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Whether you work from home or use your office as a landing strip for bills, calendars and grocery lists, I've got a funny feeling it's a tad disorganized (if you're anything like me, that is!). Sure, we start off with great intentions for a clean slate in January, but by February, life gets hectic and we fall back into our old routines.
Why not take a few minutes today to incorporate five simple steps in an effort to kick start your office organization?
1. Pitch the Post-Its
Paper is the biggest clutter culprit on my desk, and also the most frustrating to organize. Take a moment to file your Post-Its properly in the correct space that works for you. Have your husband's new cell number stuck to your monitor? Copy it into your address book, or program it directly into your phone. Then say farewell to that yellow stickie...forever.
2. Kiss Junk Mail Goodbye
The best way to keep junk mail under control is to never let it enter your home. You can do this by keeping a recycling bin in your garage specifically for mail. Or you can get serious about getting rid of the junk mail forever. The Closet Entrepreneur has a fantastic round-up of the best websites that allow you to opt out of junk mail delivery. Take ten minutes to remove yourself from mass mailing lists (even phone book deliveries!) to prevent the clutter from building up in the future.
3. File, File, File!
If filing is a daunting task, it shouldn't be. I have a few No. 2 task clips on hand (now sold out, sadly) that simply say either "To Do" or "To File." I place my bills in the "To Do" stack and anything else in the "To File" clip. Make your own with spare clothespins and see how easy it is to file away. Then, at the end of the week, complete your "To Do" items and file everything else.
4. Go Wireless
There's nothing more cluttered than tangled cords on a clean desk, so why not opt for a wireless solution? I've had a Powermat on my wish list for quite some time, and I'd say it's high time to invest. A cordless charging mat for my endless technology products? Yes!
5. Go Paperless
If you're saving your child's artwork for a rainy day, why not scan it into your computer and keep a digital file? It will mean just as much as the real thing, and admit it --- do you even know where her latest finger-painting is?
Sure, the above steps won't make a massive difference right away, but they will give you a push in the right direction. Organization begets organization, right?
Good luck!
Craving more organization in your life? Read more:
-New Book Says an Organized Home is the Key to Happiness
-Closet Clutter Solutions
Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
Great ideas Erin...thanks for the reminders!
ReplyVery good ideas! Post Its are an eyesore. Junk mail should be sorted through and shredded or thrown out immediately.
ReplyI'm on the fence with the digital scanning. Part of a child's art project is the medium used. While I do think it would be nice to have a digital file; it shouldn't replace the actual projects. The computer can't replace everything in our lives. I'm against digitalizing everything in our world.
I have a recycle box in the kitchen (no garage) and I "try" to sort through the junk mail as soon as I get it. WHY do investment companies print up and mail out these miserable-to-read literature? I could be broke and not know it because of the booklet from Hades. Charity organizations with their mountains of solicitations irk me too. WHY glue 3 nickels to a piece of paper and then ask me for $5?
ReplyOne of my sons thinks he HAS to save every scrap of paper he has done since the school year started. Getting him to throw away a test/quiz paper with a C+ on it is next to impossible. He has a pile of stuff next to his bed which he says he needs. Used tissues! Really? He needs those? Ugh!