You know that something is a growing problem when consultants crop up to solve the problem for you. Such is the case with organizing an office. You can save some bucks if you just do it yourself with the tips we provide here.
Table of Contents:
Cleaning Out Your Office
The three goals of office organization:
- Clear out clutter
- Make it more functional
- Make it a more pleasant place to be.
Do you need to take on the task? You do if:
- You have to move things out of the way before you can sit down
- There are so many stacks of papers on your desk that they’re spilling onto the floor
- You’re having difficulty finding things
Here are the steps you need to take, approximately in the order you need to take them:
Make pathways.
If there is any furniture in your office that represents an obstacle to navigation, move it or, if you don’t really use it, get rid of it.
Clear your desktop.
What else besides your phone and computer need to be on your desk? Peripheral equipment like printers or multifunction units don’t belong on your desk. Get a printer stand. Otherwise, if it’s not something that you use every day to make your work easier, it doesn’t belong there. Find another place for it. Go through each paper in a stack. If it’s something that requires action now, do it. If it’s something that requires action soon, put it in a suspense file. If there is some need to keep it, file it. If it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to look at it again, put it in the recycle bin.
Put paper sorting boxes on your desk.
You’ll need an inbox, an outbox, and a box for daily mail.
Organize your desk drawers.
Clean out each desk drawer. Get some plastic trays designed to fit perfectly into a drawer. Use them to organize your office supplies.
Update your equipment and furnishings.
Does your computer need an upgrade? Does it need to be replaced entirely? Maybe it’s time to replace your old printer, fax machine, and scanner with a multifunction unit. Upgrade your phone to a speaker phone.
Invest in a book shelf, either freestanding or built-in.
That is of course, if you have books…
Provide some visual interest.
You should not be staring at your computer screen all day. It helps to look away from your computer screen occasionally, and that’s made easier when there is something attractive in your range of vision: a painting, print, poster, ceramic, plants, etc. Put up a small corkboard and use it to pin up things that make you happy – photos of family and friends, childrens’ drawings, etc.
Put everything you need within easy reach.
Adjust your office design as necessary, moving the items or equipment you need the most into easy reach.
Check your storage needs.
Get another filing cabinet if you need it or add a supplies cupboard.