5 Tips for Getting Your Office Organized...And Keeping It That Way!

The average person can waste hours each month searching for paper. Even five minutes here and there can add up by the end of a workweek. Maintaining an organized office helps you to find things more quickly, be more productive, and avoid letting tasks slip through the cracks. Use these five tips to get your office organized…and keep it that way!

1. Sort paperwork daily. One of the biggest obstacles that people must overcome is the build-up of papers. Notes, files, bills, and other papers are often stacked around our work areas and, if we aren’t careful, they can pile up quickly. However, you can avoid this by spending just five minutes each day sorting, filing, and shredding paperwork. Those few minutes will not only help you feel centered but will also leave you less inclined to let something important (like a bill) slip through the cracks.

2. Use a literature sorter. Take your sorting activities a step further by having designated locations in a literature sorter for different kinds of paperwork. Invoices can go in one, notes in another, etc. If you have a designated location for each, you will be more inclined to maintain your organizational plan. Make sure that the most important papers are within easy reach so you don’t have to get up each time you need something.

3. Designate a spot for drop-offs. As if it isn’t hard enough fighting our own tendency to clutter our desks with paperwork, we also have the help of our coworkers (or if you’re at home, your family) dropping off things at our desks.  Find a basket or a hanging file sorter that can be placed on your desk or hung outside your cubicle and designate it specifically for drop-offs. Not only will this help you keep the clutter down but it will also help you keep incoming paperwork separate to be attended to when you’re ready.

4. Keep a filing cabinet within reach.  Place a filing cabinet within easy reach either under your desk or to the side. Use file folder labels to keep each file clearly labeled. This will allow you to easily drop paperwork into the correct files and also save you time searching for paperwork. Find a filing system that works for you, whether it’s alphabetical or something else.

5. Keep drawers organized. Only keep items on your desk that you use frequently. Everything else should be placed in a desk drawer. Use desk organizers to keep the inside of your desk neat and tidy.