Declutter Your Work Space

Even in this world of constant internet access, and the ability to work on the go, most of us have a space we regard as our “work place”. It might be an actual office, a desk in the spare room, or that corner of the dining room table. No matter where it is, it’s often quite difficult to keep everything tidy and organised.

There are, of course, many advantages to having a tidy and well organised work space. First up, there’s the safety issue – being able to get to the things you need without having to tackle a mountain of paperwork, or contort yourself around unnecessary objects, is going to lead to fewer accidents and injuries. Then, there’s the ease with wish you can actually find the things you need to do your day job.

Here are our top tips when it comes to keeping your work space clean and organised.

#1 – Throw out the trash

Pick a set time, each day, to go through everything on your desk, and make sure you throw away anything you don’t need any more. Ideally, it should all go in the bin immediately; however, when you get caught up on one task, throwing that crisp wrapper away may not be your number one priority, the same goes for that receipt you no longer need.

Spending five minutes at the end of the day to make sure what you have on your desk is actually needed, is a great way to ensure you’re coming back to less of a mess the next day.

#2 – No snacking!

As we all struggle to maintain a good work-life balance, it becomes increasingly tempting to eat at our desks. Whether that’s a light snack, or a full blown meal, don’t let anything get in the way of you actually having some downtime. Asides from the actual benefits of stepping away, this approach will mean that you’re no longer having to brush crumbs away from your keyboard before you pen that email.

Start taking a proper lunch break, get out and about and grab some fresh. Your health, and your desk, will thank you for it!

#3 – Get organised

You know all those bits of paper that aren’t technically rubbish? The ones that you do actually need to keep hold of? Fine, keep them, but do something with them. Get some folders or files, perhaps an “in” try, or a filing cabinet. Anything at all that allows you to store the things you need in a secure and sensible way, so that they are close to hand.

#4 – Stop with the Sticky Notes!

Some people like “to do” lists, others like sticky notes. The only problem with these is that they tend to end up buried under everything else, or you find yourself redecorating your office with multi-coloured Post Its.

If you want to store all that information, because it really is that vital, then why not consider going digital? You could use a Word document, spreadsheet, your mobile phone, or any number of task tracking apps you can easily download for free. Many of these even come with built in notifications, alarms and reminders, so it’s even easier to keep track of the things you simply must not forget!