Then There Were 2…Working from Home

Since starting my business, I have always worked from home. I applied the same home office organizing strategies, that I use as a NYC Professional Officer Organizer, to my own space. I have a designated desk (that I share with my husband during non-work hours), a file cabinet nearby and my surplus office and organizing supplies in a closet on the other side of the room. All as you would expect very organized and orderly.

With the onset of the pandemic, life has gotten chaotic and routines have had to change. My husband who works in an essential industry had continued to go into the office until recently. He left his private office behind when he started working remotely in early April. As there isn’t enough space on the desk to share it, he has commandeered our dining table as his temporary desk so we both have our own separate spaces.

As it isn’t usually conducive to hunch over the coffee table to eat dinner, Jay’s daily routine now includes setting up his desk in the morning and mostly clearing the table at the end of the day.  He has been using two laptops due to tech issues so they along with his pad and post-it’s occupy most of the table top space. His end of day routine now includes stowing his supplies in the computer bag, unplugging the extension cord that is powering the computers, and removing the chair that is positioned over the cord to serve as a trip hazard warning. Both laptops and their power cords now live on the table when not in use and are pushed off to the side each night so that the table can be set for dinner. 

With only minor disruptions to our space, we have been able to manage well with both us working from home. We have been respectful of each other’s routines, are sharing our respective conference call and Zoom meeting times each morning and being sure to refill the printer’s paper tray. While working from home may become the preferred choice for many once the pandemic is over, Jay’s preference is to return to his office. In the interim, it has been good having someone to share lunch and a post-lunch walk around the block with.

How are you managing with everyone in your home working from home? If you need home office organizing suggestions to help you through this unprecedented chapter of our lives, reach out to your NYC Professional Office Organizer today.