Seven Steps To A Clean & Clutter Free Office In The New Year
By Debbie Gilster
An organized and clean office is necessary for optimal productivity at work. The Wall Street Journal claims that an average executive wastes six weeks per year retrieving misplaced information due to messy desks and files. That can add up to a loss of 12.3% of earnings for managers making $75,000 a year. January is Get Organized Month, so what better time to take some action so you can stop wasting time? If a month is too overwhelming for you, just make a goal to take action for one day on National Clean Off Your Desk Day on January 12.
Here’s how to manage your office, organize your desktop and reduce stress so that you can better handle administrative tasks, which will help you become more productive.
1. Start with a plan. Look around your space and write down all of the areas that need to be put in order. Quickly prioritize the list to determine “the” area to start with. I highly suggest it is the top of your desk since you utilize this area the most. Visualize what the entire office looks like clean and clutter free, especially the area where you will start.
2. Gather up all the clutter from surfaces. Put everything — work papers, desktop tools, books, nick knacks, magazines, receipts, piles of loose business cards — in a box. Return coffee mugs to the kitchen. Dust and wipe down your desk, tables, chairs, bookshelves, etc. Clean your computer, keyboard, keyboard tray, mouse and monitor. Vacuum your office floor.
3. Sort through the box you filled in step 2 and decide what can be discarded or recycled. Go through all of your drawers and quickly (that is the key word) get rid of items you do not use or need. Be ruthless when doing this step. If you’re afraid you might throw something away that you’ll need later, save your trash for seven days. If you don’t need anything after one week, throw the bag out.
4. Establish “homes” for items. If you need more surface room on your desk put desktop tools such as staplers, pencil holders and tape dispensers in your desk drawer. Limit family photos to one or two. Put plants on the floor. Your aim is to reduce the visual clutter on your desk.
5. Since paper is the main problem in most offices, create a simple paper management system that will establish a flow for your papers. Use bins, hanging folders or stacking trays to create Action Files. Label them “In”, “Out”, “File”, “Read”, “Pay”, “Do” and “Pending”. Computer users should add “Enter”. If necessary, divide these categories even further. “Read” can be “Read-Urgent” and “Read-Important”. “Pay” can be “Pay-Business” and “Pay-Personal”.
Get the round file (wastebasket) ready!! Now sort the papers in your box from Step 2, a small pile at a time, until the box is empty. “Clutter is postponed decisions,” says Barbara Hemphill, author of Taming the Paper Tiger, so don’t skip this step. Open your file drawers and determine what files are no longer needed. Pull out inactive client folders and set them aside. Consolidate files when appropriate. Remove papers from unneeded files, recycle and place the folders back in your supply drawer.
6. Keep it clean. At the end of every week go through your office and scan for items that are out of place, items that can be thrown away and catch up on your filing. Dust your desk, table, office furniture, bookcase, computer, etc. and take dirty dishes and coffee cups to the kitchen at the end of every day. Visualize again your clean and clutter free office.
7. Reward yourself. All done? Good for you! Take a short break, fix a cup of soothing tea, take a short walk or read a book.
Getting organized and cleaning your office is easy with the right attitude and a plan. Your efforts will be rewarded with more productivity. The result will be an end to missed deadlines, lost information and loss of control. If these tasks feel overwhelming to you and you still can’t face cleaning and organizing alone, call or email us today. You can do this!!
(c) 2008 Debbie Gilster. If you would like to reprint this article, you may do so absolutely free. You may use the article as is or make minor changes so long as the byline is reprinted intact and all links are made live. A courtesy notice of reprint or excerpt is appreciated.
About the Author
Debbie Gilster is the Chief Productivity Guru at the Center for Productivity. The Center for Productivity provides quick and easy solutions to your small business operation problems. If you find yourself overwhelmed with productivity issues, or just want some effective suggestions for better managing your time, people and finances, sign-up for our free newsletter “Effective Results” at http://www.centerforproductivity.com/newsletters.html
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