Desk Dilemma: Organizing Your Home Office

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YOU CAN'T CHANGE the world from your kitchen table. OK — you can, but it's much more pleasant to do it in a space that feels like your own, is efficient and looks great.

If you're joining the millions of Americans taking the Great Recession as an opportunity to start something new — to go back to school, to launch a business or to just pick up a small job on the side to bring in extra income, you'll need a space that's dedicated to your work. And, of course, if you have papers strewn everywhere, that'll put a damper on your creative process.

Lauren Halagarda, a certified professional organizer, productivity expert and the owner of the Organization Connection in Alexandria (2OrganizeU.com) says the biggest issue she sees with her home office clients is paper — by far.

"I've helped people with walls full of boxes of paper," she says. Even the average home office worker could stand to cart out about five bags worth — that's how much Halagarda helps the typical client purge.

Drowning in your own sea of loose-leaf? Here are some of Halagarda's favorite tips for managing the flow.

1) Make Room and Spread Out
When it comes to work space, try to maximize your "prime real estate" to fit a desk or table, Halagarda says. She built a double-sided desk for her and her husband to share — for less than $100.

"I had a sheet of [fiberboard] cut to size, and it's resting on two back-to-back filing cabinets on one end and two Ikea legs on the other to provide more legroom," Halagarda says. "For people who want a really expansive work space, it's a great idea: You don't have to invest in an expensive desk." Another advantage to a DIY setup: You can mount electronic equipment such as routers, chargers and external hard drives underneath the desk without fear of damaging an expensive heirloom. The gadgets are "off a surface, out of the way, and if something goes wrong, it's accessible," Halagarda says.

If you want to go the prefab route, pick a modular piece so you can mix and match. Halagarda recommends the Bedford system from Pottery Barn ($149-$499; Potterybarn.com), which includes desks (pictured above), bookcases and filing cabinets.

2) Seek Portability for Productivity
Set up an in-box to collect and make instant decisions about each item of paper. Try sorting by categories such as "filing," "tossing" or "acting on." Your "action file" —for papers such as bills, calls to make and invitations — needs to be within arm's reach for ultimate productivity, Halagarda says. The Bungalow File Tote from See Jane Work ($30; Seejanework.com) holds files but is just 6 inches wide, so it nestles easily on top of your desk. The best part: "It's got straps, so you can sling it over your shoulder and take it with you" to meetings with clients or on the train.

3) Give Files a Long Shelf Life
You'll need something for papers you don't frequently access, too, whether that's tax records, reference files, old invoices or an inspirational poem. The Elfa shelving system from The Container Store (from $128; Containerstore.com) can be set up in an infinite number of ways. "I've been able to reconfigure it to suit my needs wherever I go," Halagarda says. If you're the type not to leave everything hanging in the open, invest in a set of bins or boxes for the shelves.

Keep your files up-to-date, too, purging what you no longer need (check with a tax adviser about financial records) and moving no-longer-current files to long-term storage in a closet or basement.

4) Roll With Uber-Organization
Sometimes, even the most spacious desks and well-positioned shelving aren't enough to keep your documents in order. Halagarda supplements her storage systems with the Freedom Filer ($33, Freedom
filer.com). This wheeled container holds hundreds of preprinted, color-coded labels and instructions on how to file every piece of paper that crosses your desk (think: cable bills, bank statements and pay stubs).

The Freedom Filer never disappoints Halagarda, who has a foolproof way to test how well she's sorted her supplies: "If my husband asks me for something [in the filing cabinet], I'll say, 'If you can't find it in five minutes, I'll help you look for it,'" Halagarda says. "I never have to."

Written by Express contributor Rachel Kaufman
Photos courtesy Pottery Barn, Container Store, Freedom Filer