, online reviews can help you make an educated guess on a chair that will work for you.

Add something eye-catching

Experts recommend taking regular breaks from staring at your computer to focus on something else with your eyes. How about supporting a local artist by purchasing a new piece? Or finally printing off some family pictures? Add in some faux greenery, a new rug and some fresh office supplies for an instant decor upgrade.

Keep the essential supplies close by

If you’ve made it this far as a one-stapler family, it might be time to invest in another unless you want to keep tracking it down each time you need to staple some papers. The same goes for a good printer, highlighters, permanent markers, your favorite pens and so on. The less time you spend looking for these supplies when you need them, the sooner you can log off for the day!
 

Stepping on toys?

How to tackle toy organization once and for all

In ordinary times, our homes may feel like comfortable retreats from the outside world. But with outside entertainment and event options currently limited, “home” is now where we play, too. Combined with school closures, that can mean a lot of family time at home.
If that makes you feel like everyone in the family is constantly bumping into each other or tripping over toys, this could be the sign you need to declutter and organize your children’s seemingly multiplying number of toys.

Make decluttering a family event:

For the most part, children’s toys and clothes have short lifespans. You might be surprised to realize how much you are holding onto that is past its “expiration date” for working for your kids. Enlist everyone in the family to go through their closets to see what doesn’t fit and challenge your kids to collect toys they would be willing to donate. This is a perfect teachable moment! (Check with your preferred donation center to see how they are handling contributions right now.)

Make new purchases with longevity in mind:

You can instantly eliminate the tendency to impulse purchase toys when you ask yourself “how much space will this take up?” and “how much use will it actually get?” If you feel the object is still worthy of purchasing, also aim to buy something durable.

Rotate toys available for play:

Decluttering doesn’t have to mean getting rid of everything not in constant use. Instead, you can store away some toys that have lost your kids’ interest and then create a cycle where you swap them out so that what’s available for playing with always feels fresh, exciting and (best of all) holds your children’s focus.

Establish ground rules:

By getting clear about boundaries for where toys are and are not permitted — and then consistently enforcing those rules — your kids will quickly adapt. (Hey, it’s worth a shot!) A good place to start is by making it clear that all toys need to be put away at the end of the day. Then, turn on a song and encourage everyone to pitch in!

Make organization accessible to all:

To give your kids their best chance at putting toys away, you need to make sure they know where everything belongs and can actually access the storage. This will vary based on your kids’ ages — for example, little ones can probably get the hang of a catch-all storage bin while bigger kids can put items into more organized, dedicated containers.