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I can't count the times that I have seen images of orderly (and often color coordinated) home offices and thought why can't my space look like that? I consider myself somewhat organized but of course wish I could somehow do it better or at least have it look good!!!  My New Year's resolution last year was to get my home office in order. This included my filing system.  I used to have files for everything. And when I needed to find something it took forever because I had to search though so many files!!! While I may not have accomplished getting my space completely in order, I think I have found some clues to how this could happen for me in 2011!

Over the past few years I have become a full convert to the binder organization method. Georgia was the one who gave me this idea. It is nice because you don't need a large filing cabinet and you have the added bonus of easily moving from one year to the next or from project to project. New project means new binder. Finished projects and expired calendar years get stored.  Binders come in a variety of colors so it is easy to keep work files separate from personal files and so on. I love the entire semikolon line of products (seen below) but if you are looking for a more price conscious option no need to worry. You can find binders in every color at any office supply store.

The great thing about using Semikolon products is that they have a full range of office products that are colorful and pretty. I love this new collection in blue and white (below). I have found their business card, magazine, and document boxes very useful.  I use the document boxes to store momentos and letters from family and friends.  I also use them for my ever-growing collection of design inspirations. Whenever I tear something interesting out of a magazine or want to keep that perfect paint chip but don't have a place or project for it yet, it goes in the box. When I am looking for inspiration, the box comes out and I have all these beautiful fragments to get my mind thinking creatively.

Through my use of these boxes I stumbled across my next tip for staying organized-open bins and baskets.  While the binder system is great, I don't always have the time or ambition to immediately file something and there are always those things that won't need to be filed but can't be throw away yet.  Having baskets for these items is so helpful and an easy system to use (below: top right). 

And my final suggestion for staying organized in style....our everything pyramid. The greatest thing about the pyramid is that it can hold over-sized documents that binders cannot accommodate.  I can't wait to get two of these for my new apartment....I'm going with green!