Offices have a tendency to be very drab and grey – ironic since this is the place you are expected to come up with inspired work! Here are some quick tips to lift your office vibe.

Get rid of clutter

Of course, before you even start on decorating inspiration for your office, you’ll need to have a good clear out. Before the weekend or a holiday is always a good time to do this. Set aside the time – a good few hours if you are in a real pig-sty. Grab loads of folders and a hole-punch and file all those bits of paper that clutter your desk. Be ruthless and recycle any scraps that you no longer need. File all business cards in a business card holder. Section out all your papers you are keeping and consider storing them in a file drawer. Magazine holders are also great for keeping all your clear file folders in one place. For more on getting organised and clearing clutter, check out our organisation section.

Fresh flowers or plants

If you have a garden full of gorgeous flowers, why not make the most of it and pick yourself a few sprigs of pretty flowers every Monday and pop them in a vase on your desk? You’ll have lovely flowers to brighten the office for the whole week. Likewise, plants are a quick and easy way to get some much needed life in your office. Peace Lilly’s are called ‘clean air machines’ for a reason – pop one beside your computer in a colourful planter and your desk will feel better instantly.

Music

Of course in some offices music may be frowned upon, but if you can get the office to agree on a radio station or a CD, played quietly in the background so as not to be too distracting it can be just what you need to drown out the sounds of incessant typing.

Aromatherapy

Oil burners take up very little space and cast a lovely tealight glow across your desk, not to mention the goodness of fragrance around the room. Better still, you can tailor your fragrance to your needs. Feeling listless? Try the aroma of citrus, lemon or orange to get you through the afternoon slump. Craving something sweet? Try the vanilla fragrance to give you a sense of false satisfaction. Stressed out? Neroli, rose and jasmine can ease your nerves, and if you’re suffering from PMT or mixed up hormones, try clary sage and geranium.

Inspiring artwork

Whether you prefer high fashion glossy magazine pages, or picturesque oil painting scenes, find some artwork that you like and simply blue tack it to the wall around your desk, pin it to a photo board, or find some simple black frames to hang it from the wall by your desk.

Bright colours

If your office brings new meaning to the word ‘drab’, it’s time to inject some colour to liven it up. Pick a few of your favourite colours – pink, green and blue, red, white and charcoal – whatever takes your fancy and use these as the basis for your office. Purchase folders in the colours you like, tone in picture frames to suit, plant pots and even art work – heck, a triptych of canvas boards simply painted in your favourite colours and hung on the wall will give your walls a brighter focal point.

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