Stepping into your office space should make you feel like you want to tackle the day and be as productive as possible. Though I understand if that’s not the case when you have paperwork ceiling high, file cabinets not being able to shut at all, on top of not knowing where anything important is when you need it!
When your office is organized, you have a better sense of where things are on the fly, and it just feels better walking into your office and not running over documents! Keep reading for five hacks to organize your office for a successful tomorrow.
#1 Use Calendars
Though it seems obvious, calendars can help you visualize your schedule and remind you of important events, such as holidays, anniversaries and vacation time. Whether you choose online calendars, such as Google Calendar or other apps, or a paper-and-pen notebook, calendars provide many benefits in both your academic and personal life.
Calendars are easy to personalize, depending on your work habits, access to technology and other preferences. Whether it’s a wall hanging calendar or the desk ones – every office should have one in it to make sure your organization is on point!
This hack may help save you time on project deadlines and serve as a personal reminder for daily life activities. There’s less of a chance you’ll forget something because you have it written down in a calendar you frequently visit.
#2 Time Management
Although time management may not seem like a hack, it’s vital to work on because organization doesn’t happen overnight. Bloc off time on your calendar to dedicate a few hours to organizing your office space. Take it in chunks! Set up time to go through and trash documents. Then, take time to visualize how you want your space to be organized.
From there, take time to decide which files need to be placed in the filing cabinet and which ones can be placed on your desk in an organized manner. Once the paper is properly separated you can then start putting items away accordingly. The point is to manage your time so that your office gets organized in a way that’s the most helpful for you.
#3 Purge
Purging can be therapeutic for some. If you’re like me then it can be tough to part ways with things – even if it’s a post-it note that just has some motivational words written on it. However, I do encourage you to purge as much as possible when you’re cleaning and organizing your office area to avoid hoarding.
Remove everything, clean it thoroughly and only put back on the desk the items that are essential. By essential, I mean the things that you refer to on a daily basis. It’s better to have the frequently-used items out, so you don’t tornado your room trying to look for them later. Anything else can be placed in your desk, filing cabinet or other storage area.
#4 Invest In Furniture
Sometimes, making a quick run to IKEA for a budget-friendly piece of office furniture is a must! The more storage space you have in your office, the less crowded your office can feel with documents and books. If you’re an avid reader, perhaps getting a multifunctional piece of furniture fits more into your organizational space.
Or if you want to separate bills from work documents, you can purchase a filing organizer that sits on your desk along with a filing cabinet for more personal and home documents. The last thing you want to do is get cluttered because you’re mixing work and life.
Some key office furniture pieces to consider:
- Bookcase
- Filing cabinet
- Desk (obviously)
- Storage container/unit
#5 Get a Label Maker
Let’s be real, label makers do kind of tie your office together with a pinch of organizing! They’re light, portable and those labels can help you identify items quickly, saving you time and energy. Label makers are especially helpful to those who have illegible handwriting, too.
We always see them online and in stores but never really think twice when it comes to purchasing one. Well, this is your sign to pick it up and take it home. Printed labels make organization easy and help you identify what you need, when you need it. They create order where they may be chaos.
Related: 8 Chic Office Accessories to Stay Organized
I hope that with these hacks you can now enjoy your office being clutter free! How many times would you say your office needs to be organized? Have you tried any of these hacks? If so, which ones worked the best and which ones the least?
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