Whether you work from a cubicle, an open office workspace, or have a job where minimal time is spent at a desk, an organized work area is vital to be efficient and effective. It doesn’t have to be a perfectly designed magazine-worthy arrangement. But having a place for everything and everything in its space will go a long way towards productivity.
How to Declutter Your Office Workspace
A messy, disorganized workspace can cause stress and slow down production. To improve your workflow, declutter your office.
First Get Organized
1. If possible, remove everything from your workspace and desk. Ideally, place it in a room or on a table, not in your office. While things are out of the way, wipe down all the surfaces, vacuum the floor and clean the baseboards.
2. Go through those desk items and identify the necessities – pens, papers, general supplies like staples, empty folders, paperclips, stacks of sticky notes, etc. Keep only what you need often. For example, 1-2 sticky note pads, a small box of paperclips, etc., and a few of your preferred writing utensil(s) will be sufficient.
3. And those extra desk items? Put them in baskets or boxes in the common office supplies area so others will have access to them.
4. Most offices have an excess of cords and cables– often for electronics that no longer work or are outdated. There’s no reason to keep these around. Box them up to be hauled away.
5. Outdated or unused equipment– gather up those fax machines, printers, toner, ink cartridges, calculators, adding machines, and other old items and place them in a box for either haul away as trash or a donation to a charitable location that can use it.
6. Like any office, you likely have an abundance of paper. Take time to go through all of it and determine what to file and what to toss.
And the Cleanout Continues…
7. Toss out or take home all those eating utensils and dinnerware stored in your desk. The occasional working lunch is ok, but you don’t need a mini cafeteria at your desk.
8. Get rid of knick-knacks, especially if you are limited on useable workspace. If there are items of sentimental value, consider installing a wall shelf for them or taking them home.
9. Get a label maker and identify where things are to go. Mark the shelves, drawers, small tubs, and storage bins with item labels for thing to put there.
10. Create zones in your workspace. You may need one “zone” for writing, one for research, one for meetings, etc. Then only use those spaces for their designated task.
The Aftermath of Office Cleanouts
After decluttering, minimizing, and organizing your workspace, focus on getting things done.
As you move forward in your new and improved space, remember that very few offices are spotless all the time.
However, you will discover a much more productive and even peaceful workspace by getting rid of unneeded items and having specified work zones for your tasks. Get Movin’ Storage of Pittsburg, PA, understands the importance of a clean workspace. They will come to your business and haul away all those unneeded items and junk so you can work in peace.