How do I orgainzie all the papers, mail, pens, etc?

Question

I don't have room for an office desk in my place so all the papers, mail, pens, pencils end up getting scattered all over the kitchen table or thrown in a drawer. What can I do to orgainzie office stuff in a tiny space?

Answer 1

I live in a small space, too. I got a small, two drawer filing cabinet ($5 at a garage sale; they're pretty cheap in stores, too) and I use it as a printer stand. They also work well as end tables or nightstands. One drawer is used for hanging files and the other I put baskets in to organize my pens and other office supplies.

Right now, it's just as is, but in my last place I threw a tablecloth over it for looks. I just lifted the cloth when I needed to open the drawers.

Other things to consider are vertical storage options. You can get wall-mounted file and paper holders at places like The Container Store and Office Depot. Some of these have hooks at the bottom--hung by the front door, it's a convenient place to stash your mail and your keys right when you get home. Wall-mounted shelves can hold small containers for pens, paper clips, etc. In another place I lived, I didn't use traditional office supplies to hold that stuff. Instead, I put it in vases and pottery people had given me. That way I was able to display my pretty items while storing my stuff.

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Finally, for things you don't need to reference very often, plastic under-the-bed storage boxes work well for me. I have things like old schoolwork, transcripts, magazines I want to save, etc. under the bed. Important documents like passports and birth certificates are in a small (9" x 12") fire safe in the closet.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I had the same problem at home too. Solved it by getting a small 4 shelf bookcase bought at WalMart for under 30$.

Get a desktop file that holds hanging file folders in a combination of colors. They come with file tabs so you can easily label them. Use these for the most commonly used papers: bills to be paid, letters to answer, etc. You might want to think about investing in a small 2 drawer file cabinet (which you can get for dirt cheap at WalMart also, especially if you have papers you need to hang on to for awhile. Only keep the current papers in the desktop file and file the rest in the cabinet.

Get yourself a rotating pen & pencil holder that has small compartments all around it for the small items like paperclips, etc. At the dollar store, you can also get some small stacking plastic see-thru drawers for stamps, erasers, etc. You can also get letter trays: label one To be Filed and the other To be dealt with.

The bookcase will also hold important books you may need to work: a dictionary, a phone book, etc.

Make sure you put stuff away in their place as soon as you can... throw the rest in the recycling bin or the garbage.

If you don't like seeing the inside and all the contents of the bookcase, you can easily attach a curtain rod to the front top and hang a curtain that matches the room.

You'll be amazed at all the stuff this one little bookcase can organize.

Happy organizing!

Answer 3

Go to an office supply store and get a cardboard (assemble it yourself) bankers box. Add a few desk accessories like a pencil holder, mail sorter, paper clip holder, and place these on top. While there, look for other items that might hold and organize the type of stuff you have. Within a space about 1 foot deep and 2 feet wide and 2 feet high you can probably contain just about everything. Just be sure to always return everything to its proper place.

Answer 4

You can buy small plastic file boxes at Wal Mart for important papers. It can be put on or under somthing and takes up little space. you can use a large vegetable can for the pens or several small ones. You can paint them or put old wall paper border on them or just leave them silver or use tomatoe cans they are really bright and decorative or take the label off and use them silver. Just make sure there aren't any sharp edges on the cans. Use a small plastic box for paperclips and rubberbands and loose sturr and put it in a drawer...yoiu can actually use the silverware trays for those things in a different drawer. Pens, and paper clips all fit in well there too.

Answer 5

Walmart, staples, office depot sell mail sorters for the wall. Hang it in an inconspicuous place. Then, put a pen cup either close to it or anchored to it.

Answer 6

I use FlyLady's "Office in a Bag" - it's a zippered binder that has pockets for things like pens and a calculator, and also has a space to put a 3-ring binder, which I put sheet protectors in and put all my papers in those. It's nice because it keeps everything in one place.

The only other option is... declutter! Less is more! :)

Answer 7

got a office supply store they have orgainzers for all that stuff

Answer 8

You should buy those things that help you to get organized.