Paper, Paper Everywhere and Not a Spot to Think
One of the biggest challenges professionals face in keeping their offices organized is the ongoing, onslaught of paper, says . Despite e-mail, iPads and electronic services like online bill payment, "Paper is coming at them so fast; they don't have time to deal with it."
That's why Delap recommends having a space for "unprocessed paper," where you can keep bills, receipts, memos, etc. that you can't immediately address. This space could be a bin at the corner of your desk, says Delap. Of course, you'll have to deal with that paper eventually. The next slide explains how to stay on top of it.
Keep Paper Off Your Desk
To prevent coworkers or family members from dumping papers on your desk, give them an alternate spot to drop off memos, expense reports, white papers, bills and other documentation. Delap suggests hanging a wall pocket (pictured) on your door or outside of your cubicle for this purpose. "People drop things on your desk because they don't know where else to put them," she says.
Clear Your Desktop
This desk is so cluttered that there isn't a place for its owner to work aside from in front of the laptop. Having a neat desk top with space where you can work aside from in front of your computer helps you think clearly, says Delap, so always keep a portion of your desk clutter-free. She says a blotter can serve as a boundary marking the space on your desk where you read or write. Vertical and incline sorters can prevent paper and files from piling across your desk. Delap also recommends minimizing the number of knick-knacks and picture frames you keep on your desk. Any more than two or three and they take over, she says.
Hide Supplies in Desk Drawers
Only keep the tools you use every day on the surface of your desk, says Delap. Anything else can be hidden in a desk drawer. Bins like the ones pictured help you keep your drawers organized and everything within easy reach. They give a distinct home to all the flotsam and jetsam that might otherwise create a junk drawer.
Organize Your Bookcase
To prevent a bookcase in your office from becoming another chaotic catch-all, Delap says to first group your books by category: technical books in one place, management books in another. Keep handy the books you use often. Delap also recommends storing all your books upright, as opposed to laying them flat. "It's calming to see all things stored in a consistent manner," she notes. Position your bookcase next to a credenza or behind your desk. If you use your bookcase to store other items, put those items in separate bins.
Keep a Cubicle Clean
Not everyone who works in a commercial office has the luxury of square footage—and the bookcases and credenzas that come with them. Toiling in a cubicle presents particular organization challenges, says Delap. Chief among them is the small space. "You really have to be decisive in a cubicle because you have so little space," she says. "You want to be sure what you're keeping is absolutely vital to the work you're doing." Delap recommends taking advantage of your cubicle's vertical space by hanging wall pockets and file sorters from the walls. Wall pockets and file sorters will prevent too much paper from piling up on your desk and will save your workspace from turning into the disaster area .
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