Studies have shown that people who live in cluttered, untidy homes are more likely to procrastinate.
If that results in a few evenings where you end up idly scrolling through Facebook rather than making headway on the washing, it’s not exactly the end of the world.
But what about work? What if your untidy desk is doing nothing more than stressing you out and making you unproductive?
A quick test
Let’s try something.
Assuming you’re sitting at your desk now, take a look around. How much of the stuff that’s currently adorning your desk are you actually working on?
Chances are, like many people, you’ll have simply left bits of paper, post-it notes, and letters on your desk rather than filing them away.
You’re not alone, but that clutter is doing more harm than you might think. So, without further ado, here are ten quick-fire tips for creating (and keeping) a clean, organised office space.
- Keep only important items to hand
One of the easiest ways to maintain an uncluttered office is to only keep the most important items to hand.
Make a list of the things you need day-in, day-out and ensure they’re easily accessible. For everything else, tidy it away in draws and storage.
- Hide the wires
Laptops, smartphones, tablets, monitors, desk lamps; there are so many cables in our everyday lives.
Unfortunately, those wires can get incredibly messy and clutter up invaluable space. To avoid this, invest in cable management (even if it’s just cable ties and strong tape) and tidy up those wires.
- Label everything
You can keep clutter to a minimum if you label everything and store it systematically. That way, you can have confidence that you’ll know immediately where to reach for something when the need arises.
- Automate your recurring tasks
Clutter is often caused by manual work which can – and should – be undertaken by software.
Take a look at the tasks you undertake regularly, and which are laborious. Chances are, you can use tools such as Trello, Monday, Asana, calend.ly and accounting software to automate them instead.
- Go paperless (finally)
The truly paperless office is a bit of a misnomer, but there’s no harm in digitising as much of your paperwork as possible.
Start with your admin, and be ultra critical of any paper that lands on your desk; can it be digitised?
- Organise those drawers
Come on – you’ve been putting it off for ages. Drawers exist for a reason, so make sure you’re using them to best effect by neatly storing your freshly labelled, non-essentials in there.
- Evaluate the design and layout of your office
Office design plays a huge role in clutter. If you’re constantly having to move from one area to the next to get stuff done, you’ll leave a trail of paperwork and other items in your wake over time.
Position your desk and any peripherals you regularly use close to one another and leave as much floor space as you can. Add mirrors and welcome in natural light to create an airy, calm workspace.
- Get a handle on paperwork
No one likes paperwork, but it is possible to get a handle on it.
Start by finally making headway on that in/out tray. Throw away anything that’s out of date or irrelevant, action anything that needs undertaking and make a promise that you won’t let it build up again.
- Maintain a cleaning schedule
Whether you clean yourself or have an office cleaner, make sure those sessions take place regularly.
This isn’t much fun when you’re doing it yourself, but the more consistently you do it, the less you’ll have to do. You’ll thank us in the long run, we promise.
- Invest in self-storage
Sometimes, you can’t just throw old paperwork and files out, but if it’s resulting in unavoidable clutter in your office, there is another option.
Self-storage will give you a safe space in which to store old documents, stock, and devices that are no longer in use. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to declutter.
The best news? Squab can help! Our self-storage facilities are affordable and perfectly sized for everyone. We even offer confidential paper shredding! Just get in touch to find out more.
