Sometimes cubicles and office nooks at work start to feel like a cave and a deep dark abyss of paper. Take notice of the current state of your cubicle and follow these office organization tips to start seeing a difference. Once you’ve put some new ideas into practice show off your hard work! I’m sure your coworkers will be jealous!
- Put away projects you are not currently working on. The more left out, the less space for what’s important right now. Yes, you might be “visual” but all of what you need to be reminded of doesn’t have to be in full view. Create task lists, add tasks to your calendar, or maintain a project list that way you grab what you need when you need it to be out in plain view.
- Store reference paper in the drawer or better yet, online. Reference paperwork is files, articles, cheat sheets, books, and catalogs that you grab on occasion to refer to. You should have the intention to refer to these helpful resources and cheat sheets on a weekly or monthly basis. If you can find the information again easily don’t store it otherwise your reference section will grow too large.
- Get rid of paper and files you no longer are required to keep on behalf of your company. Go through your files at least two times a year. If you don’t know what you are required to keep, ask your manager or human resources.
- If knick knacks and small clutter is crowding shelves and desk space, sweep it all up and only put back the essentials. Be selective in what you display or rotate what you display.
- Personal grooming items often clutter desks and waste space. Asses how much floss, lip gloss, and travel size toothpaste are present. One small stash in a pouch is all you need. Keeping it contained prevents it from rolling around the drawer and keeps it in check, giving you a boundary.
- Limit the amount of office supplies you store. Office supplies don’t make you more organized; they only assist you in keeping things organized. Blank folders, binders and extra supplies always waste more space than you think. Return a stack of your stash back into the supply room. You don’t have to be a mini Office Depot at work.
- Asses how much eye stimulation you have posted up on walls and cabinets around you. Too many pictures, kid’s drawings or inspirational sayings clutter the space. Aim for 80% empty wall/air space and only 20% personal décor or inspiration.
- Avoid bringing any personal paperwork to your workplace and vice versa. Mixing paper and storing files in both places is a recipe for disaster. It’s one of my pet peeves and I often preach against it.
- Avoid stashing things under your desk in your cubicle. Keep the area clean and free of clutter so you can stretch out your legs, hide a purse if need be, and still have room for small garbage can.
- Every small space must be maintained on a daily or weekly basis, otherwise it will return to be a mess after a busy work week. Block off time every Friday or every Monday on your schedule to maintain your new rules and organizational systems for your cubicle. I prefer a daily routine because few minutes per day is more manageable than an hour of my time. That’s too overwhelming and too annoying.
