You can be overwhelmed by the sheer number of supplies surrounding your office space and unable to function properly. No one will notice when your supply cabinet is being organized and stored. But when supply goes wrong, it can bring your business to a standstill.
Thankfully, organizing office supplies isn’t as difficult as it might seem. Organize your office space one small piece at a time, and you’ll get the job done in no time! Try these strategies for organizing your supplies.
10 Easy Ways to Organize Office Supplies
Make a List of Office Supplies
Create a list of office items and take an inventory of each item. List item types, categories, and the quantity of each item in stock to keep track of your spending. This way, you can find out which supplies are running low and create an accurate shopping list for your next trip to the office supply store.
Store Extra Office Supplies
We usually purchase extra office supplies to be prepared in advance when your current supplies run out. While these items are definitely helpful in your work, they should be stored away from everyday items. Store office supplies in labeled, preferably clean, boxes so you can easily replenish supplies as needed.
File Classification
Paper clutter in the office is almost inevitable because you may be too busy or stressed to properly store documents. Still, you’ll need to organize your files and documents into carefully labeled and categorized folders. Keep all the folders related to financial reporting together, while the sales data folder should be categorized under the same file, and so on.
Reserve a Printing Station
If your office is difficult to print, set aside a dedicated area for printing. In this area, you can place paper, extra ink cartridges or refills, printer manuals, and more. Choose an area that is close to you but has a power outlet where you can plug the printer into. You can also use this area to print DIY projects.
Label All Containers
Your home office supplies may be well-stocked, but after a few months, you may forget what’s in those boxes. Use the label maker to name these containers with their contents so you don’t have to hunt around for ink refills or extra staples. Label everything as much as possible in an easy-to-read font.
Break Down the Office Area
Taken as a whole, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the clutter of the office. Tackle office organization one area at a time, breaking down chores into smaller, more manageable tasks. Start at your desk, work your way to the bookshelf, and start sweeping the floor. This way you will manage your time better.
Use Desk Drawer Organizers
Office supplies roll every time you open or close your desk drawer. Dividers provide dividers for storing office supplies in one common area, so you don’t have to rearrange your office supplies in your drawer every now and then. You’ll be more organized and you’ll find that you’ve freed up more space as well.
Utilize Vertical and Horizontal Office Space
In addition to tables, drawers, and other horizontal surfaces, there is unused vertical space for shelves, cork boards, and other items. Space-saving storage boxes can be hung from hooks on the wall, and you can also install cubbies for paper, pens, and other office supplies.
Take advantage of wall space, especially if your office is small. You’ll be able to store supplies in one convenient location without taking up too many small water surfaces. This way, even if your office area is small, you can still maintain an organized office.
The Color Code of the File Cabinet
A filing cabinet is a space for storing files, both to protect your files from damage and to organize them easily. Color coding your filing cabinets makes it easier to identify files because you can record the category of folders based on the corresponding color code. This helps to retrieve files quickly.
Search Online for Ideas and Inspiration
Every home office is different, and it might be refreshing to find a different perspective when creating an organized office. Find visuals to organize your office based on your aesthetic on Pinterest boards and creative office ideas online. It’s a great way to find inspiration for a specific style and shape of the office, as well as take advantage of any extra space.
Office Supply Closet Management
Choose the right space – find the wardrobe you will use to store your office supplies. When answering the above questions, you will know how much you need to buy for each item, which will help you determine how much space you need. If your company is large, you may need a pantry instead of a wardrobe.
Organize your space – After you know where you put your stuff, you need to make sure everything is in order. Place the most frequently used items in the normal view, and place less frequently used materials closer to the back of the space. Projects should also be grouped logically—everything for the desktop can be in one place, and anything related to the meeting room in another area.
Storage – Once everything has its place, you need to figure out how to store everything. Storage bins, boxes, and other closet storage organizers can be used to solve this problem.
Extra space – In some cases, it may make sense to store some office supplies close to where they are used. For example, anything related to a cafe (cups, plates, silverware) should go in drawers and cabinets in the cafe area. Alternatively, anything related to printing can be placed next to the designated printer. If it makes sense, you can also get additional utility closets that serve as the epitome of office supplies throughout the workplace.
Final Thoughts
Most people spend 90% of their time at work. If you can improve the way your work area is organized, you will improve your overall quality of life. This means more time to focus on productive tasks and less time lost to stress, which improves the quality of work. Overall, having an office supplies organization system is beneficial for those who manage supplies and all employees in the office!
