In your quest to stay productive, even seemingly small things can play a major role. Having a clean workspace can make all the difference in getting your best work accomplished, so it’s important to take time to reassess your environment.
Whether you work in-office or remotely, your workspace is vulnerable to gathering clutter. In order to clean up your desk and create a more ordered realm, we’ve looked into some of the top expert-recommended organization tips.
Clear the clutter
The first step is probably the most obvious—take stock of what’s on your desk and look at what’s vital and what’s garbage. We all collect various papers and knickknacks over the weeks with the intent to move or remove them later and push them aside. Getting rid of the clutter first allows you to focus on the items that actually matter in the later steps.
Forbes’ Virginia Hogan says that studies show that a cluttered space makes it difficult to focus, so clearing things out will have a tangible benefit. Get rid of out-of-date letters, memos, sticky notes, trinkets, candy wrappers, and anything that doesn’t bring joy or have a purpose.
“Discarding hones one’s decision-making skills.” -Marie Kondo
Create a system
If you’ve done your job in the previous step, you should have narrowed your items down to those that serve a clear purpose and those personal items that bring you joy. Even then, your desk might still be a mess. Now, it’s time to go deeper and actually organize the things that matter. And the best way to do that is to use the right tools and come up with a system that makes it easy to find what you need.
Office Depot mentions tools like file folders to keep your important papers organized while a desktop organizer can keep tools like pens, scissors, paper clips, and sticky notes in an easy-to-find spot. Keeping a trash can, recycle bin, and paper shredder nearby can make it easier to handle clutter before it piles up. They also recommend using appropriately sized storage bins and a filing cabinet for bigger vital items and keeping it labeled. You can find a cheap label maker or simply write on a piece of tape. Taking the time to create a system, will encourage you to use it, meaning you’ll generate less clutter.
“With an efficient filing system in place, you can focus your energy on completing tasks and achieving your goals, rather than getting caught up in the chaos of disorganization.” –Mesmos
Go digital
Another way to limit the items taking space on or near your desk is to convert as much of your necessary work into a digital format as possible. Things like physical journals and calendars bring charm, but they can also take up space you could use for more important items.
Medium’s Edwindoit mentions several digital tools that can keep you organized. Notion is an ultimate to-do list platform that allows you to organize tasks, goals, and workflow. It also has a dedicated calendar app to keep your schedule up to date. Arc browser is a simple browser that keeps the most important data on screen while hiding unnecessary tabs. It can be entirely navigated with your mouse.
Limit personal effects
With the essentials in order and embracing technology to save even more space, it’s time to examine your personal items. Things like family photos, bobbleheads, little toys, personal cards, and plants can remind you that you’re more than your job and help keep in mind what you’re working toward, but they can also be a distraction or take up too much space.
You don’t need to get rid of everything, but Virginia Hogan says to focus on a small number of items that actually bring you joy. Look to enhance your workspace rather than overwhelm it. Consider keeping your favorite family photo, your favorite accessory, and maybe a small plant to balance making your space your own while keeping it functional.
“Most of us spend more time ‘at work’ than we do with our closest family and friends. Create a space that will boost your mood and keep you focused on 2024.” –Sonja Tarr, LinkedIn
Wrap up
A cluttered desk might seem a trivial thing, but it can halt momentum and make simple tasks like finding a pen take longer than necessary. A clean workspace can create a clear mindset and help you stay on track. A little bit of effort can pay dividends when crunch time starts!
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