Working a desk job, whether it be at home, in your own office or in a cubicle, subjects you to spending a lot of hours every day in your workspace. Sometimes, we do not realize it on our own. But when you have too many envelopes, papers, pens, office supplies and folders occupying your space and covering your desk, it can hinder your productivity. When this happens, take it as a sign that you need to start organizing your workspace. One simple way that can help you become productive is by creating a well-organized and clean desk. So let’s get to it!

photo credit: petitshoo via photopin cc

1. First of all, when you have an office, your desk is the center of that workspace. Your desk is the primary area where you (hopefully) get a lot of things done and have a lot of things going on. You can’t just pick any desk and put it wherever. Take the time to look at different kinds of desks available and think about what storage options it offers (or doesn’t), what will fit into the spae you have, how well your current computer system will fit at it and so on.
2. Take a look at everything that you have in your office. Initially, you might believe that every thing found in your office has some sort of purpose for your job…but when you take a closer look, you may realized that some of it is junk, some of it shouldn’t be there and you’ll probably even find a few things that you’ve possibly never even seen before. Separate all the things that you have a need for from the ones that you can do without. Get rid of those things which aren’t important, and then start organizing from there. No need to take the time to organize the stuff you’re not going to use and you’ll have a much easier time finding space for things as well.
3. Now, step back, take a snapshot of your space in different positions and see whether you are content with all that you have in there or not. Taking a photo will make you see if you missing an important trouble spot and allow you to make adjustments to it.
4. Every evening, before you retire after a day’s work, “reboot” your workspace. This means that once you have done the initial clean-out, you now have the responsibility to keep it that way. Keep your office organized by straightening it up at the end of every workday. This way, when you come in the next day, your space is now clean and ready for action. Cleaning up everyday will prevent clutter from piling up back again.
5. Move on to the drawers. Offices have great use for drawers, especially with all the various office supplies that are being consumed and used on a daily basis. Arrange your stash of office supplies by hierarchy of importance. Those that are used often, goes to the top drawers while those that are not used as often as the others go to the bottom. Also, remember to keep essential supplies on the drawers that are at the side of your dominant head so that it is easier to access.
6. On the surface of your desk, make a storage system for the things that you want to be readily accessible without having to go through drawers. There are a lot of fancy table organizers that you can get from the stores, but if you want to save yourself from having to spend money on that, try taking a few pieces of PVC pipe that you might have lying around the house. Glue them together and make use of it as an organizer. That table is sure to be clutter-free by now!
7. For organizing shelves, you don’t have to worry about flipping through so much just to access a single book, folder or any other physical media. A simple sticky letter and homemade divider will help you do the trick of turning that giant shelf into a manageable storage system for everything that you have in there.
8. Filing cabinet can be filled with too much files and things need to change. Establish a filing system workflow so everything doesn’t have to be cramped in there. You should have a system that is based on your needs like accessibility, if it is necessary to be keeping the papers and how long should you have it in there before it can be put to storage or thrown out.
9. After every organizing task you have done you still manage to lose something, you may need to step it up a little bit more. You need to assign specific areas in your office for specific things and everything should be in their proper places.
10. By now, you should have an organized, clean and productive workspace. All you need to do is recognize what’s good enough and not obsess too much about everything because that will only lead you to waste much time. Once you feel that you become more productive, and then your space is good to go. Do not go overboard with organizing, as perfection can be a huge drawback to productivity as well.

photo credit: ali edwards via photopin cc