Do you struggle to complete daily tasks? Does your desk resemble a bomb-site? Ever wondered how some people seem to have a natural knack for organisation that continues to elude you? You can now put all those worries aside – just follow our simple five-step guide to a better organised desk, and you will join the crowd of super-efficient people in no time!
1. Purge everything you don’t need
Start from scratch. Remove everything from your desk, putting each item into a box and then return to work. It may be a good idea at this stage to give your work-space a good clean down. Desks can harbour outrageous amounts of germs and dust from years of neglect. Some cold and flu viruses can remain on surfaces for up to 72 hours –gross! Return each item to your desk once you need them, which you may well find you don’t. Once we have got into a routine of having a cluttered desk, we start to believe everything present is important and necessary – this is rarely the case.
2. Like with like
Once you have established what you do and don’t need, now is a great time to start grouping the items on your desk in similar groups, i.e. notepads, pens and pencils, your phones and tablets. This will make it much easier to locate items quickly and easily, meaning your work pace becomes faster and much more efficient. Clever dividers like this (below) can make a world of difference to tidying up that desk. Prepare to earn serious brownie points with your boss!
Access needs
The next trick is all about location. The things you use most should be right at your fingertips. Let’s assume these are your pens and technology. These should be at the forefront of your desk, or in the closest drawers. As items get less and less important, these should be placed in drawers further from your reach.
4. Contain loose items
There are a whole host of handy storage devices and tips out there just waiting for you to discover! The fourth of our five steps to a de-cluttered desk is this – store away loose items that may be a cause of distraction or annoyance. An office or desk-space full of wires can present a real health and safety risk! We’ll provide solutions and inspiration with a few picture ideas...
5. Evaluate your new desk system
Now all that needs to be done is keeping your freshly organised desk in check! Keep an eye on what works and what doesn’t, so you can ensure you keep control of your work space at all times. Of course, not even the cleanest of clean freaks can maintain tidiness at all times. To keep on top of your desk, try to spare five to ten minutes at the end of each day to straighten everything out again. This way you will return to an immaculate desk each morning ready to tackle the day head on, and avoiding this situation for good...
