If you work from home or spend a significant amount of time at a desk, you need to be thoughtful about your methods of organization. It can be incredibly tough to be effective when your workspace is cluttered with wires, paperwork, cables, and office supplies.
Clutter Cleanup
When cleaning up a disorganized space, the first and perhaps best thing you can do is to start by getting rid of the things you do not need. Over time, desks can start to accumulate unnecessary items. This can range from receipts to coffee cups to mail.
By going through and cleaning out your workspace from time to time, it helps to reduce the amount of stuff you do have and to make sure you know what you need. Sometimes you may find things that are not even yours have gotten piled onto your desk.
Storage Options with Cable Wraps
Once you know what you have and have gotten rid of the things you do not need, it becomes easier to figure out what store system you need. If you get mail regularly getting a small cubby for incoming and outgoing mail, might be a great way for you to organize your mail.
The same goes for any types of papers. If you have papers that people bring to you, have a dedicated spot where you can deposit paperwork. This is perfect for the moments when someone hands you a paper on your way out and instead of it getting lost, placing it in a dedicated bin will help you keep track of it.
Your storage options can also expand to your drawers. Having small cups or bins can be perfect for organizing your office supplies. If you have a ton of cables, wrapping them with Velcro cable wraps can help you to organize them and store them accordingly. If you tend to use cables frequently and need to quickly distinguish one cable from the other, there are cable ties that come labels attached to them.
Going Paperless
Go paperless wherever possible. Reducing your paper consumption is not only good for the environment, but it helps to keep your workspace clean. This does mean that you need to keep your files organized.
Having a strong organizational system not only applies to your desk, but to your files on your computer. It is important to keep those organized if you are trying to go paperless. It is also important that if you are going paperless make sure all of your files are backed up and cannot get deleted.
Going paperless is good for the environment, but it also reduces the chances that papers will get lost or accidentally thrown away. It keeps everything in one place and that can be incredibly helpful in simplifying your workspace and your workflow.
Clean Up Each Night Before You Leave
Taking five minutes each night before you leave to clean up will help you tremendously. It does not take a lot of time, but even a few minute tidy can help you keep track of all of your things.
This includes putting papers away in their proper spots, wrapping up your cables and storing them, taking any dishes and putting them away, and throwing away any trash.
It is also a good idea to have a weekly cleaning where you take some time to wipe down the surfaces around your desk. This not only helps to avoid the accumulation of dust, but also helps with hygiene and keeping things clean.
Personalizing Your Work Space
One thing that people neglect to do at work is personalizing their space. When you are working, no matter if it is at home or at an office, you want it to feel like your own personal space. Taking the time to have some things that make you happy is important to having a healthy work-life balance. People spend the majority of their waking lives working, it is important to make sure you enjoy the space.
Organizing Your Work Space
The key to an organized workspace is consistency. If you are consistent with your methods, you space should be able to remain neat and tidy. Through taking the time to clean up and to straighten your belongings regularly, you will be able to increase your productivity.
When you are able to be more productive at work it helps you to feel more accomplished and reduces the amount of stress you have. While it may not initially seem important, having an organized space is hugely important to your daily productivity levels.