Does this look like your desk? It looks like mine!
Since yesterday was tax day, now is the time to organize your office and clean out the clutter. We are busy people, and more often than not our desks and offices reflect our busy, on-the-go lifestyle. Wading through paper, magazines, files, folders and notebooks to reach your to-do list is a major time waster, drains your energy and distracts you from the task at hand. Sometimes the problem lies in not knowing how to begin the clean-up process, allowing pack-rat type qualities to take over.
Try these suggestions to start the de-cluttering process:
- Make cleaning up the office and getting things organized work project. Set a deadline for completion and stick to it.
- If the task seems extra daunting, go ahead and set aside a half day or a full day to complete the project. Get the whole team involved! Just make sure you have plenty of supplies and lunch on hand, as any interruptions will slow the process exponentially. *Plan to do the big clean-up right before your trash day so the junk will immediately be taken away!
- Avail yourself of all the resources you have on hand. If one of your employees is particularly skilled at organizing, ask for help, maybe even putting them in charge of the project.
- Before you start randomly sorting through things, create piles where items will go:
- Things you use regularly and want to keep
- Things you don’t use often
- Items to be donated or sold
- Items to recycle
- GARBAGE
- Find out from your accountant what records need to be kept on hand and for how long. Place them in boxes with the date in which they can be pitched. Throw out any old record you no longer need, shredding them first.
- Have plenty of labels, markers, heavy duty trash bags and recycling bins on hand. We’re getting organized!
At the end of the process treat yourself to a shopping spree… at the office supply store! Buy what you need to store any items you want to keep, but don’t use often. You might look into getting more file cabinets, shelving, or storage bins.
Getting the office clean is a task in itself, but keeping it that way is a whole other story. Check back for more information on how to keep a clean office neat and tidy.
