Keeping your home office clean, especially when working from home, is good hygiene practice but can also help you feel more productive and focused.
Declutter your space
One of the simplest ways to get your home office looking and feeling cleaner is to declutter your space regularly. Throw away anything you no longer need – it is easy for unnecessary papers, documents and receipts to build up. Make sure to regularly sort through your pile of papers and throw away unwanted items and file what is needed. Separate the things you need on a daily basis versus the things you need to store for the future.
To make this task easier and to make your space more organised, it could be worth investing in good home office accessories such as a filing tray, a pot for your pens or any folders. A good tip is to minimise the things that you need and maximise your space. For things that you do not use often but need to keep, it might be worth storing them in a drawer or a storage bin.
Decluttering your space can help you make better decisions, including making better financial decisions, as you will have a clearer mind, with your workspace less cluttered.
While you’re at it, declutter your cables. Cables can easily get tangled and it can be tempting to keep them that way. Not only does this make your space look less tidy, it could also be dangerous. Untangle your cables to protect them and keep them out of sight to make your desk space more organised.
Clean your desk regularly
Cleaning your desk is not just a one-time-thing but something that should be done regularly. It is important to make desk cleaning part of your daily routine to keep your workspace clean and cultivate a space that makes you feel focused and productive. Wipe down your desk and chair regularly, dust your desk and wipe down any potential water marks left by cups or glasses. You can also use a dampened cloth coupled with an anti-bacterial spray to get rid of any household germs.
Don’t eat at your desk
Eating at your desk can quickly become a habit, especially if you work from home. However, this can easily become a hotbed for crumbs, dust, germs and stains. Food can easily get trapped in your keyboard and make it difficult to clean. Not only that, but taking a break and getting away from your computer screen to eat your lunch will have positive effects on your mental health and allow you some time to disconnect and switch off ready to come back to work feeling refreshed and renewed.
Clean your keyboard and screen
Your keyboard and screen will inevitably gather dirt, be it fingerprints, dust from the room or crumbs. Both require careful cleaning to avoid damage. For your computer screen, you can use a solution made from distilled water and white vinegar combined with a microfibre cloth. You should never spray the solution directly onto the screen but instead apply it gently to the microfibre cloth before wiping down the screen. You should always make sure the screen is turned off before doing this.
With your keyboard, you will need to disconnect it or turn it off if it is part of a laptop. Before cleaning it, hold it upside down to loosen any debris or crumbs. You can use compressed air or even the duster of your vacuum cleaner to blast away any leftover dirt. Then, you can use a small cotton bud or piece of kitchen roll with an alcohol solution to wipe around your keys. You should ensure that you are not wetting the keyboard too much as this can be dangerous. Use your microfibre cloth again to wipe down each of the keys.