Many people do most of their work sitting at their desk. However, if the space is cluttered or disorganized, focusing or controlling important projects can be challenging. After cleaning and organizing your desk for the first time, you should be able to keep it tidy without too much effort. In any case, the first thing to do is to review all the objects present and find a way to organize them in the best possible way.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Clear the Desk
Step 1. Remove all objects occupying the desk
You have to take everything out and stack it in a big pile. Once you are ready to rearrange the spaces, you will deal with all that material one piece at a time. Don't try to fix things right now, first you need to create the necessary space.
Clear the desk completely. Also remove any items you intend to put back in the exact same place, including computers, plants, and photographs
Step 2. Discard or recycle your waste
Some things become junk as soon as you stop needing them. You may think you need to keep something, but think carefully before deciding. If you're unsure, you can dedicate a container or drawer to items you don't know if it's best to keep.
- Destroy sensitive documents before throwing them in the waste bin;
- Recycle paper, plastic and everything possible;
- People who have a perfectly organized desk have a saying: "When in doubt, throw it away."
Step 3. Clean all surfaces
Even if you think the items that used to occupy your desk are clean enough, brushing them off can't be harmful. Clean your computer screen, dust all surfaces, empty and clean drawers.
- You can use a can of compressed air to clean your computer keyboard or other objects that have hard-to-reach parts.
- You can use a solution made from water and white wine vinegar to clean most surfaces, or you can purchase a cleaning product at the grocery store.
- Surfaces to clean include the desk top, drawer insides, shelves, and all screens.
Part 2 of 4: Organizing the Spaces
Step 1. Use a wall shelf
You can build it yourself or buy it ready-made. You can place it next to the desk or on the other side of the room, generally the choice depends on the arrangement of the spaces and the use you intend to make of them.
- If the desk is inside a small cubicle, it may be best to attach shelves to the wall.
- If the desk is in a home study or bedroom, you may want to place the shelf out of your line of sight to avoid distracting you.
- Think about what you will put on the shelf before installing it. Make sure it's the correct size to hold the books or items you plan to add.
Step 2. Label the drawers and shelves
This way you will know where to put an item back after using it. It is very important to maintain order over time. You can create DIY labels with tags or stickers or you can buy some decorated to give a more professional look to the environment.
- Each label must be clear and specific. In this way, no drawer will risk becoming a hiding place for useless objects.
- If you want, you can establish a color-coding system to identify the drawers rather than writing on the labels.
- Be careful when creating your labels. Don't be too generic or you'll end up with messy drawers full of various kinds of items. This could also be confusing when deciding where to store something.
Step 3. Make the important things accessible
You certainly know what things you use the most while at your desk, so organize them so they're handy and easy to take. If you have several drawers positioned vertically, the top one should hold the items you use most often. Alternatively, you can put the most important things on the shelf that is more visible and easier to reach than the shelf.
You can choose some essential items to keep directly on the desk top. For example, you can include projects you are currently working on or tools you use repeatedly, such as the calculator or ruler
Step 4. Put a basket near the desk
It is essential to avoid accumulating waste on the work surface. The bin must be easily accessible while sitting, so you won't run the risk of finding yourself with a dirty and messy desk again.
Part 3 of 4: Put everything back in place
Step 1. Sieve each item
Now that the desk is empty since all the contents have been stacked in one big pile, start examining one thing at a time from the top. Don't skip anything and throw away anything you might consider waste. Separate the important things that you will eventually place on the shelf or in the drawers.
- If possible, do what needs to be done with each item immediately. If a document needs to be destroyed or a trinket needs dusting, deal with it now. Don't put it off until later.
- If the task takes more than a couple of minutes, for example because the shredder is in another building or you have to go and buy some dusting, put the item on a "to-do" list.
- Things that will be repositioned on the desk can go into a new stack. The items that are thrown away must end up in the trash now. Anything you have doubts about can go into a third pile.
Step 2. Keep items that make you doubtful
Take the pile of things that aren't trash but have nothing to do with the desk and put them in a container, then store it in the basement, closet, or somewhere else.
After a few weeks, months or a year, you can put your hand to that container again. If an item has been unused all that time, throw it away. The chances of you needing it in the future are very slim
Step 3. Put back the items that need to be repositioned on the desk
Take everything that you have accumulated in the first pile and put it back on the desk or shelf. Use the labels or coding method you created. Place a single item at a time.
- Try to avoid putting too many things that can visually distract you on the desk top. Limit the number of decorative items to be able to concentrate as much as possible.
- If possible, the books should be placed elsewhere. Instead of placing them on your desk or in drawers, it's best to place them in an easily accessible spot on the shelf, prioritizing the ones you use most often.
Step 4. Tidy up your desk regularly
The more frequently you clean or organize your workspace, the easier it will be to do it every time. At the end of each day, look at the desk and tidy it up. Throw out the rubbish and file loose papers or parts of a project.
- By tidying up your desk at the end of each working day, you can be sure to find a clean, usable space the next day.
- Set one day a week or a month to do a thorough cleaning of your workspace. The frequency needed depends on how quickly it becomes chaotic and disorganized.
Part 4 of 4: Choosing an Organizational System
Step 1. Organize things in a way that works for you
Each person has a different way of setting up their desk and tools. Yours depends on the type of work you do. Make sure that whatever your method is, it allows you to keep your workspace usable and distraction-free.
- You may decide to use different types of containers, based on the category of objects.
- You may need to use files or a bulletin board on which to post documents and memos.
- You may have a lot of items that need hanging.
Step 2. Keep only the relevant things on hand
If your desk is primarily for office work, put your tools elsewhere. Choose a different place in the room or building to place them.
- If you have noticed that some items you only rarely need, do not keep them on your desk or in drawers.
- If there is an item that you use often, but that you have previously kept elsewhere, create a space that allows you to have it close at hand.
Step 3. Experiment with new solutions
If you have so far struggled to keep your desk tidy or work in an organized way, this could mean your system isn't working. If you have a habit of storing material in drawers, you may find that hangers and shelves could make your job easier. If you have a hard time staying focused in front of your computer, it might be helpful to remove any objects that can distract you from your field of vision.
Ask people who work in the same field as you how they organize their desk. They could provide you with some very useful advice
Advice
- Cleaning and organizing the desk makes the workplace more productive and healthy. Do what makes you feel comfortable. If you need to surround yourself with decorative and inspiring images to feel good, do it. Just make sure you can stay focused.
- You should have at most two pen holders: one with blue or black pencils and pens, which you are certain they write, and one with colored pencils and pens. Also, you shouldn't have more than five erasers.
- You can use glass jars to keep your pens, pencils, and other small stationery items organized.
