As the new year begins perhaps it’s time to start your work life off with a clean slate…or at least a clean office! Here are some of our favorite office space organization ideas!
Purge
We’ve said it before and we’ll likely say it again…and again…and again. Any organization project begins with a purge. You have to pull everything out to see what you have and decide what you need to keep, what you can donate, and what needs to find its way to the trash.
Lifehack has these tips to share about the dreaded purge stage.
De-clutter, empty, shred, get rid of everything that you don’t need or want. Look around. What haven’t you used in a while? Take one area at a time. If it doesn’t work, send it out for repair or toss it. If you haven’t used it in months and can’t think of when you’ll actually need it, out it goes. This goes for furniture, equipment, supplies, etc. Don’t forget about knick-knacks, plants (real or artificial), and decorations – if they’re covered with dust and make your office look shabby, they’re fair game.
Work Flow
Once you have purged your collection of papers, and piles, and plants (oh my) you can get started categorizing what is left. The Huffington Post suggests creating work zones.
Having different work zones can be the solution to your problems. Sometimes, our work requires different spaces and tools to help trigger a better output. Consider segmenting your work zones into a computer work station and a non-computer based work space. Even if you have one desk, you can still utilize your work area to get the optimum output you desire.
Think about the space you have in your office and how the furniture might be rearranged to create zones that fit your workflow.
Organize, Organize, Organize
While it’s true that the entire office needs organizational strategies, the number one place to focus is THE DESK! It’s where you spend the bulk of your time, and where things tend to pile up the most. Start with a system for controlling the paper. Inc. suggests using two document trays.
A two-tray system is the simplest and most effective for handling incoming paper. The system works like this: 1) new tray, new documents; 2) old tray, documents you’ve opened or looked at, and need to deal with.
All new, unread, or unopened documents go in the new tray. This tray is for the benefit of people who wander into your office to toss stuff on your desk. Point to the tray. The new tray is for things that you still have to deal with. Unopened envelopes, folders, documents–it’s all waiting for you, neatly stacked, when you’re ready for it.
The old tray is for things that you’ve opened but still need to deal with–scan, file, forward, etc. It’s like a to-do list, but at least it’s not scattered all over your office
This is a very simple approach, but it works wonders for eliminating paper clutter from a desk, freeing you to be more productive.
Once you have the paper piles under control it’s time to start to think about your office supplies. Consider what you actually need to have at arms reach and then decide where to keep those items. It helps keep your desktop clear if you can store supplies in drawers or on shelves. Divided organizers help you keep your office supplies under control.
Choose Your View
If you are rethinking your office, why not reconsider the furniture arrangement as well. Where do you spend the most time in your office? What do you see when your eyes drift off the computer. Is there a better way?
The Balance has some suggestions for what to think about when choosing your view.
Sit in front of your computer with your hands on the keyboard and look away from the monitor, sweeping 90 degrees (or as much as you can survey comfortably without craning your neck). The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety recommends looking away from the computer screen every few minutes and focusing your eyes on more distant objects to help combat eye strain and fatigue. But is there anything attractive in your range of vision? If not, add something worth looking at to your office design, such as a painting, print or poster that you like. If space allows and the conditions are right, a living blooming plant can work wonders for dressing up an office space and feeding your spirits. Pressed for space? Put up a small cork board and use it to pin up things that make you happy, such as photos of family and friends, drawings by your children, or even a colorful calendar.
We can’t all have views like this, but let’s face it, if you did have a view like this how much work would you want to get done?!!
Put Us to Work for You
This is your year to get organized once and for all! Closet Envy can help! Whether its your office, your closet, your kitchen, or your entire home that needs an organizing overhaul we are ready to go to work and help you realize your dreams! New year, new organized you!
