How to Organize Your Desk and Keep it That Way
On a typical work day, most people who are in an office spend close to 6-7 hours a day at their desk. Your desk is your personal space and can be a major distraction for you if not kept tidy. For some people, organization comes naturally and for others, keeping a clean desk is the least of their worries. When you find yourself overwhelmed by the clutter or can’t seem to be productive at work, it may be time to evaluate the desk situation and organize your desk.
It can be daunting, but we promise it will be worth it. With a few tips and a little dedication, you can be on your way to a clean, stress-free desk environment.
DECLUTTER the mess
Collect all the loose papers and stack them. Once you have everything in a pile, begin by sorting items based on what you still need to keep and what can be thrown away. Scan any documents that are still important to you and throw away hard copies. Take any other items off your desk and set them aside. Pro tip: Keep a trash can near by your desk, in order to avoid creating a large pile of documents later on.
WIPE DOWN your desk.
Take a paper towel or cloth and wipe down any grime or dust off your desk. Start with a clean slate and wipe down your computer, keyboard, and mouse (with a microfiber towel). Keep a towel handy for wiping your computer monitor off. It’s amazing how many fingerprints we collect on our screens!
REORDER your belongings.
Once your desk is completely cleared off, organize your desk by placing your items back on. Target, Walmart, or Office Depot all have great items for organizing your desk. The top two items you should not go without are organizers for your pens, paperclips, and sticky notes and trays for the documents you receive. Segment your desk by categories: keep an area for papers you need to scan, an area for documents you need to address, a place for your electronic devices, and in the center should be your computer. Click here for some great desk organization products!
KEEP unused items out of the way.
If you have a filing cabinet, desk drawers, or any type of cabinet, it is important not to abuse these by filling them with trash or clutter. Organize your desk by placing infrequently used items with purpose (such as extra keyboards, chargers, extra pens, paper, sticky notes) inside a storage container.
PLACE business cards in a holder for easy access.
Business cards can get lost so quickly and when we need them, they are no where to be found. Keep a set of business cards in a holder on your desk, and grab a few when you are headed out to a meeting. Need ideas for your next business card, we have a blog post for that!
REFRESH each week.
If organization isn’t your forte, it may be unrealistic to clean your desk each day. In order to keep your space stress-free, you should at least be cleaning your desk each week. Mondays are the best day to start because it will give you a great refresh to the rest of your week.