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Did you know that getting organized at work can actually improve your productivity? It’s no surprise that clutter can be distracting, but it can even impair your memory, affect your mood and decrease your overall performance. Ultimately, it’s not just a waste of time but also a waste of money for the company. See how you can turn things around by following our tips for work organization below.
Tips for Getting Organized at Work
1. Start small and think big
It can feel overwhelming to look at a messy work space and wonder where to start. First, focus on getting all the wires from your monitor, laptop, phone, and other electronics on your desk out of sight. This will immediately make your desk feel less cluttered. If your desk doesn’t come with a slot in which to tuck away cords, invest in a cable quack or straighten and group them together with binder clips. This should also help with keeping them more accessible if you need a specific cord when moving an item.
Next, approach your desk like you would your closet at home — separate items into areas to “Keep,” “Trash” and “Donate or Recycle.” For items you just can’t bear to part with “just in case” you need them later, find a spot to store them that doesn’t take up space on your desk. This process will help you stay focused and could even be the start of a company-wide donation drive. Just think, you could achieve a more efficient office and get kudos from your boss for it.
2. Expand your work space
Most large offices should have paper trays and file cabinets to help you categorize your documents, but there are other ways to minimize paper and open up more room on your desk. Placing a desktop shelf under your laptop or monitor not only provides storage but should help get your screen to its optimal level — at or slightly below eye level, for less stress on your neck while working. Labels can be helpful, since placing items in the same place every time helps you remember exactly where to find them. There are also many new innovative desk organizer ideas that can be customized to help enhance a professional look across the office while keeping your desk clutter-free — consider this charging pencil cup or book of sticky notes.
Getting organized at work doesn’t have to be boring, either — rolling carts now come in a variety of designs for storage that’s portable and flexible without taking room away from where you work. These are convenient if you don’t have drawer space and have lots of reference materials you need to access frequently.
3. Go clutter-free with creativity
Once you’ve put storage ideas into place, it’s time to get your to-do list in order. Give yourself a fresh start on how you approach project management so you continue to stay organized. Going paperless is a great way to rid your work space of paper, Post-it notes, notebooks and the like. But many people still like to write things down throughout the day to absorb information. Consider a different type of organization tool — the daily planner notepad. It combines several tasks into one: meeting calendar, notes, and tasks to complete. You can find a range of customizable options (these could also make great gifts for coworkers or new employees) at Zazzle.
Depending on your work space, there are easy ways to free up room by using wall space to your advantage. Hanging storage bins can hold all the odds and ends you need each day, from paper clips and a stapler to tape or scissors. Use a wall calendar instead of a desk one, and you’ll automatically have more space in which to add notes for each day. Even adding coat hangers to keep sweaters and jackets off your chair can help your space feel clutter-free, adding to a sense of calm when you get ready to work.
4. Go online to manage your time
Once you’ve organized your physical space, it’s time to focus your work organization online to better manage your time. Set aside time to unsubscribe to all those newsletter and retail store alerts that you find yourself deleting every day. Then think about how you work best when it comes to your emails. Does it help you to create folders to organize them by project, or is it easier just to mark emails requiring action as “unread “ until you can get to them? Reach out to your IT team at work if you need help finding a solution that works best for you. They should also know how you can set or adjust filters for certain types of emails that you want to deprioritize. By getting your online information in order, you can stay focused on your work without distraction.
Get More Storage Ideas from Self Storage Plus
Along with organization ideas for work, the professionals at Self Storage Plus can help solve your storage needs at home. Learn about our climate controlled storage options, or look for a Self Storage location near you.
