Your workplace is where you spend the most time outside of your home. Having a disorganized office affects your mood and productivity.
It prevents you from getting things done in a timely manner. Spending hours looking for a misplaced report under a pile of paperwork will lead to more work in the end.
Read on to learn some helpful tips on how to organize an office space.
1. Declutter Your Desk Area
Cleaning and organizing your workspace does not have to be one giant task. You can start in chunks to slowly achieve your goal. Think of it as a daily task and not one large project.
This allows you to keep things constantly organized. If you tackle your mess in one day and then resume operations, chances are your desk will be cluttered again within a week.
It’s important to develop a healthy habit of cleaning and organizing for at least 10 to 15 minutes a day.
It’s proven that consistency of organizing is just another small task on your to-do list.
2. Implement a System
Allow yourself a little bit of time each day to conquer your organizational goals.
Start by tackling a different area of your desk or work area every day. Go throw piles of paperwork you saved and throw out or recycle what you don’t need.
Create a system where you can easily access the paperwork or files you need. Check out these dividers for your filing cabinet that will help you sort through papers easily.
Go through what things you use constantly and leave those in an area that is easy to access. This includes your most used pens, markers, tape dispenser, staples, and any stationery you use daily.
3. Label Your Stuff
Even when implementing a new organization system, it can be easy to forget where you hid everything. Invest in a good label maker and label all your cabinets and folders.
This can also apply to your storage boxes if you have any in your workplace. No one likes to spend time in a closet sorting through boxes to find something they may have misplaced.
Labeling your storage saves you time and allows you to keep track of where everything is.
4. Clean and Sanitize Your Space
Your desk is probably where you spend the most time at the office. It is also where you might find the most germs.
Your desk is where you eat a snack, have your coffee, and where plenty of movement happens.
It’s important to clean and wipe down these surfaces daily. Doing so will also save you from getting sick due to leftover bacteria.
Dusting down your work area can also help improve your allergies. Most people are unaware they are sensitive to dust mites. But regularly cleaning helps improve your overall health.
5. Don’t Forget Your Digital Space
Make sure you also organize the desktop mess on your laptop. Create a storage system for all your digital files as well.
Go over all your other digital devices like your printer and fax machine, and make sure those are working properly.
How to Organize an Office
Now you know how to organize an office. Start slowly and with a plan. Tackle different areas each day so you are not overwhelmed.
For other healthy lifestyle tips, check out the rest of our page.