Businesses across the country constantly deal with clutter and the need for more effective storage solutions. It should come as no surprise that clutter has become such a pressing issue, especially considering the increasing body of evidence suggesting that clutter interferes with a person’s ability to focus (see this study by the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute).

Freelancers who work from home face an even greater challenge when it comes to saving space and reducing clutter. If you fall into this category, consider the following tips for making the most of your home workspace:

Recessed Shelving

When you have a small amount of floor space to deal with, it becomes especially important to make use of vertical space. Recessed shelving built into walls or under desks makes it much easier to organize and eliminate clutter without the need for additional square footage. Likewise, consider creating more space by moving existing home storage space into more compact units. For example, clothing could be stored in Spaceslide wardrobes, eliminating the need for a bulky piece of furniture in the room.

Flat Screen TV / Monitor

This is only going to be practical if the work space that you are dealing is also used for other purposes in the house. Consider mounting a flat-screen television on the wall above the desk (ideally at eye level when seated), and use this as an external computer monitor when you working from your desk. This can easily be added as a second monitor to a laptop, which gives you double (or more) the virtual desktop space without requiring you to stack any more equipment on top of your desk. Then, when the workday ends, the monitor moonlights as the family television screen.

Articulating Arms

A single lamp on an articulating arm can be repositioned to illuminate a specific area on the desk when needed – making excellent use of limited space. This allows you to maximize the functionality of a single piece of equipment. Studies suggest that well-lit offices led to higher productivity rates, which makes this an important consideration.

Slide-Out Work Space

If you are really struggling to find the space that you need, consider installing a desk that features additional slide-out space that can be utilized on demand. This additional space will slide into or tuck under one end of your desk, where it will quietly stay out of the way unless you need it. When work demands, it can be pulled out to virtually double the desktop area that you have at your disposal.

Chalkboard Wall

Eliminate the need for bulletin boards and sticky notes by turning the wall behind your desk into a chalkboard. All you need to do is select the wall you would like to use, clean and prime the surface and then apply chalkboard paint (which you can buy from virtually any arts and crafts store in the UK). This surface literally requires no more space than your wall was already taking up, and it allows you to keep down clutter by foregoing sticky notes and dry erase boards.

Prioritized System

Part of saving space in any office environment is determining exactly what it is that you do and do not need. This means prioritizing items that will remain on your desk (or at least within easy reach when you are seated at it), and those other items that you’ll rarely – if ever – use. Keep the bare necessities on your desktop. This, of course, depends on what you do, but usually includes basic stationary, writing utensils, a stapler, etc. Reference books, files and other materials that you may need to consult from time to time – though not on a regular basis – are just as well stored away in the closet or under the desk.