How-To Articles

How to Arrange Your Office

For some people arranging and decorating an office is fun and exciting, a chance to show off their design expertise. For others it?s a burden they'd rather not have to bear. Regardless of how you feel about the process, you?re going to be spending a lot of time in your office, so it pays to set it up in such a way that you?ll be comfortable and able to work effectively and efficiently.

You may want to start by drawing an outline of your office or office space on graph paper. Take into account those objects that will inevitably affect your arrangement, like outlets, windows, doors, phone jacks, light switches, etc. Then play around with the placement of larger pieces like work stations, desks, large office equipment, file cabinets, tables and chairs. Think about how you work and what you're most comfortable with. For example, some people like to face a door or a window, while others prefer to be tucked away in a secluded corner. You also need to look at what you do most frequently. Are you always using the printer or sifting through file cabinets. Put those things near you or you near them. If possible, you'll also want to set up a meeting area with clients. This can simply be a small table with a few chairs. Stacking chairs might be helpful if you have limited space.

Whether you have natural light from windows or not, ample light is important to higher levels of productivity and alertness. Dim lighting is known to cause people to lose focus or become sleepy. So be sure to have plenty of light fixtures with bright bulbs.

From files and paperwork to products and equipment, storage can be a large issue for any size business, so make the best use of the space that you have using storage containers and other organizational tools. If you have a home office, think about putting the items that you rarely use in another storage area, like a basement, garage or guest bedroom. Also, consider installing shelves? as many as possible? for books and extra supplies.

1. Do sit in the corner farthest from the entrance to have a command position.
2. Don't face away from the door.
3. Do balance light and dark colors, soft and hard surfaces, and smooth and rough textures.
4. Don't have mirrors in your office.
5. Do keep the cords to your office equipment well hidden to eliminate clutter.
6. Don't arrange your workspace so that you look straight out into a corridor.

Regardless of how you end up arranging your office space, keep the room as neat as possible. A messy work environment can create all kinds of problems. Not only will you have a tough time finding the things that you need, but a messy work environment is always a distraction. If you must have clutter or distracting elements, try to keep them behind doors or in drawers.