Spring Cleaning…at Work?

Guest blogger Stephanie over at Ketchum was recently telling us about how she moved to a new office space and was shocked by the amount of stuff she had accumulated in her six years in the old cubicle. Boxes and boxes of annual reports, press kits, news clippings, files from folks who had long since left the team on projects that had long since ended. In short, she was a veritable archive of PR program paraphernalia.
Was all of this stuff necessary to keep? No. Did she? Yes. So why did she keep it all? In my mind, it always comes down to “what if.” What if I need it in the future? What if someone else (gasp, the boss!?) needs it in the future? What if, what if, what if. Well, she was drowning in the stuff those “what if’s” created, and I bet a lot of other office workers are too!
Luckily when she moved Stephanie was able to make the time to purge. As she tells it, the building brought her a small-scale dumpster that she filled to overflowing. Now we might not all be that bad, but for the other office packrats out there, I thought I’d share a few tips on how to scale back so you don’t wind up in need of a dumpster too!
- Treat your office space like you might your closet. It’s much easier to find things and get work done when everything is organized and orderly. Keep like things together in boxes, filing cabinets, magazine racks, containers, and more.
- And just like you would your wardrobe, give your office a good once over each season and see what will continue working for you (necessary files you refer to often) and those that might not be in style any more (the papers you haven’t even thought about, let alone glanced at in over a year). Once you’ve done that, hopefully you’ll have found a lot of unnecessary materials you can toss in the recycle bin.
- On that note, only keep hard copies of those documents you know aren’t saved on a computer server somewhere or those you really need in printed form. This rule of thumb will save you tons of space in the filing cabinet and clear loads of paper off your desk. That’s important because…
- When you come to work and see a desk covered with files and reports it can feel so overwhelming you may actually be less productive. So banish it for good! Create and stick to a filing system that keeps clutter off your desk. It could be as easy as color-coded folders, or something more complex requiring label makers and markers. Just find what works for you and run with it!
- And if your office doesn’t have them already, consider making your own custom dry erase board to keep track of projects, to-do’s, schedules and more. A custom board is great because you can create sections that work best for you – like a calendar area or a checklist – and you can even add in fun graphics or clip art. It’ll help keep you on top of things while cutting down on the number of post-its that may be lining your wall or computer monitor. All that’s required is some oversized paper and a large-format lamination machine, both available at FedEx Office.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />
Related FedEx Office Solutions: Office Supplies, Lamination
Comments
Great tips--thanks!
Thanks for these great tips. I think 'sticking to the filing system' is the best tip for me because when I don't do this, I start to drown in paperwork. Great ideas all around.
I really like the custom dry
I really like the custom dry erase board suggestion. Much better than what I have now to keep track of things. Thanks for the tips.
Great ideas!
I hate the "what if's" and really try to keep the clutter to a minimum in my office. Thanks for the great ideas!!!
I too have been doing some
I too have been doing some spring cleaning in my home office in the past couple of weeks. It is amazing how much you accumulate. I totally feel refreshed and ready to start each day out knowing everything is organized and easy to find. I really believe it has helped me become more productive.
So true...I always feel a
So true...I always feel a sense of calm when everything is in its place.
I share a tiny office with 6
I share a tiny office with 6 other people, so keeping it clean is so important to keeping the office harmonious and the morale high. Thanks for the tips!
Decluttering
I can always use decluttering tips and organizational tips when it comes to my home office area and my desk. Thanks for the tips!! I can use all the help I can get!!
Great!
I, too, have the "what if" compulsion. My office is in my home and the door is always shut and locked (yes, locked) when anyone visits. Thanks for the tips! I have actually already been spending the morning purging and sorting my piles. I'm amazed at the stuff I "had" to keep!
My office is at home, and
My office is at home, and it's CLUTTERED!! I need to get some spring cleaning tips in the works and get it clutter free!
Thanks!
I love any kind of cleaning
I love any kind of cleaning tip. I cannot function without having a clean and organized home.
I know! When my house is a
I know! When my house is a mess, it totally affects my mood and makes me sluggish. But when I get things in order, I feel accomplished and at ease.
Organized
I love any type of spring cleaning tips. I try to keep my desk and space organized.
my office is in my home and
my office is in my home and often in a semi-state of disarray, but i cannot function well unless it is organized and put away. i will admit, that i keep way too much around just in case. i need to learn what to pitch and when to pitch it!
I could not agree with you
I could not agree with you more! This is great!!!!
A Clean Desk
A clean desk really does help you concentrate. I need to use some of those tips here at my home office. Clutter Clutter Clutter! I do try to declutter monthly, but it accumulates so fast!
Great Tips!
I especially like the idea of treating your desk like a closet.
Office Woes
My office is out of control. Thanks for the tips.
Awesome tips
I really liked the article a lot. I have found tons of tips on house cleaning and very few on office clean up. I am sure these would help me organize my little office space a lot..
Reply
These are some really great tips and I can really relate to that overwhelming feeling - I am going to grab a dry erase board - that's a great idea for keeping track of tasks that need to be completed and for marking off those that are already done!
Try to schedule a weekly cleaning
As someone who has worked from both home and in an office, I can honestly say that a home office can tend get much more cluttered. I absolutely CANNOT stand to exist in a messy workspace. Since papers and other items can pile up rather quickly, I highly recommend setting aside a time at least once a week to straighten up and clean your office. I know if I did not do this, the task would just be too overwhelming!
This is a great tip. I
This is a great tip. I recently blocked off time on my calendar at the end of each work day and call it the "No Meeting Rule Block." This is my time to get organized, review e-mail, reflect, etc. It has been quite helpful so far -- even though I have had to break the rule a couple of times.
Old Fashioned In/Out Trays
Old fashioned wire or plastic in/out stacking trays are the key to my organizational sanity at work. I've tried numerous filing systems, but my search ended when I came across stacking trays as the best, most visual, and easy-to-access system of filing at my office.
great ideas!
you've just inspired me to go clear my home office desk. right now.
I find it easier to organize
I find it easier to organize other people's stuff!
The problem I have is that I
The problem I have is that I am very organized and my coworkers are not. It drives me crazy because they use my desk to work at because they can't even get to their own desks. Love all the tips that you are giving! Great post! Maybe I should print this off and put it in their mailboxes ;)
Great Ideas!
Great ideas on your blog! I just began following you on Twitter @GeorgiaMist.
clutter
i can relate my whole house is cluttered my son is always trying to declutter, nuf said about that
clutter
i can totally relate, i am a pack rat and my son hates it he is such a neat freak he is always trying to find ways to clear up my garbage and crap an my husband puts it.
Office Clean up
Hey thanks for all the great ideas - I am ready to do the big purge myself!
I love to the spring becauser
I love to the spring becauser I feel revitalize, specially when I start cleaning my office papers from looooonngg time ago!!!!!!
Reisting the urge to purge all the paper
I have the opposite problem, in that when I worked in an office/newsroom for 8 years, I was always trying to resist the urge to purge all the paper in my office, all the notes and press releases and soforth because they made my filing system too bulky. When you work with as much paper as I worked with, it just made sense to keep things organized, though we had a sports reporter whose desk needed archeological excavation!
My dad also keeps stacks of paper around, and was recently told he needs to get rid of all of that because his paper stacks harbor bugs! Yuck!
Anyway, great blog and great tips for any office space.
Your dad sounds like mine.
Your dad sounds like mine. Does he save old copies of National Geographic, too?
My dad does! Funny.
My dad does! Funny.
Comment
Thank you so much for that great post. I would love some spring cleaning not only in my office/work area, but in my home. :)
I am glad I found your blog through Mom Central.
Clutter? Who has Clutter?
I have the clutter problem at home, not the office. My office is clean, clean, clean!
Thanks
my desk is a mess
My desk is a mess and looks alot like the one in the pic....ugh! I need some motivation to tackle this project.
And for a second I thought I was the only one.
For a second I thought I was the only one with this problem, I have such trouble keeping my desk tidy and organized. Once every now and then I throw away unnecessary files to keep it looking less cluttered. I'm aways debating with myself whether to keep it or toss it away. Sometimes I don't even know where to start when I try to reorganize my desk, so I thank you for sharing these tips.
Time for a good purging!
I so need to update my office space (and my closet for that matter!) Thanks for some great ideas :)
I am guilty!
I am so guilty of letting things pile up. It does get overwhelming to see piles of files and papers. I usually just purge and "clean" when I get sick of seeing the mess, LOL. Thank you for the tips, I will definitely be putting them to use.
Great info--that was a good
Great info--that was a good topic! It's amazing how much stuff one can accumulate! I think we can all relate!
Love the board idea!
What a fantastic idea! I love the idea of having a board for me to organize all my thoughts and ideas. I'll have to head out to the Fed-Ex office for supplies. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks for the ideas
I really needc to incorporate these ideas into my work space - thanks!!
Great tips. It's so much
Great tips. It's so much easier to work when you are organized and if you let it collect, it takes so much longer to clean up.
Great tips to keep in
Great tips to keep in mind! Thanks for sharing! :)
Great Advice!
This is great! I really need to clean up my entire house, and these tips will really help me get started. Yikes...so much clutter!
These are great ideas. I
These are great ideas. I think people often forget that it's important to keep the office as clutter free as the home...in order to reduce stress and improve workflow!
Great inspiration!
Our offices, even with the large amount of time spent, are often overlooked. I used to box away old paperwork once a year. Then we moved 3 years ago and I realized those little file boxes once a year added up to almost an entire attic! I went through each box and kept what was absolutely nessisary and then scanned the documents that are "possibly" needed and backed them up on cd. I can now not only find them much easier, but they are taking up nearly no space and can be opened and viewed in less time it would take me to even walk to the room where the boxes used to be stores. Plus they can be printed if I end up needing a hard copy. I recommend making either 2 copies of the cd in case of corruption, or burning a backup cd and then getting an external hard drive that you use as a digital filing cabinet. :)
Keeping organized is a project
I am a member of Mom Central :)
For me keeping everything around my desk area is a constint battle. I usually do my office keep-up about once a month just to keep everything in check. It doesn't help that all of the kids use my computer as well.
For home office too
Thank you for the tips. These are good for those of us who have home offices as well!
The way I declutter and have
The way I declutter and have learned and still learning- take magazines- scan the page you need and toss or donate, scan paperwork if you think you need it and shred it. Most of the time you will never open that magazine again or look at that saved paper again. I even do that with the kids work and make a treasure book once a year of their work.
Post new comment