Organizing Your Desk...
and Keeping it Organized

Want to know, not just about organizing your desk but also about keeping it organized ?

I am gonna let you in on a secret - You have to be consistent and you have to be disciplined.

Did the words “consistent” and “disciplined cause you to break out into a cold sweat ?   Well, no need to panic.  You can do this !

Now that you have been cleaning and organizing office space at home, turn your attention to organizing your desk with the use of filing and storage options.

Let’s get started organizing your desk

Having your things in one place helps you stay organized and I might also add, sane .

You know just where to find what you need and you don’t waste time searching all over, especially when you have deadlines to meet and you need to start working – Chop! Chop!

Sort through papers, files and books that are on the home office desk into 2 piles – those in use versus those that are no longer needed. The items that are no longer needed are to be either filed or thrown away. Those that are in use are to be neatly stacked and filed for easy access.

Filing & Storage Options

Another Way To Use An Old Jar

Don’t you just hate having to search all over for that pen or pencil that you recently used ?  Well, keep them in one place.

Convert an old jar into a holder for your pens, pencils or any other small item that you use on a regular basis.  But make sure to keep the jar on a steady and secure section of your desk, you don’t want to carelessly knock it off and have to start picking up the glass pieces.

Here’s another option, if you prefer not to have a glass holder.  Use an old can.

Make sure there are no sharp edges left back that can cut you. Properly clean and dry the can and if you are the artsy creative type, create real cool designs on plain paper and wrap the can with it or if you have decorative paper left back from Christmas or a party, use that to wrap the can.

Use glue or two-sided tape to hold the paper securely on the can.

photo courtesy of Elin B

Why Not Use Draw Organizers

If your desk has a drawer, you can buy draw organizers of different sizes at an office supply store and store your supplies, whether your pens, post-its, paper clips etc.

Storage Boxes

It is good to have a sturdy filing cabinet to keep all your files but if you don’t have one you can always use storage boxes. Make sure you properly label the boxes. The labeling should be big, clear and detailed.

Also, you can even use dividers or hanging folders in the storage box to help you stay organized.

Don’t over stuff the boxes.

photo courtesy of Stampendous

Shelving Units

If you are finished with that book, then please put it back where it belongs.

Do you have book shelves in your home office space ?  Ensure that the books are neatly organized and filed away in the appropriate categories.

If your current workspace is small, shelving units are ideal for storing away books and office equipment - make use of the wall next to your desk.

One More Thing

Make sure you have a waste basket near or under your desk. Line it with a plastic bag for easy disposal.

It’s up to you whether you choose to dump or shred what you don’t need, just don’t leave scrap paper or garbage lying around in your work space or on your desk.

Maintaining New Habits

They say it takes 21 days of decisive and repeated action to form a new habit. So if you want organizing your desk to be a constant factor in reducing your stress level, make a decision and take action that supports this decision.

At the end of each work day, give yourself 5 or 10 minutes before stepping away from your desk, to throw away or shred what is no longer needed and put away files or supplies you are done using into their proper place. Trust me, the 5 or 10 minutes you take each day to this this will save you a whole day to clean and organize – giving you more time to do your favorite at-home stress relief activity.

Now that you are done organizing your desk and organizing office space. Step back and take a look around. Isn’t that much better ?

Now remember what I said before about keeping it organized – all it takes is being consistent and disciplined and I guarantee you that this will help to make your home life and your work life so much simpler and stress free.

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