Words Helen Brown
You can’t really kill it in the workplace without having clean desk. The same applies to your office space at home. That old adage really does rings true; tidy space, tidy mind. Of course, there are some creative geniuses that thrive in chaos: but sadly, we’re not them. And let’s be honest, a messy desk does not an impressed boss make. Having an ordered space can definitely spark productivity. If people knew the amount of time is wasted with disorganisation, they wouldn’t think twice about giving the work space a once over. With that in mind, we’ve noted the best ways to organise your desk in a bid to get more things done.
PURGE
Step one in Project: Organise desk is purge. Bin, de-clutter, empty, shred, get rid of everything that you don’t need or want. Look around. If you’ve not used it in the past two months, you probable don’t need it. Take one area at a time, starting with individual drawers. Don’t forget about knick-knacks, plants and ornaments. If they’re covered in dust, it’s an excellent excuse to buy new ones. It might be an idea to give that sad-looking plant a water.
ORGANISE YOUR DRAWERS
Organise your items so that everything used together, sits together in the same drawer. For example, stamps with envelopes and pencils with sharpeners. Pick up drawer organisers – Muji do good ones – they’re perfect for little items such as paper clips and staples. Use a separate drawer for personal items.
INVEST IN DESK ACCESSORIES
Keep essentials within reach – but organised – with a desk caddy. They’re ideal for holding pens, post-its, your stapler and more. Magazine racks are always handy as is a shallow tray. In here you can stack folders, notes and current projects so that they are easily on hand. A multi-dock charging station will keep your phone and tablet safe and sound. They also look quite cool on your desk.
GET A PIN BOARD
A pin-board is a great way to keep those pesky post-its in one place while adding a touch of Insta-cool to your work space. Along with notes and reminders, it can be used to showcase inspirational messages, pictures and prints. Invest in some pretty pins for added decoration.
WIPE A CLEAN SLATE
Always give your desk a once over at the end of the day so you can sit down to a fresh start the following morning. Remove any mugs and bin all scrap bits of paper. Invest in a pack of sanitising wipes and do a quick clean to keep any office germs at bay. Not only is this immensely satisfying to do after all your work is done, it’s also a great time waster when you don’t want to be the first to leave.
