Not every company has the luxury of an office spanning acres or their own campus. Just because your office is running on limited space doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style and utility. With these helpful tips, you can figure out how to utilize space in your office to make your work area feel much bigger than it actually is.

The first Step to Utilize Space in Your Office: Assess It

This may seem like a no-brainer at first, but it’s important to know how much space in your office there is exactly. Start by looking for a plan of your building that will show you the dimensions of your space and the layout of your office. This can be useful for getting an overall idea of the space in your office you’ve got to work with and where the highlights are. For example if you have a wall of great windows that can provide a lot of natural light, you might want to consider making that the focal point of your office. You can try placing couches and chairs there so people are more likely to congregate in that area. Accentuating the positive in your office is a great way to utilize space you have well.

Get Rid of Clutter and Unnecessary Items to Best Utilize Space

Probably the most important thing you can do to utilize space in your office is to get rid of things that are taking up too much of it. For example, if you have a corner stacked high with boxes you should think about moving them into storage or taking out their contents and organizing them. Also, things like circular desks can be taking up unnecessary space when a long rectangular desk can do the same job and fit more people. If you have too many loose things lying around like files, pens and office supplies, try vertical storage units as a space saving solution.

Organize, Organize, Organize

The key to freeing up space is putting things where they belong. Everything in your office should have a clearly labeled home, even down to the smallest paperclips. Take the time to buy some stackable storage bins, jars and drawered storage units that you can easily label. Walk all of your employees through the office’s new organizing system so everyone is on the same page. This way, there will be no more loose papers, coats or knicks laying around. With less junk taking up room on desks and tables your office will look more open and clutter-free, giving the illusion of more space.N

For more ways to utilize your office space to the max, check out our blog post, “3 Ways to Hack Ergonomic Office Furniture You Need Right Now.