If you’re like most of us, office clutter can seem inevitable. But, you’d be surprised how little you actually need most items left in your workspace. Learning to declutter old items is a great way to give yourself the space you need to create something new in the new year.
According to Michelle Rafter, the process of decluttering can impact you in a variety of unexpected ways—from making you feel less stressed at work to even becoming more creative. As Rafter accurately puts it: “Have you ever picked up a business card or brochure and thought, ‘That’d make a great story?’ only to come back to the office, toss it in a pile and forget it in the course of daily business? Sifting through piles brings those story ideas back to the surface.“Here are some easy ways to declutter your office space:
Start small.
Deal with items that are easy, like old sticky notes on your monitor screen, dirty coffee mugs, or your holiday decorations. Toss the trash, clean dirty dishes, and keep the items you’ll use again.Keep only what you need.
Designate items you use daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. Keep less frequently used items at a distance—they can be stored in file cabinets, or pedestals. Properly dispose confidential files that are no longer needed.Organize your desk.
Use desk organizers or trays to file papers you use daily. Consider using folders, tabs and color codes to prioritize and categorize your work. Read eight easy ways to a more organized desk »Store the things you don’t need.
Take all those items that you have designated as monthly and yearly items and place them into off-site storage. This includes items such as:- Old books
- Magazines
- Artwork
- Additional inventory
- Big posters
- Banners
- Fixtures
- Extra furniture