Are you a neat and organized person? Regardless of whether you’re working in a modern downtown office with dozens of other people or you’ve converted a spare room in your home into an office, it’s imperative you keep it nice and tidy. You might be an entrepreneur, or you could be working from home for someone else; the point is that unless you’re organized, you’re going to have a hard time getting anything done. If you find it challenging to keep everything clean and in place over your hectic working hours, we’ll help you change that.
Declutter the area
Clutter builds up over time because we believe that leaving a trinket here and there won’t hurt. In the end, you get a desk and drawers full of useless things that you just don’t have the energy to sort through. Set up a time to declutter your office space and be ruthless about it. You don’t need ten empty notebooks, dozens of pens, old papers, crumpled post-its, and spare headphones. Get rid of the things you don’t actually need in order to work, and you will soon see that your productivity has improved. Having decorative pieces is nice, but covering every spare surface with figurines and plants isn’t professional.
Use walls for storage
If your desk is in a tall cubicle or you’re placed near a wall, don’t let all that useful space go to waste. You can simply free up a lot of your precious desk space by storing some things on the wall instead. For example, a shelf for your electronics or mail will significantly improve your ability to get around your desk. Keeping office supplies on the walls is also a helpful solution because you should only reach up to get a spare pen or a sticky note. Pegboards are great for people who need scissors, tape, and paperclips, and honeycomb shelves are perfect for papers, books, and even a cup of coffee you don’t have time to take back to the kitchen.
Recurring tasks? Automate!
It doesn’t matter what kind of work you’re doing; there are probably dozens of smaller (or bigger) tasks that you do on a regular basis. Even if these are easy to complete, over time, they will inevitably take up what can only be described as a disproportionate amount of your precious time. You might only be an intern, or you could be an office manager; whatever your role in the office is, automatic recurring tasks should be your imperative. Checking visitors in, restocking office supplies, or perhaps scheduling meetings – all of these can be automated and done with a few clicks. When you do this, it will be like the tasks aren’t even on your to-do list anymore.
Organize the keys
With a lot of people handling office keys, it’s not a surprise that lost and misplaced keys are a daily occurrence in some workspaces. Multiple people with their own organizational systems and ideas will inevitably lead to chaos, so it would be wise to unify that. To prevent keys from being lost, get electronic key cabinets for your office, and you will notice a huge difference. Not only will people be able to keep track of their keys more easily, but you’ll also avoid making unnecessary key copies. A good key cabinet will help you organize the space better, and everyone working there will find it easier to find their copy when they need it.
Cables and wires out of sight
There are so many things to focus on and improve that it’s easy to see why there are so many tips and tricks out there. Even better, many gadgets and devices are specifically designed to help people organize their work desks. Cables and wires take up a lot of space and always look like they will take over your desk. Chargers, desktops, laptops, phones, mice, keyboards, and computer towers all come with their own wires, and in a blink of an eye, you have room on your desk to put your cup of coffee. Desks with slots to hide wires and cables are the best solution, but if you don’t have them, use binder clips to group them together and hide them out of sight.
Documentation, documentation, documentation
The golden rule of any and every job is to document absolutely everything you’re doing. It might be a tedious and exhausting task at first, but over time you will accumulate enough data to create a nice handbook and learn from your mistakes. Proper documentation means that work will be clear and consistent, which is why you should agree on one documentation system that works for everyone. If one employee likes placing sticky notes everywhere whereas others like using Google documents, it’s going to be a mess. Creating a workflow for everyone to use and follow will greatly improve everyone’s time management skills.
Label everything
Staying organized means that you should know where everything is at each moment. Your label maker is going to be your best friend on your journey to a great organization in an office. Label everything so that not only you but everyone else can easily find their way around. Labeling cabinets are a wonderful addition to every office because these save a lot of time and frustration, and you will not be interrupted as often during the day. Even when you have to find something with clear labels, it will only take a moment. Boxes f printer paper are the most sought-after item in every office, so place a “PRINTER PAPER” label on the right drawer (or cabinet). Your archived files should also have “final” versus “draft” versions of deliverables, but your files should be sorted by project.
One of the biggest issues people have these days is finding an adequate work-life balance. This is particularly tricky if you’re working from home because your work seems to follow you wherever you do. When your workplace is well-organized, you will find it easier to separate yourself from your work, put the deadlines and targets behind you and focus on your hobbies and your family. More organized office space will help you be more productive at work and a happier individual outside it too.
