8 easy steps to organize your office space for clutter-free productivity
Stop and take a look around your office. Does it make you feel calm and energized or overwhelmed and stressed?
Many of us subscribe to the philosophy—attributed to Albert Einstein—“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” And yet, numerous studies indicate that clutter can raise your stress levels and make it difficult to focus.
With that evidence in mind, here are eight tips to organize your office space and increase productivity.
1. Set aside ample time to tackle it.
While you can start and stop some organization jobs—a drawer here, a closet there—your office is best tackled in one fell swoop. That’s because it’s too easy to get distracted and never finish, leaving you even worse off than when you started. For example, if finding an invoice makes you want to take a break to pay a bill, you’re going to get sidetracked and abandon the larger task.
Clear your calendar for an afternoon or day and vow to plow through until your office is thoroughly put in order.
2. Remove everything that doesn’t belong.
Whether you work at home or not, it’s all too common for the office space to become a dumping ground for everything that doesn’t have a designated home of its own—wrapping paper, photos, paperwork unrelated to your business, etc.
Bring in a box (or maybe a few) where you will place everything that should have another home—for example, the random umbrellas and wrapping paper rolls. The purpose of the box is so that you don’t start returning the wayward items until you are done with your office organization project. There’s nothing like wandering around your house or office trying to rehome stuff to distract you from your mission.
3. Clear off all surfaces and wipe them down.
In life as in work, a clean slate is a powerful thing. While you may not subscribe to the old truism, “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” the simple act of purging away dust and grime allows you to make mindful decisions about what items need to go back.
Also, the prevalence of germs on the average desk is truly alarming; this gives you the chance to start fresh and wipe off your desk, keyboard, monitor, and any other items you touch regularly. Your mind and body will both thank you.
4. Treat your desk as prime real estate—but that doesn’t mean it has to be empty.
Instagram photos of empty desks look inviting. But for most business owners, it’s not practical to have everything put away. You’ll find you spend too much time reaching for your pens, idea notebook, stapler—anything that you use regularly. At the same time, you also don’t have to set up your desk with cookie cutter accessories.
If there are traditional tools that you rarely use, store them in a drawer so they are accessible but not taking up important desk space.
Triage your files in a similar fashion; most can be stashed away in a drawer but keep those that you refer to regularly in a handy desktop file folder holder so you aren’t constantly rifling through a drawer to find them.
5. Create a system for your papers.
Speaking of papers, despite all the ambitious talk about “going paperless,” few offices exist without the white stuff. Your first defense is to make anything digital that you can—and a good accounting program will help with that. You also should sign up to receive and pay bills online, which will help make sure an important payment is never late. Lastly, consider using a scanner to help you quickly and easily store documents.
The best way to create a system to organize your business paperwork is to take a look at your existing systems and see where you have headaches. Are there some types of papers you always struggle to find? Do you have too many folders that have overly detailed names? Start with relatively broad categories and names that you will be able to recall easily.
For active projects, you might want to create folders by client name or by the weekly due date—whatever makes the most sense for you. The key is to establish a system and stick with it.
6. Just. Get. Sorting.
The key when you’re sorting through paperwork is to only touch each paper once.
In addition to your newly developed system, also keep two folders close at hand: one marked “This week,” the other “Later.” If you come across paperwork that doesn’t have a natural home in the larger systems, place it into one of those two alternatives and move on.
Don’t let paperwork consume your entire office organization effort. If your piles are too big and overwhelming, save this task for another day and focus on the physical space in your office; just don’t put it off indefinitely.
Once completed, remind yourself to use your new filing system going forward to prevent new clutter—and always keep a recycling bin or shredder handy.
7. Use vertical wall space to drive inspiration and organization.
Most of us focus on the flat surfaces around us, but wall space is prime real estate.
Try using oversized bulletin boards, magnet boards, or whiteboard to hold to-do lists, important reminders, and your own self-created calendar. Fill your walls with quotes and artwork that are personal to you as well as to your business. Author Benjamin Hardy, for instance, commissioned GapingVoid to create a “Culture Wall” based on 20 of the principles that drive him:
Pinterest and Houzz are also treasure troves of inspiration. The key is to overlap your own personal style and brand with functionality.
8. Organize your office space regularly.
Clutter only becomes overwhelming when it’s neglected. Make organizing your office space a regular part of your routine by taking care of papers and other items that routinely pile up. Add 5-10 minutes at the end of each day to head off slipping back. Or, institute “Filing Friday” where you take care of any papers that have accumulated. Lastly, don’t neglect a weekly wipe down of all your surfaces.
Your office will always be ready, whether you invite in clients or just want a clean, organized spot to do your best thinking and work.
