Tips for Keeping Your Office Clean and Organized

Whether in a high-rise window office complete with rich mahogany desk or a shared cubicle unit on the corporate prairie dog farm, all employee in a workplace environment would benefit from better organization. A well-organized workplace allows for more efficient work and, thus, added productivity, which is an advantage for the worker as well as the company as a whole.

One key component of workstation organizational superiority is cleanliness; the state of not only being neat, but also being clean and not having a station that attracts further dirtiness and disorganization. Although some people are better at it than others, getting into the habit of maintaining cleanliness is a valuable trait in the working environment. There are a few basic tips that can help anyone start at a better pace.

Avoid Eating In Your Office

There is nothing wrong with a cup of coffee, nor even the occasional snack, and every once in a while it may be necessary to eat your lunch at the desk; however, regularly munching in front of your computer has some notable consequences on efforts towards regulating a neat-and-clean workspace.

Crumbs that embed in the keyboard can hinder performance, while greasy fingers will slowly degrade everything they touch. In addition, the space taken up by a lunch or other outright meal on the desk is space that could better be used by something else, or at least kept neater by leaving a blank space for enhanced modular function between other accessories. The pinnacle of uncleanliness is leaving dirty mugs or plates or utensils at the desk, when they should instead be kept in the sink, and responsibly cleaned after each use. The worst-case scenario is that a half-eaten treat would attract mice at night, which not only would be an incredibly humiliating discovery in the morning, but can also actually harm equipment and destroy documents.

Regular Habitual Maintenance

Evening sloppy, unorganized, undisciplined slobs can truly learn the habit of cleanliness. Repetition is key, and keeping up a relentless, constant battle against dirty, grime, and debris should be made a higher priority. By sticking to a schedule, most people can make it easier for themselves to keep there area clean, neat, and organized.

Try choosing a specific time during the week; this could be Wednesday after lunch, or Friday afternoon, or whenever. Next, from now on, use that alloted time slot, even if it is just fifteen minutes, to clean your desk and whole office space. Grab loose documents and at least put them into topical trays or specified piles, keep some disinfectant on hand and use it to ward off the spread of disease, recycle old notes that no longer serve a purpose, consolidate written Post-Its into one digital file, keep old materials rotating into a proper records retention schedule, etc. It does not need to seem like a boring, dutiful, horrendous chore. In fact, cleaning usually grants a feeling of refreshment and renewed purpose.

Effective Organization

Many people overuse sticky notes, succumb to the allure of a pile-based system, or lack the formal office supplies necessary to maintain proper organization. If you are unfamiliar with the appropriate tools to improve your productivity, contact your office manager to receive some helpful items. For instance, those who form stacks of various papers on their desk may find it incredibly beneficial to use an upright filing rack to organize the papers into specified categories, perhaps in labeled file folders, and thus take up space vertically rather than so much lateral area on the desk. Some may need to invest in a filing cabinet, even a small one, and by making the initial investment to take the time to form an effective, thorough system by which to file their future documents, which will be a big help in the future. The office manager may even have other helpful suggestions that are specifically targeted to your situation.

In any case, office workers everywhere could benefit from a little more cleanliness, which in turn creates enhanced organization. Many people have the common sense to realize that having a cluttered environment may lead to lost items, which is already an aggravating situation; but what many may fail to know is that all the obstacles of a dirty workspace can actually increase stress, which is an universally undesirable situation. If you find yourself frustrated with the gritty conditions of your working area, take the time to clean up and organize. It will be worthwhile.