7 steps to conquer workplace clutter
Clear the deck, scrub it down and start over? Remove everything and put back only what you need? In your dreams!
If "cluttered desk, cluttered mind" is your motto and purging your workstation of clutter is only a dream, approach it one problem at a time.
Are you struggling to create order in the disorganized chaos that is your workspace? Do you need more effective systems for keeping yourself, your team and your workload organized?
If so, it's time to create effective systems that help you get organized, reduce that feeling of being overwhelmed and increase productivity!
Use these seven steps to declutter your workspace:
1. Close the dump. Do you have a "dump site" where you stash papers or other items because you can't decide where to put them or you're a procrastinator? Your desktop is not a storage area. The only papers that should be there are the ones you're currently working on. When items don't have a "home," they pile up everywhere. Label a spot for every item and keep it there.
2. Don't be a pack rat. Be ruthless in discarding items. "Just in case" isn't enough justification to keep most items. And don't hoard supplies in your workstation. Periodically clear the accumulated flotsam from your desk drawers.
3. Follow the "daily" rule. If you don't use an item every day, store it out of sight.
Join us Monday, October 31, for The Organized Office: How to Create Effective Systems That Actually Work, and you'll learn:
- What systems are and why you need them
- How to identify where systems are needed
- How to create effective systems to support yourself, your teams and your projects
- What to do when your systems break
- The key to making systems work for you
Register now!
4. Ditch the knickknacks. You don't need to strip all mementos from your workstation, but keep only meaningful items. Have some items been on your desk or wall for so long that you no longer notice them? If you can't bear to part with them, at least rotate the display so only a few are visible at a time.
5. Scan your shelves. Pitch expired catalogs, old telephone books and outdated reference materials.
6. Go electronic. Self-adhesive notes are wonderful, but they pile up and fall off onto the floor or into other files. Train yourself to keep notes electronically, such as using the Microsoft Outlook Tasks feature.
7. Combine functions. Perform an office-form audit. Review the forms your office uses for any that can be discontinued, shortened or merged.
If multiple small machines perform similar functions, replace them with an all-in-one printer/scanner/fax/copier.
If the clutter problem exists company-wide, suggest an annual "cleanup day." Create a central area where employees pitch excess supplies, stash cleaning supplies nearby and arrange an extra trash pickup.
Prepare for purging files by providing all employees an easy-to-understand list of what to keep, where to file it and what they can discard.
Julie Perrine, Founder and CEO of All Things Admin, will share examples of systems to help you:
Quickly create calm out of the chaos on your desk- Remember everything
- Permanently retire your to-file pile
- Implement a tickler file system
- Set up, organize and maintain your digital filing cabinet
- And more!
When you approach organization with the understanding that it's a skill, you can learn and develop, and you create effective systems to support an organized environment moving forward, creating a new perspective that will help you get and stay organized. Join us on October 31.
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