To do the proper and deep cleaning of your office, it is better to take everything out. It can be difficult and time-consuming, but it will also give you a proper view of the space and an opportunity to better rearrange it.
Take a look at how much space and what furniture you have, and how well those go together. This is the opportunity for you to vacuum it, change the wall paint, and possibly reconsider your storage space. Use white paper to make a checklist on how to organize your workspace. A nice template design can even inspire you to stick to it on a daily basis.
Hanging shelves are great for books, bookcases are best for paper folders, drawers for office stationery, and closed cabinets for office supplies and equipment. Have a look at all the things that you need to organize and plan their storage thoroughly.
Step 2: Sort Things Out by Their Usefulness
Now that you have a clean space, you can start putting your office furniture back in. If possible, it’s best to place your desk near the source of sunlight, so you can make it brighter. If there is not much natural light, try to imitate it with some cool white lights that are great for working and concentrating.
Divide the rest of your office supplies into:
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Stuff you use the most,
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Stuff you need occasionally,
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Stuff to throw away.
First, take out the trash right away. The sooner you get rid of it, the better you would emotionally separate from all the junk. It will also free much of a space and make it easier to organize the rest.
From the two remaining piles, separate the items that you are using daily or weekly and place them at or around the desk so they can always be at your hand: your computer, stationery, notepad, etc. Use pen holders or drawer separators to organize your pens, scissors, markers, glue, or whichever things you use for work.
Step 4: Recycle the Paper
A bunch of documents and various other papers run through an office daily. Some of them are important, some should end up in the trash. If you keep piling them up, you will soon clutter your office.
What you can do is scan all the important papers and documents and keep them in their digital format on your computer and/or cloud. You will certainly be able to search through them faster if you sort them by their type and put them in different folders.
And instead of throwing the rest in the trash, you can recycle it. Not only that it will make your desk much cleaner and decluttered, but it’s also good for the environment.
Step 5: Organize Your Computer
Just like paper, you can transfer your bills and invoices to a digital system. It’s much easier to do all the payments online, get notifications from suppliers and track all the transfers.
But, to get a more functioning workspace, you need to take care of your digital clutter as well. Keep all your files in separate folders according to their type, so you can quickly search through them. Delete all the junk and unnecessary files immediately so they don’t clutter on your desktop.
Also, if you have a lot of electronic devices, sort out the cables as they tend to make a lot of mess. Use some velcro, zip ties or cable sleeves to tie them together. You can also shorten the cables that are too long, and put away the excessive ones. Just mark them first to know what they are for, you might use them sometime.
Step 6: Tidy It Up Regularly
Once you set your office the way it works best for you, commit yourself to tidying it up regularly. Make it a habit to regularly put away all the items that don’t belong on your desk, shred paper, and throw away the trash. Use a self storage unit if space is scarse in your home.
You can get a couple of plants that are known for collecting dust, but clean their leaves every once in a while. If possible, you can invest in some air purifier since they not only collect the dust as well, but they also collect fallen hair, neutralize unpleasant odors, capture bacteria and viruses, so they are good for your overall health.
Remember, a clean working area can boost your motivation and inspiration for work, as well as productivity, which then leads to higher self-confidence and an overall feeling of satisfaction. And instead of giving it a great cleaning every few months, commit to preventing it from cluttering in the first place.
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