Whether you work in a cubicle, have your own office, or you work from a home office, you want to keep your office clean and organized. A disorganized office doesn’t just make it difficult to find the things you need when you need them, but it can also be a security risk if you have client info that your aren’t taking care of.
On top of that, clutter can make it really distracting when it comes to getting your work done. Instead of letting it take over your mind, take it over by working harder to keep your stuff organized, clean, and in place. Here are some tips to help you out.
Have A Filing Cabinet (Or Save It On Your Computer)
One of the best ways to keep your office organized is to keep your paperwork in order. It helps to know what you need to save, and what you can shred. But, it also helps that you now have a more compact and convenient way to keep your paperwork organized. Invest in a scanner so that you can save all of your paperwork online.
Cloud storage even clears up space that all your saved documents would normally take up on your computer’s hard drive. Sometimes, though, you want to keep papers on hand. In that case, have at least one filing cabinet, and keep all those papers in there, and organized so that it’s easy to find what you need, when you need it.
Organize Your Desk
Keeping a neat desk can be great motivation. It makes it so you have more space to work, and less distractions. This is about far more than paperwork, but having a spot on your desk, or by your desk, for use as an in box, out box, and a “needs to be filed” box.
Have a designated spot on your desk in which you can keep things like staplers, of course a drawer would be a good place for that as well. You also want a nice and safe spot for your coffee or water. You don’t want the clutter on your desk to cause you to knock over your drink and ruin your computer or some important paperwork.
Put It Away Now
Don’t just stack stuff, put it away. If everything has a home on your desk or in your office space then you’ll find you fight with clutter much less. That will leave you more time to actually get your work done!
Even if you’re too busy to put stuff away right away, set a time each day in your schedule when you do filing and organizing. Have goals and a written schedule is another way to work toward a more productive day.