Cleaning Up

No this article isn't on mopping and dusting. It is on helping you organize your office space. I invited someone over to my office this week and realized that as organized as I am for my clients, I don't always follow through for myself. Also since January is Clean Off Your Desk Day, I thought I would share some ideas for having that office space that you can actually get some work done in.

• Keep the things you use daily at arms length. If you only use something once a week, store it somewhere in your office. If you rarely use something, store it somewhere else if you need the room.
• When opening your mail keep the trash/recycle bin near so stuff can automatically be dumped instead of sitting on your desk until you feel like finding the recycle bin. This is the way I like to sort my mail, most of the time doesn't even get opened.
• If you have something on your desk, ask yourself is it useful, pretty to look it, or sentimental? If it isn't, get rid of it. Also, if it can be replaced or retrieved later trash it now.
• One of the those white boards with cork on one side (or just a white board and a wall you don't mind a few tack holes in) are great additions to an office space. I have one of those write on/wipe off 90 day calendar organizers that works great for seeing what I have scheduled and for writing notes. The white boards help to make things that need to be remembered more visible, and the tack board is great for those notes that you need to keep (not on your desk) for later action.
• Got a free 10 minutes clean out a file drawer. When was the last time you purged?
• At the end of the day, clear off your desk. Even if this means putting your stuff in neat piles, you will feel better when you come to your desk in the morning. If you can't do this daily, try just doing at the end of the week so you start the week with a clean desk.

Well, hopefully by January you will be ready for "Clean Off Your Desk" Day without too much effort.