Let’s call it what it is: most offices are full of stuff no one uses. Spare chairs from five years ago. Filing cabinets with two folders in them. Random signage, broken tech, dusty plants…and let’s not even talk about the storage room that’s basically a graveyard for old monitors.

And yet, when companies start talking about needing “more space,” this junk rarely gets questioned.

Here’s the truth: you probably don’t need more square footage. You need to be more brutal about what’s actually essential, and what’s just clutter that’s been allowed to hang around because no one wanted to make a call on it.

The smartest businesses we’re working with in London right now are downsizing intentionally. Not because they’re struggling, but because they’re streamlining. They’re choosing quality over quantity. They’re ditching the dead zones and building spaces people actually want to use.

You don’t need five meeting rooms if only two ever get booked. You don’t need thirty desks if half your team works hybrid. And you definitely don’t need to keep paying for storage space for office furniture that’s been “temporarily” set aside since 2019.

Instead, think like this: what does your team actually need to do their best work? What parts of the office are genuinely adding value? What spaces help you recruit, retain, impress?

Start there, and cut the rest.

Take a look at what The Ministry in Borough has done. It’s not about squeezing people in; it’s about creating curated, versatile spaces that flex with demand. Collaborative zones, quiet areas, breakout lounges and none of it feels bloated or wasteful.

Or LABS House in Holborn. It’s designed like someone actually thought about how people use space in 2025. It’s streamlined, intentional, and focused on what matters. No fluff. No filler.

This isn’t just about saving money on rent. (Though yes, that’s a pretty nice bonus.) It’s about making your workspace work harder. Every square foot should earn its keep. If it’s just holding a half-dead yucca plant and a cupboard full of branded stress balls, it’s time for a rethink.

And let’s be clear: decluttering doesn’t mean sterile. You can still have character, culture, warmth. In fact, most of the best spaces feel better once the excess is stripped away. Like a well-designed gallery – what’s left actually stands out.

So if you’re looking at your office and thinking “we might need to move”, start by looking at what you can remove. It might just save you a relocation and give you a better office than the one you were trying to build in the first place.

Remember: space isn’t what makes an office work. Purpose does. Design does. Intent does. And sometimes, less really is more.

Especially when it’s less crap.