Office 101 : How to Declutter and Organize Your Desk

Do you remember searching for a file that you cannot locate in the perimeter of your desk?  You did not realized that you already spent 20-30 minutes searching for that  piece of paper.  Time and effort are already wasted, before you knew it in one month how many time are spent for this unnecessary task.  Therefore, wasted time is a wasted money which actually slows office productivity.

If you want to save time and be more efficient, effective, and productive, you got to get organized.  

1.  Have an “Inbox” and “Outbox”  Tray  as well as “For Immediate Action/Follow up” and “For File” folders.  In this way, you will cut the process short by segregating files at once on its proper places.  This will also helps in defining your level of priorities.

2.  Have a cycle on your desk.  Properly place your trays which follows the  flow of task. 

3.  Forget the sticky notes, it may be lost in your desk.  Have a planner or get organized electronically to put reminders and calendar important dates.  Do not always trust your memory, write down important matters if it needs to be remembered.

4. Declutter desk with unnecessary papers, outdated documents, memos,letters,reports.  Return things that are not yours.  This will save some space from the desk

5.  If there are papers or files you want to keep but do not really need right now, file them away.  There is no reason to leave them on top of the desk.

6.  For papers needed for future reference, put them in a box and place them in the office or department’s storage area.

7.  After keeping your papers on folders, make sure that they are properly labeled so it can be easily located when needed.

8. Return things immediately from its proper places which can save much time later.  If things can be done at once, do it now. 

9.  At the end of the day, make a last minute clean up of the desk.  Put the papers in appropriate folders,throw away unnecessary papers, and return office utilities back in place such as staplers, ballpens etc.

10.  Everyday is a challenge.  Do not forget you have a mission to get organized.

A sticky reminder you can put on top of your desk,  “A cluttered desk is a cluttered mind “.

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