Das Büro
für alle Fälle
All articlesDE

The article archive

A question. A place to start.

Space & furniture

Planning a desk in a narrow room

Desk width tells only part of the story. Test the room with the chair pulled out, doors open and your actual work equipment in place before choosing furniture.

Space & furniture

Making a corner desk work

A corner desk adds useful space only if you can reach it and move the chair freely.

Space & furniture

Matching armrests to desk height

Armrests can limit access to the keyboard. Compare their height, width and movement with the underside of the desk.

Space & furniture

Arranging two desks in one room

Two workstations need to function at the same time, including calls, chair movement and access to shared equipment.

Space & furniture

Using a dining table as a temporary office

A dining table can provide temporary workspace. A complete pack-away kit and a workable changeover matter more than leaving a laptop there permanently.

Space & furniture

Planning storage beneath a desk

The area beneath a desktop is also movement space. Store only what you can reach without disrupting the workstation.

Space & furniture

Choosing a mobile desk pedestal

A mobile pedestal needs more than clearance beneath the desk. Drawers, wheels and contents determine whether it works there.

Space & furniture

Setting up a bedroom work corner

A bedroom work corner needs defined storage and a workable transition between work and the room’s other uses.

Space & furniture

Planning an attic office

Sloping ceilings change usable space as you move. Include headroom, daylight, heat and the route upstairs in the plan.

Space & furniture

Positioning a desk beside a window

A window brings changing light into the workspace. Judge the screen from your seat rather than choosing only for the view.

Space & furniture

Planning reachable office shelving

Reach depends on contents, height and retrieval frequency. Plan shelves around their objects rather than evenly spaced appearance.

Space & furniture

Choosing a desktop material

A material name does not describe a finished desktop. Its surface, edges, construction and mounting options need to suit the work.

Space & furniture

Creating a compact meeting corner

A short discussion needs room for the actual materials and straightforward access. It does not always require a large conference table.

Space & furniture

Replanning an office after moving

An office move is an opportunity to rearrange routes and equipment. Start with real activities rather than recreating the previous furniture positions.

Space & furniture

Inspecting used office furniture

With used furniture, complete fittings, working adjustments and the condition of the actual item matter. Include transport in the inspection.

Space & furniture

Organising a left-handed workspace

A left-handed workspace depends on reachable materials and suitable movement paths. Not every arrangement needs a simple mirror image.

Equipment & accessories

One monitor or two for desk work

Two displays are most useful when two sources need to remain visible together. Assess the task before filling more of the desk.

Equipment & accessories

Choosing monitor size for desk tasks

Screen diagonal does not establish how readable your applications will be. Assess size, resolution and scaling at the intended desk position.

Equipment & accessories

Checking a USB-C dock before buying

A matching plug is only the beginning. Compare the laptop, displays, power supply and dock as one working setup before placing an order.

Equipment & accessories

USB hub or docking station

The labels hub and dock are not used consistently. What matters is the connections provided by the particular device.

Equipment & accessories

Compact keyboard or numeric keypad

A smaller keyboard releases space beside the keys. Whether losing the numeric keypad matters depends on what you actually enter.

Equipment & accessories

Comparing mouse size and grip

Assess a mouse by holding, clicking and moving it. Housing length alone says little about how it will work for you.

Equipment & accessories

Using small speakers in an office

Small speakers need a defined role in an office. Plan listening position, volume and the transition to calls together.

Equipment & accessories

Video meetings with two screens

Two displays can separate the meeting from working materials. Prepare sharing so participants see only the intended content.

Equipment & accessories

Positioning a desk power strip

A power strip needs suitable placement and loading. Plan it together with power adapters and moving furniture.

Equipment & accessories

Wired network or Wi-Fi at a desk

The suitable connection depends on location and actual problems. Compare Ethernet and Wi-Fi at the same desk using the same tasks.

Equipment & accessories

Packing a laptop bag for office days

A laptop bag should cover the actual office day. Separate delicate equipment, frequently needed items and occasional spares.

Equipment & accessories

Taking digital notes with a stylus

Digital handwriting becomes a working note through storage and retrieval. Test the pen, application and export as one process.

Equipment & accessories

Choosing a suitable webcam cover

A camera cover must suit the actual device. On laptops, pay particular attention to clearance between screen and keyboard.

Equipment & accessories

Moving equipment between home and office

Moving between two work locations does not require dismantling the entire desk every evening. Decide which equipment travels and which items stay at a particular site.

Equipment & accessories

Choosing a charger for a second workspace

A second charger can simplify moving between workspaces. It needs to fit the laptop, cable and actual connection arrangement rather than merely having a matching plug.

Equipment & accessories

Labelling cables for changing devices

A cable label should make the next connection easier. Put the right information where it remains readable behind the desk, not just while the lead is lying loose.

Equipment & accessories

Preparing to replace a work computer

A new computer becomes a replacement when the required work functions on it. Plan files, access, accessories and a controlled transition rather than treating delivery as completion.

Equipment & accessories

Keeping a small meeting equipment kit

A small meeting kit should cover known gaps. It works best when its contents match the rooms and devices people actually use.

Paper & documents

Inkjet or laser for occasional printing

Occasional printing calls for a decision about documents, idle periods and supplies rather than a machine designed around high monthly volumes.

Paper & documents

Choosing a printer by its paper handling

Paper handling affects both the documents a printer can process and the space it needs. Consider the machine during a print job rather than only with every tray closed.

Paper & documents

Understanding duplex printing and scanning

Duplex can describe printing or scanning. If you regularly digitise two-sided originals, check those functions separately rather than relying on a single feature label.

Paper & documents

Document scanner or multifunction printer

A dedicated scanner is not justified by a large paper pile alone. Compare the full process of preparing originals, feeding them, checking the result and filing the finished documents.

Paper & documents

Digitising receipts with a phone

A phone can capture an occasional receipt quickly. Making the resulting file easy to find requires attention to the photograph, the check and the filing route.

Paper & documents

Checking OCR before filing documents

A PDF can look clear while containing incorrectly recognised text. Check both the page image and the characters used for search or copying.

Paper & documents

Processing post with an inbox tray

An inbox tray is a temporary stop for incoming paper. It works when each item leaves with a next action or a definite filing destination.

Paper & documents

Organising binders around tasks

A binder is easier to use when its sections answer a recurring question. Filing and retrieval should follow the same organising principle.

Paper & documents

Using hanging files for active work

Hanging files can keep active cases individually accessible. Their usefulness depends on readable labels, a compatible drawer and room to handle the papers.

Paper & documents

Naming recurring documents consistently

A useful filename answers enough questions without repeating the entire document. Decide on the order of information before many similar files accumulate.

Paper & documents

Tidying a digital folder structure

Improve an accumulated file structure without rebuilding every folder at once. Clear destinations and a defined transition matter more than a perfectly symmetrical folder tree.

Paper & documents

Linking paper records to digital copies

Give a paper file and its digital copy a shared identifier. This makes the original retrievable without building two elaborate systems for the same documents.

Paper & documents

Preparing PDFs for a shared review

A shared PDF review works better when everyone examines the same version and comments have a clear purpose. Prepare the file, feedback route and closing decision together.

Paper & documents

Checking duplicate files before deleting

Matching names and similar previews are not enough reason to delete files. Check their contents, purpose and recovery options before removing a copy.

Paper & documents

Choosing a shredder for your workload

A shredder's workload includes preparing paper, feeding it, waiting through cooling pauses and emptying the bin. Maximum sheet capacity describes only one part of that process.

Paper & documents

Choosing printer paper for the task

Internal drafts, double-sided reports and presentation sheets put different demands on paper. Start with the printer's supported media and the job the finished document has to do.

Paper & documents

Making labels for binders and storage

A label is useful only when it remains readable in its actual position and describes the contents clearly. Develop the format on a real shelf or drawer before committing to a whole sheet of stickers.

Paper & documents

Filing completed project documents

A completed project needs an intelligible record, rather than an unexplained copy of its working disorder. Arrange the documents around the questions people are likely to ask about the result later.

Paper & documents

Breaking a scanning backlog into batches

A large paper backlog becomes easier to handle when preparation, scanning and checking are treated as separate stages. Complete one small batch to discover how long the whole process actually takes.

Paper & documents

Preparing documents for a handover

The test of a document handover is whether the next person can continue the work. A large collection of files without orientation merely transfers the searching to its recipient.

Paper & documents

Planning backups for work documents

A backup becomes useful when the required files can actually be restored from it. Plan responsibility and recovery as well as the copying process itself.

Light & surroundings

Positioning a desk lamp without reflections

A desk lamp's best position depends on the paper, display and direction of your gaze. A short trial at the furnished desk tells you more than the arrangement in a product photograph.

Light & surroundings

Managing daylight around a monitor

A window changes the workstation throughout the day. Check the hours when you actually use the screen, rather than only the bright moment when the furniture is first arranged.

Light & surroundings

Choosing warm or neutral task lighting

Warm and neutral white describe the appearance of a light source, rather than its overall suitability for work. Compare the effect on your documents and alongside the lighting already in the room.

Light & surroundings

Combining light for paper and screen work

Paper and a screen often sit beside each other but do not need identical lighting. Arrange the workstation while using both, rather than optimising one and introducing the other afterwards.

Light & surroundings

Creating a clear video-call background

A video-call background does not need to be empty or elaborately decorated. It should suit the available room and avoid revealing information unintentionally.

Light & surroundings

Reducing echo in a small office

An echoing room can make conversation unclear even when the microphone works properly. First distinguish reverberation inside the room from noise produced by equipment or arriving from outside.

Light & surroundings

Arranging a workspace beside a busy street

A busy street changes with the time of day and the task you are doing. Plan the workspace by separating the situations that cause difficulty instead of treating every sound as the same problem.

Light & surroundings

Choosing an office rug for its use

A rug beneath an office chair has to do more than look attractive. Consider movement, the floor below and cleaning before deciding on a material or pattern.

Light & surroundings

Screening an open work corner

A screen can separate a work corner from the rest of a room. First decide which sightline needs interrupting and which connections to the surrounding space should remain open.

Light & surroundings

Organising cables beneath a desk

Cables beneath a desk need identifiable routes that allow equipment changes and movement. A tidy bundle alone does not show whether the workstation will remain usable afterwards.

Light & surroundings

Creating charging spots for several devices

Several devices do not automatically require several charging stations on the work surface. Organise the requirement around the equipment, charging times and whether each item is used while connected.

Light & surroundings

Setting up a desk with limited daylight

A desk with little daylight needs lighting that supports the whole working routine. One bright lamp beside the monitor is not always enough for the room and the tasks within it.

Light & surroundings

Making room for ventilation during the workday

Ventilation should be possible without moving furniture or abruptly interrupting a call. Plan window access and the working routine together before filling every available surface.

Light & surroundings

Keeping the working surface clear

A clear work surface comes from suitable storage places, not from hiding everything each day. Keep what the next piece of work needs within the usable area.

Light & surroundings

Choosing office plants for the location

A plant at the workstation should suit the available light and the care it will receive. Choose the position first, then a species whose requirements can be met there.

Light & surroundings

Planning a shaded desk for summer

A pleasant winter window position may receive direct sun in summer. Review shading and the working routine before committing to a permanent rearrangement of the desk.

Light & surroundings

Separating personal and work materials

At a desk used for both personal and professional tasks, it needs to be clear who owns material and where it returns after use. A physical dividing line alone may not establish that distinction.

Light & surroundings

Closing down a workspace after work

Ending the working day is easier when the next start has been prepared. A short closing routine should preserve unfinished work and release the space without becoming another large project.

Light & surroundings

Agreeing on noise routines when working at home

When several people live or work at home, noise conflicts often arise because plans are unknown. Agree specific periods and signals instead of expecting continuous silence.

Light & surroundings

Storing small objects at a desk

Small objects easily disappear in deep drawers or large collection boxes. Sort them by use and frequency of access before buying additional organisers.

Light & surroundings

Creating a portable work kit for different rooms

A portable work kit should make moving between suitable rooms easier. It needs to contain what those places lack, rather than becoming a mobile collection of the entire desk.

Light & surroundings

Managing dust around office equipment

Dust management starts with accessible surfaces and the equipment's cleaning instructions. Fewer loose objects make routine care easier without repeatedly moving the technology.

Light & surroundings

Preparing a home office for occasional visitors

Occasional visitors need a usable place without turning the home office permanently into a meeting room. Plan arrival, the conversation and the return to ordinary work as one routine.

Planning & collaboration

Using a calendar and task list together

A calendar and a task list answer different questions. One shows committed time, while the other tracks work still to be done. Clear connections make them useful together.

Planning & collaboration

Writing tasks with a clear next action

A task is easier to begin when its next action is visible. Write what can actually be done rather than recording only a subject.

Planning & collaboration

Processing email in planned sessions

Scheduled email sessions work only when they match real expectations about response times. Establish those expectations first, then give each message a clear next step.

Planning & collaboration

Planning meetings around an outcome

A meeting needs a question that will have moved forward by the end. Plan participants, preparation and time around that outcome rather than around an empty calendar slot.

Planning & collaboration

Turning meeting notes into tasks

Meeting notes often mix decisions, ideas and actions. Move only genuinely agreed actions into the task overview while keeping their context traceable.

Planning & collaboration

Setting up files for a small project

A small project file collection needs a clear entry point and a few understandable areas. Build it around the material that will actually exist rather than importing a large hierarchy in advance.

Planning & collaboration

Editing shared files without version confusion

Version confusion often comes from treating several files as current at the same time, rather than from a lack of software. First agree which version is authoritative and how changes reach it.

Planning & collaboration

Preparing a work handover before leave

A leave handover should enable the deputy to act without reading your entire work history. Concentrate on matters that may genuinely become relevant while you are away.

Planning & collaboration

Building a checklist for recurring work

A checklist is useful when it prevents recurring omissions. It should support a known process rather than document every obvious movement.

Planning & collaboration

Matching notifications to work sessions

Notifications should match the task and agreed response expectations. Decide by sender and purpose, rather than simply by which application flashes most often.

Planning & collaboration

Making daily notes easy to find

Daily notes become useful when decisions and open actions can be found again. A date helps memory but does not replace a connection to the subject.

Planning & collaboration

Preparing a digital whiteboard for a workshop

A digital whiteboard needs an understandable working path and a plan for transferring the results. A large blank canvas alone does not make a workshop collaborative.

Planning & collaboration

Organising status updates for a small team

A status update should show others what changed and where their decision is needed. A report of every small activity can easily obscure that purpose.

Planning & collaboration

Including remote participants in hybrid meetings

A hybrid meeting is one shared conversation reached through different routes. Plan contributions, material and decisions for remote participants as well as the camera in the room.

Planning & collaboration

Testing a presentation before a meeting

A presentation is prepared when it has been checked through the intended equipment and from the audience's perspective. A file that works on your own computer is only part of that test.

Planning & collaboration

Planning work blocks around dependencies

A task can have a calendar slot and still be unable to start. Plan the required inputs and decisions alongside the time for doing the work itself.

Planning & collaboration

Closing and tidying a completed project

A finished project often leaves more than its final result. Files, remaining commitments and borrowed equipment need a clear handover so the next task does not begin with a search.

Planning & collaboration

Organising reusable document templates

A template saves work only when people can find it and know it is current. A small maintained collection is often easier to use than every document produced in the past.

Planning & collaboration

Handling quick requests without losing tasks

“Could you quickly …?” may mean a small answer or the start of a longer task. A brief clarification helps without turning every request into a separate project.

Planning & collaboration

Planning a day with frequent interruptions

A day filled with calls, questions and unexpected handovers cannot be planned like an uninterrupted one. Leave room for known interruptions and make it easy to return to work already started.

Planning & collaboration

Preparing to share your screen

Before sharing your screen, identify what other people actually need to see. The aim is a clear presentation without unnecessary glimpses of unrelated work.

Planning & collaboration

Building a small shared knowledge collection

A shared knowledge collection should answer recurring questions. It needs less material than a complete document archive, but more upkeep than a folder created once and forgotten.

Planning & collaboration

Settling into a new office workspace

A new workspace does not need every setting and folder changed on the first day. Establish the functions needed for your immediate work before reshaping the whole arrangement.

Office routines & buying

Reordering office supplies by usage

An empty pen box can coexist with several unopened packs elsewhere. Reordering needs a visible stock position and a clear person responsible for acting on it.

Office routines & buying

Organising a shared stationery cupboard

A shared stationery cupboard should make sense to people who did not arrange it. Organise it around taking and returning materials rather than only its appearance after tidying.

Office routines & buying

Keeping suitable printer supplies in stock

Replacement supplies help only when they match the printer and can be found in time. Begin with precise equipment identification rather than a large general order.

Office routines & buying

Handing over equipment with a checklist

An equipment handover involves more than a laptop in a box. A short, accountable record connects the device, its accessories and any agreed next steps.

Office routines & buying

Keeping a simple equipment inventory

An equipment list does not need every technical detail. It should answer the questions that arise in the office: what is available, where it is and who can resolve the next step.

Office routines & buying

Setting up a small office mailing station

A small mailing station needs a clear working surface and unmistakable handover points. Design it around the items the office actually sends.

Office routines & buying

Resetting a meeting room after use

The next meeting should not begin with a search for a cable or somebody else's notes. A short room reset keeps shared meeting spaces ready to use.

Office routines & buying

Checking a shared office before an absence

Before a longer absence, switching off displays is only part of the job. Establish which work continues, who needs access and how problems will be handled.

Office routines & buying

Assembling supplies for a new workspace

A new workspace does not need a complete stationery catalogue immediately. Assemble the materials required for the first real tasks, then expand from experience.

Office routines & buying

Preparing an office day with external visitors

A visitor day runs more smoothly when arrival instructions, working locations and responsible people fit together. Prepare the actual sequence rather than merely reserving a meeting room.

Office routines & buying

Building a workspace in stages

A workspace can be built in stages if the sequence makes sense. Start with a usable core setup and base later purchases on observed constraints.

Office routines & buying

Comparing office equipment before ordering

A comparison sheet becomes useful only when its criteria match the work. Separate essential requirements, verifiable differences and the complete order.

Office routines & buying

Preparing an orderly office clear-out

An office clear-out sends furniture, work data, keys and ongoing commitments along different routes. A shared overview prevents the final day from becoming an improvised sorting exercise.

Office routines & buying

Storing office consumables in limited space

Compact stock storage starts with limited quantities and suitable locations. Extra boxes do little if supplies become difficult to find or reach inside them.