We all know how important it is to have a living space that you feel comfortable in, which you feel reflects who you are, where you can retreat from the world and feel safe. However, if you also decide to work from home this can cause added strain on your living environment. It is even more important to be organised and ensure you have a clutter-free home.

If you decide to set up your office in your home, there are some basic rules that you should try to adhere to:

Try to have a space that is dedicated to working – somewhere separate to your living space, even if it is just a corner of your lounge. Try to avoid working in your bedroom as this might make it difficult to switch off and sleep at night.

Keep your home as tidy as possible. A clear environment is likely to help you to be organised and think and work more efficiently.

Avoid gathering clutter in your home. Make sure that if you purchase something new you get rid of something old… the ‘one-in one-out’ theory.

Keep paperwork to a minimum. The paperless office we all thought was going to happen with the onset of the digital age turned out to be an empty dream. But do avoid printing out items that you can keep online. Another tip is to regularly go through paper files to see what may be thrown out.