Spring cleaning is a ritual many of us undertake at home, but few bother at the office. This week and next, we’ll offer suggestions you can implement at work to achieve the feeling of freedom and renewal a good clean-out provides. Let’s start!
Is there a desk under there?
Despite our increasing use of mobile devices and online communication, paper control continues to be an issue for many people, and sometimes you just need a hard copy. Before long, piles of paperwork can take over and the task of sorting it out seems overwhelming. Set yourself small blocks of time (15 minutes or so) and try this suggestion:
1. Get a banker’s box or two and move the stacks of paper off your desk and into the boxes.
Don’t spend time sorting it out at this point – just get it all off your desk. You’ll feel an instant sense of achievement as you get reacquainted with a clutter-free surface. Now, wipe down your newly liberated desk with a damp cloth. See all that guck? We clean our counters at home on a regular basis, but tend to ignore the office. Germs and grime can collect just as fast, especially if we snack at our desks.
While you’re at it, spray a cloth with vinegar and clean your landline phone; and your keyboard, too. Cleaning staff are often instructed not to touch desks, so don’t rely on them to do this for you.
2. What to do with the boxes of paper?
Store them under your desk and pick up an inch at a time and leaf through it. Be ruthless and recycle/shred anything that is not a legal document, copied on your hard drive or that you haven’t referred to in the last couple of months.
If this seems too drastic, then create a file folder, label it, and put all the documents related to that issue in the folder. Only keep essential information that is not available elsewhere. Then file it away in a drawer, not back on your desk.
As you work your way through the boxes, you might be surprised how many duplicates of the same papers you’ll find. That’s because sometimes it’s easier to just print off a new version than to locate it in the pile.
Get rid of any old issues of industry magazines or other publications. If there’s an article you must keep, rip it out and throw out the rest. File the article in a folder or in a binder.
Check to see how long you need to keep files for audit or legal purposes, and then go through your credenza or desk and cull old documents. Doing this for a few minutes every day makes it a manageable task.
The junk drawer
Not just found in kitchens, many desk drawers are also worthy of this label. Take everything out of your drawer and look at the treasures you’ve found. Do you really need all those pens and paperclips? Grab a scrap piece of paper and test each pen. If it doesn’t work, throw it out. Keep a reasonable amount of working ones – a good rule of thumb is that they should all fit into that little tray in your top drawer. Offer the extras to your colleagues, and after they laugh, dispose of them. Tame paperclips by putting them in an envelope or small box. One great idea is to invest in a cutlery tray, just like you have at home, and use it to manage your essentials.
Shred old paystubs or anything else you don’t need for tax purposes. Think carefully about keeping personal information at work. It should either be locked up, or taken home.