Chanpory Rith
Aug 21, 2006
A messy desk is a sign of creativity and imagination. This is the excuse I gave myself for the mountain of papers, knickknacks, and San Pellegrino bottles normally piled on my desk at work. Truth is, I’m just lazy. When I started wasting more and more time looking for lost items instead of being a brilliant creative person, I knew I had to do something. I got my desk organized, and have been miraculously keeping it clean for the past three months.
Here’s how:
1. Use a system to manage paper
Most of the clutter on my desk is paper. In a recent post, I wrote about a system for organizing files on the computer. The same system can be modified to work with physical files:
Setup: A place for everything
First, you’ll need a few items:
Inbox
This is a standard stackable letter tray. Put documents that don’t yet have a place in here. This may be items like memos, print-outs, and random things placed on your desk by random people.Incubate box
On top of your Inbox tray, stack another letter tray to put items that are “on hold”. These are items you aren’t yet ready to do or complete in here. They may be articles you’re thinking of reading, sketches for potential projects, and information about events you might attend.Action & Tickler file
For this, Merlin Mann of 43 Folders recommends an A-Z accordion file. Put papers requiring an action that takes more than 2 minutes in here. This may be items such as forms to fill out and documents to proofread. You can also use a tickler file to supplement this. Check out Merlin’s tutorial for more details.Current projects rack
For this, use a file rack or small file box to hold folders for active projects. Create one folder per project.Filing cabinet
Put completed projects, general reference items, and anything else you might want to look at again in a filing cabinet. Use simple flat folders organized from A-Z, instead of hanging folders.Dump boxes (trash can, recycling bin, shredder)
I avoided throwing away paper because I didn’t have access to a trash can, felt guilty about tossing recyclable paper, or was afraid of throwing away confidential materials. Having a trash can, recycling bin, and shredder for each of these situations eliminates these hesitancies.
Usage: Process, Organize, Review
You’re now all set and ready to clean your desk. The steps below are adapted from David Allen’s GTD system:
Process
Put all papers on your desk in your Inbox tray. If it doesn’t fit, just put it next to it for now. Go through each file one by one. Ask yourself: can I act on this file? If yes:Do it
If it takes less than two minutes, just do it.Delegate it
If you’re not the right person to do it, then send it to someone who can.Defer it
If it takes more than two minutes to do, but it in your Action or Tickler file. Or if it’s project-related, put it in your current projects file rack.
Organize
If the file has no action for you to do, you can:- Trash it, recycle it, or shred it, if you don’t need it.
- Put it in the Incubate tray if you’re not ready to deal with it.
- Archive in your filing cabinet for later.
Review
The most important part of the system is setting up reviews for you to process your Inbox and organize your files:Daily
Process your Inbox as often as you like throughout the day, but do it at least twice a day: once around noon and again at day’s end. You must empty it at the end of the day, so that your inbox is nice and fresh in the morning.Weekly
At the end of the week, move completed projects into your filing cabinet. Go through your Incubate tray and decide if you’re ready to act on any of the files, following the steps you would to process your Inbox. Take items in your recycling bin to the main recycling bin in the office.Monthly
At the end of the month, go through your filing cabinet and prune any files you don’t think you’ll ever need again.
2. Banish Post-it notes
Stop using Post-its to remind yourself of important information. They’re just to easy to lose and they’re ugly when plastered all over your monitor. Instead, keep a little notebook on your desk to write down reminder notes. Better yet, use GTD tools such as the hipster PDA and kGTD to keep track of what you need to do.
3. Trash those printouts
After printing a file and completing the action associated with it, throw it away. You already have a copy of it on your computer, so you don’t keep it lying around on your desk.
4. Keep blank file folders and a label maker at your desk
The reason while you don’t file is because it’s so tedious to find folders and label them. With a stack of blank folders and label maker within reach, you have no excuse.
5. Ritualize your reviews
Schedule time in iCal or other calendaring program to clean your desk at the end of each day. After two or three weeks, the habit will stick.
6. Throw away pens
Why do you need so many pens? Throw them all out except for two or three. If it doesn’t have a cap, toss it.
7. Say no to schwag
Yes, it’s hard to resist the ugly free crap at conferences and internal office events, but avoid taking them just because they’re free. This includes all those cheap pens, stickers, free magazines, brochures, postcards, and anything else that will likely end up littered on your desk. If you need a reminder of a particular vendor, take your PDA or notebook with you and write the company’s name and URL down.
8. Take your books home
Take home any books you don’t use on a regular basis for work. You’ll have more space to work, and if you have to leave your job for any reason (heaven forbid), you’ll have fewer heavy items to pack.
9. Eat away from your desk
Eating at your desk encourages trash like paper bags, cups, and utensils to stick around your desk. I’ve been guilty of this and have the crumbs in my keyboard to prove it. To prevent this, eat somewhere else. Preferably, out of the office. Doing this also allows you a mental break from work where you can enjoy your meal without phone or computer interruptions.
10. Limit photo frames on your desk
Pictures of loved ones remind us of what’s important in our lives. More than three on your desk, however, is a distraction. Instead, use Flickr to store photos which you can view in a slideshow during a break.
Have more tips for a clean desk? Let us know in the comments!
81 Comments
Academic Lifehacker » 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy
6:34 pm
[…] 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy [ from LifeClever ] […]
Sanjeev.NET » Blog Archive » links for 2006-08-22
9:32 pm
[…] LifeClever ֚» 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy (tags: lifehacks articles 2do) […]
GGTD-Geeks Guide To Getting Things Done » GTD Power Links 08-22-06
12:56 am
[…] More tips for keeping your nasty desk clean… A messy desk is a sign of creativity and imagination. This is the excuse I gave myself for the mountain of papers, knickknacks, and San Pellegrino bottles normally piled on my desk at work. Truth is, I’m just lazy. When I started wasting more and more time looking for lost items instead of being a brilliant creative person, I knew I had to do something. I got my desk organized, and have been miraculously keeping it clean for the past three months. […]
Julian
7:43 am
I try to follow this, not very successfully. What also helps me is to clean the desk regularly, that’s right, with polish! It means you have to move everything and it crates a nicer place to work.
Tabs
12:10 am
I found a great way to keep my desk neat, being the “creative” person I am. One day things got so bad I simple took everything breakable off my desk, reached to one end of the desk and swiped the entire contents off the top of my desk in one swoop. This was the most amazing, invigorating and freeing feeling I have had in a long time (with regards to my desk). The floor was a mess but my desk was clear and I was able to get some work done. I simply picked up anything I needed off the floor for a day or so.
I have never had to do that again because I have managed to keep my desk reasonably tidy, adopted a new filing system (not the floor) and I have a project rack but I am afraid I will have missed something glass and break something. I don’t mind the breaking something but I hate the cleaning up part.
Now I do work from home, I don’t know if this will be as effective in an office, but I have worked in an office and if you work late and are alone in the office, well… Note you will have to pick the stuff off the floor before you leave the office.
Cheers
Life Clever: Secrets of the Tidy Desk | 43 Folders
7:23 am
[…] 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy […]
GGTD-Geeks Guide To Getting Things Done » Pimp Your Workspace
9:09 am
[…] I linked here yesterday, I think… […]
Francoism
9:35 am
I have to admit: having a clean desk is stimulating and helps me keep productive. People also notice and see you as an organized person. Good since I’m a Platform Manager and I need people to think I’m organized and capable. It’s all about having a nice work space.
Stephanie Booth
10:17 am
Just a typo: your tickler file URL is broken.
Chanpory
10:22 am
Stephanie, thanks for catching that. All fixed now.
Erik Mallinson
10:25 am
Terrific article. I’d like to recommend Yahoo! Widgets photo frame for personal photos. It works with Flickr contacts and it’s a nice way to rotate images. It doesn’t work in Linux though, something that disappoints my home computer.
Life’s Too Short to live with a messy desk
11:28 am
[…] LifeClever ֚» 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy: […]
meneame.net
11:51 am
10 trucos para mantener la mesa limpia y ordenada…
A los que no nos hicieron organizados de fabrica nos pueden ser útiles listados como éste, en los que te dicen lo que sàpuedes hacer y lo que no debes hacer jamás de los jamases si quieres tener tu mesa de trabajo limpia y ordenada. En inglés, *v…
Mary Sue
11:55 am
If you just can’t bear the thought of tossing away all the tchotchkies and pens, look into donating them to a teacher you know. Teachers don’t really have the budget for small incentives, and MOST trchotchkies and pens are perfect for this kind of thing (just, you know, weed out the ones like Viagra and Pornstar Records, please)
It’s better to make a connection with a teacher than to just dump off bags of the stuff at a school. If you somehow don’t know any teachers personally, send an email to your local school’s general address (90% of schools have web pages now, and almost all have email addresses) offering them up and include your contact information.
Be master of your domain: Inside the CBC
12:01 pm
[…] Last year, I spent a full hour looking for a small piece of metal that measures less than 2cm. It was a XLR coupler for a microphone and I knew it was on my desk. The problem was my desk was more of a storage area (that’s being nice) than a work surface. If you’re like me, you may want to check out a great article at Lifeclever.com called Ten Tips for Keeping Your Desk Clean and Tidy. Among the tips: […]
Winnie
12:14 pm
A nifty tool for managing your bits is GooToDo: http://www.gootodo.com/
James Dickens
2:52 pm
Get rid of the notebook on the desk, use the computer that is most likely sitting there, and make notes in a text document, double click the icon and its open, you can then use the search feature to find notes, no more flipping page by page, to find the information you like. The computer is supposed to make your life eaiser, let it help.
The Details» Blog Archive » 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy
3:01 pm
[…] 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy is quite a good sart to a problem that I am sure 90% of all freelancers/work at home employees suffer from. Or, maybe by “90%” I mean “me.” […]
Damiens Journal » Blog Archive » Long Dark Tunnel…
6:23 pm
[…] Why did I just post a picture of a desk well its because I found a site that gives advice of how to keep your desk nice and tidy which is something I dont keep to atm my desk is pretty untidy and if I had a good camera I would show you but still this site may help me organise everything out into a nice manageable system. […]
Mark
6:32 pm
It’s “swag” not “schwag”. The latter is a kind of pot.
Brad
6:52 pm
Great advice ! I printed a copy off…I have it somewhere here on my desk…
Barb
9:03 pm
I am an OVER-ORGANIZED person, that can cause just as many problems sometimes …lol! I have sent this article off to my daughter and a friend, good tips. I would like to share a personal idea. I have a standard white Avery notebook for all three of my adult children, and very close friends. On the spine of each notebook is a decorative printout of each of their names. It looks nice and neat on your computer shelf, or desk. When I receive an email letter, note, or a beautiful E-Card, print out right away! I then take my three hole punch that’s always sitting on my desk, punch the print out right then and there, and put into the proper binder. Please include those beautiful cards that you might actually still get in the mail. Now, you can sit and view years of loving letters, notes, and cards from each special person in your life. Don’t you mail out, or email an e-card, or write a letter that means something to you for that special person? The latest item (current date) is put into the proper binder on top (inside the front cover) last page being the latest year. It’s really easy once you get into the habit. Read, print, punch, insert! Just make it a fun project one lazy afternoon. You will love it …and just start from now! Don’t try to caught up on old stuff …..unless you want to. “NOW” is what counts most.
David Bradley Science Writer
12:03 am
I was sent on one of those time management courses by my then boss more than fifteen years ago. They’d probably support your Top Ten, with the exception of the in-tray aspect. Instead of having all these various boxes for incoming mail one of the aims they taught you was to deal with every bit of paper that lands on your desk pretty much as soon as it arrives - If it’s junk bin it, if you need to action it, write an entry in your TM book and assign a schedule then file it (off your desk), if it’s something that needs no action but has to be kept file it too, or if it’s something someone else needs to do give it to them.
Paper has a half-life of mere seconds on my desk these days.
(Emails, they’re a different matter!)
db
Jasper
12:08 am
A few useful tips there. I don’t face the same sorts of problems, but taking home books and filing away read documents is a must.
Schmolle
12:55 am
If you are taking the reorganisation step anyway, pay some attention to ergonomics. (I’m assuming computerbased work here)
Enjoy!
(I will be cleaning my desk this Monday, when a pedestal arrives)
Holiday
5:18 am
I can never keep my desk tidy so hopefully these tips will help. I think the hardest thing is trying to review your piles of work all the time, normally there just isn’t enough hours in the day to spend taking on admin tasks.
James Spratt
6:38 am
Just one point, instead of throwing out those pens, at least give them to someone instead. Americans, please try not to be quite so wasteful.
Sean
9:18 am
Nice article. I keep a separate tray for paper that’s been used once that I can print on the other side of. By keeping it in a tray, it stays in good condition and is easily accessible. I also put one-sided letters here I don’t need any more, so I can use them as scrap paper before recycling the paper.
Interesting to see people campaigning in the comments for computers to be used more. One of the best things I did for organising my creative ideas was to get a little paper notebook and carry it everywhere. The computer was overcomplicating things. But online tools like http://www.tadalist.com can be helpful, particularly if you need to access data from different desks. The important thing is that the computer makes it easier to be organised and doesn’t become a distraction or waste of effort in itself. You might need to use some tools sometimes, and keep other stuff offline to be most effective.
Sam
9:58 am
Linux users should get a copy of Tuxcards ( http://www.tuxcards.de/ ) It’s the best tool I’ve found for notes and reminders on Linux.
Erma
12:13 pm
I just want to say that I think this system is AMAZING, like SOOOO good. I had all these people come through my office today and they were all like “woah, Erma, you’re so efficient, how do you do it?” I played like I’m just that cool, but I owe it all to you fuckin nerds…
Pete
1:39 pm
Mark - Schwag is the appropriate term for both. Plus, it’s a lot more fun to say than “swag.”
Pete
1:42 pm
Erma, stick to drinking your Pabst and wearing faux vinage T-shirts. The Applebee’s crowd is much more impressed by your “wit.”
Jack
6:22 pm
Yes, because all Americans just constantly throw stuff away. As an alternative, how about not jumping to stereotypical conclusions. “Throw away” is a generic term that can and often does include recycling or donating. The often-incorrect assumption you asserted above is so tiring.
citizen6
7:56 pm
Desk Nazi
Andrew
9:39 pm
“Take home any books you don’t use on a regular basis for work.” This assumes that your home has space for more books, and that your family will let you use this space for more books. What if those assumptions don’t hold?
Chanpory
6:24 pm
Thank you everyone for all the comments! We switched hosting providers to MediaTemple last nite in hopes of bringing better stability and speed to the site. During the switch, however, we lost a few reader comments that had been posted. We’re really sorry! If you notice anything not working, please let us know. Thanks again
mokshore » Blog Archive » links for 2006-08-26
9:19 am
[…] LifeClever » 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy (tags: tips) […]
John
11:12 am
Extra pens are not a problem for someone who always seems to be looking for one, so here’s a suggestion that I believe is better than sliced bread — pen on a string. An eyehook, a piece of attractive string, and a moderately priced pen in the color you need it to be. Place more than one in locations that you need them the most — on the desk, at the copier, at the fax machine. Saves me at least 40 hours a year and keeps me moving. The rest of the office appreciates it too.
Thierry
5:27 am
Having “Remember The Milk” ( http://www.rmilk.com )as the home page in my browser complements well. It acts as a useful reminder, a place to store info scribbled on bits of paper or seen on papersI wan to throw away, etc.
Small Office, Home Office Information » Blog Archive » Keeping Your Desk Tidy
1:13 pm
[…] I came across 10 Tips for Keeping Your Desk Clean and Tidy at LifeClever and it’s encouraged me to do something about the mess. It might just encourage you to do something about your mess too. Technorati Tags: home office office desk productivity […]
Johnnie Walker
3:01 pm
I’m all about GTD, I’ve had a go with Milk (http://www.rmilk.com/), and I’d also like to suggest sorting the tangling wires which trail across your desk with Cable Turtles!
http://www.cableturtles.co.uk
SchizoBlog » Blog Archive » Loman jälkeen
2:02 am
[…] Loma loppui ja työt alkoivat. Nyt aloitetaan hommat kunnolla - 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy. Vähän liiankin osuvia neuvoja, joita pitäisi yrittää opetella noudattamaan oman työpöydän organisoinnissa … [via 43 Folders] […]
Dylan
4:06 am
Great tips mate.
I prefer to see my desk as being in a state of organised chaos and flux. :)
millennium winter :: a reflection not so whole » stroopwaffel
2:36 pm
[…] In other news. I read articles like this one about keeping your desk neat and tidy, and it makes me long for my old massive cherry desk that I had back when I lived in my old one-bedroom apartment. You can check out said deak here. And to give you an idea of how big that desk is, that’s a 22-inch CRT on that desk. My desks have gotten progressively smaller over the ages, moving to my frosted glass table on four legs that was a little wobbly and cold and definitely couldn’t hold the weight of my monitors. Then I wound up getting my current desk, which is nice, but a little small. Still, the tips are solid, I think I just need to build up from my desk and put some shelving on the walls to hold some of those docking stations and speakers and things. I could use a little more desk space. […]
todd parker
4:34 pm
great tip thanks!
D Shapiro
8:00 am
My father used to say, “Show me a man with a clean desktop and I’ll show you a man with dirty drawers.”
Will Murray’s Blog :: 28 Ways to Improve Your Workspace
3:58 pm
[…] It’s actually 18 Ways to Stay Focused at Work and 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy. The funny thing is that the two articles have opposing views about eating at your desk. One thinks its a great way to focus, and the other thinks it should be avoided due to the buildup of food related clutter and crumbs. Oddly, I agree with both. Hehe. […]
误喦¥ä¸–疢Œ » Blog Archives » links for 2006-08-30
10:28 pm
[…] 10 tips for keeping your desk clean and tidy » LifeClever (tags: organization gtd desktop toread tips lifehacks) […]
Rob
6:22 am
I’d revise #6 to “Donate your pens” - if they work, don’t toss them! Rather donate them either to the supply closet where you work or to an area non-profit/school/etc.
bullman
7:53 pm
what the hell lets all become borgs and assimilate lets just keep out desks so anal looking that we have no personality this goes beyond organisation and into a level of control get a grip people.. As desk is your personality yes keep it clean but if you wish you decorate and teh company doesnt mind my all means do… stop being such prichead micro deskers
dear
Lady
11:31 pm
Awesome tips!! Can’t wait to see my desk again….=)
Ezalien
4:52 am
I think that a tidy desk is a sign of being “in control” - and conversely, that somebody with a messy desk is disorganized and unreliable. So I’m disappointed to visit a friend and find that their desk looks like this: http://johnmarshallstudios.com/misc2.htm
That said, I’ve been there, done that, both with the messy desk and the clean desk. I’m more organized now, and my desk is cleaner. My desk contains principally accessories (phones, speakers and stuff) and only 3 paper trays (stacked on top of each other) for papers.
I’m not a fan of the “43 folders” thing (I mean the technique, not the website). That’s because it’s primarily paper-based organization. My daily todo list is kept on the computer - if I need to do something on a particular day, including handling some piece of paper, it goes into my todo list for that day. It isn’t necessary for me to keep a separate file folder for every day of the month.
I think the reason most people have a messy desk is not “because it’s so tedious to find folders and label them”. I think it’s more that it’s troublesome to categorize papers. The reason I had an overflowing inbox for several years is that (1) I didn’t know how to process many of the papers which I received, and (2) I didn’t try to categorize them. So the papers didn’t get thrown out because I might need them later, and they didn’t get filed because I knew if I filed them I’d never look at them again, and they didn’t get handled because I didn’t know what to do.
Eventually I got my act in order and figured out how to handle a lot of those papers. And I also set up some simple categories to catch the rest, including “Bills to Pay” and “Medical”. That made it much easier to find relevant papers.
So if I can offer some alternate tips (or reinforce some tips already given) …
make sure there’s a place for everything, by appropriately categorizing every piece of paper which you need to action
if you need to keep a piece of paper after it’s been actioned, then scan it and either file it or trash it. Scan the pages you may need in future, like bank statements and receipts. Make sure you keep a regular offsite backup of documents which you have scanned, in case of fire / theft.
papers which don’t require action should be trashed immediately
before disposing of trash paper, go through it all and shred anything containing any personal or confidential information. Use a crosscut shredder to make it even harder to reconstruct pages.
don’t write notes on any handy piece of paper. If you can’t type your notes into the computer then buy a good quality blank notebook (I prefer unlined pages) and write everything into that book. Buy a second book. When your book fills up (as it will, sooner or later), file your book and switch to the next book. Always keep a spare handy (if you’re like me, I like a particular book from a particular store, so I buy a few at a time).
Review all papers regularly to trash anything which is no longer required, or action/scan/file anything else which may have slipped through the cracks of your organizing system.
Emily
9:16 am
For me, using toodledo.com has been extremely effective at helping me keep my desk clean. Now I don’t have all those little scraps of paper with my various to-do lists scattered throughout. Now, as soon as someone asks me to do something, I pop it right in to toodledo, where it can be scheduled, prioritized, and moved around on my schedule as necessary.
John D.
10:30 am
Many good practical points! Here’s a philosophy that has helped my greatly - “Everything is a FILE CABINET!” By this, I mean that a refrigerator and pantry are file cabinets for food, likewise, a toolbox for tools; a toybox….. and on and on. If you identify what you are dealing with and what the file cabinet is, it will organize your entire life and save you much time and mental agony.
De Palmer
4:00 pm
These hints have been very helpful. Now I’m headed to my desk to start organizing.
Damian
3:32 am
Some really useful tips here I suffered the same problems as you, although i had a ough idea of where stuff was, it was still a time consuming process finding it
My desk i now totaly empty, apart fro my laptop, a notead and 2 pens I’m moving into halls tomorrow and will implement your tips, and see how long I last lol
Andre
12:30 pm
I absolutely love a clean desk…even if it means that most of my unfiled papers are in randomly in drawers somewhere. But at least it makes me feel organized!
Heath
8:00 am
After a year of not being able to find things on my desk as can be seen in my picture on my blog, I have decided to try this system. I’ll let you know how it works. Thanks for the help.
Zookeeper
8:34 pm
Simple rule of thumb. File as you go. No matter how busy you are. File it as soon as you are finished with it.
I also wouldn’t be caught dead withough my desk calendar either. I’m a copywriter and I live by it. I simply can’t be creative with stacks of paper and junk all around me..although the other two writers in my department prefer to be that way. And I constantly hear them cursing because they lose everything.
File as you go. Works everytime.
Diana
6:19 pm
Wow! That’s really full-on. You must love this topic! I find that having my bookkeeper come once every 6 weeks is a great incentive for me to clean my office, so it never accumulates more than 6 weeks’ worth of junk, although it’s actually less because I keep it relatively tidy for a couple of weeks after. I’m a big fan of lever arch binder folders and plastic sleeves with labels. At least then it’s filed mess! And my bookkeeper thinks I am so organised - but I’m not.
kevin from become-a-copywriter.com
1:11 pm
What about if you know how to run an ‘organized chaos’ approach to your desk?
-kevin
David Carruthers
2:26 am
As a messy person i was delighted to discover this book “A perfect mess: The hidden benefits of disorder”.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Mess-Hidden-Benefits-Disorder/dp/0297852043
About how being tidy doesn’t actually save time, and can actually be less productive.
I don’t quite believe it…but i want to.
Ginny
8:20 pm
Clean desk? I clean my desk before I leave work on Friday afternoon, and then when I come in on Monday I start all over again.
Mike
3:31 pm
I use a simple system to clean my desk and this has allowed me to remain clutter free through dozens of different jobs.
Firstly, I monitor the build up of clutter with a simple counting system. I count all items on my desk daily.
Clutter is defined more widely in my system – it includes paper, files, folders, cups but also computer, mouse, mouse pads, pens, even chair etc. (ie things that are normally considered both transitory and permanent items)
My rule is the eight item rule. For the system to work you must adhere totally to this rule. If you have more than eight items on your desk you must take immediate action.
The first step I take is called Positioning. Positioning is essential to turn items that constitute clutter to items that are in Prone Position. Prone Position is the place you want items to be so that they can be actioned and turned from Clutter into Invisible items. I physically shift all eight items – and anything in the way of them – to the right handside of the desk. This may sound strange and time-consuming but bear with me.
The second stage is called Open Space thinking. This was used to refer to a metaphorical open space in a day for decluttering. However I have developed it into a more literal and physical meaning. At this point in the process I actually open an office window to the right of my desk.
The third stage involves transforming items in the Prone Position to Invisible items. Ensure items are grouped together. Warn surrounding colleagues that you are decluttering then remove Clutter items from the Prone Position but simply pushing into open space you have just created. Hey presto. Your desk has Zero Clutter items – not one, not one single worry or preoccupation.
Disadvantages of the system – you may have to regularly change jobs because staff do not approve of these innovative organisational practices. Particular sticky points are the decluttering of more expensive office equipment, with petty disputes often initiated over computers and printers, and sometimes even keyboards, chairs and mice. Decluttering has also been linked by some as a danger to passing pedestrians and employees traversing at lower levels, although evidence has been scant and only a few instances of injury and death have been recorded. In fact if the third stage is followed correctly with adequate warning that decluttering is taking place these incidents are unlikely.
Bill
3:24 pm
This was life-changing! Thank you, I completely my desk last Friday and have now scheduled 15 minutes at end of day for cleaning and next-day prep! Thank you.
Bill
3:26 pm
Oops, I guess I should have said “cleaned”… b :)
Fernand
8:28 am
Hi, I have a lot of receipts cluttered around my desk. Any good ideas on how to deal with that kind of clutter?
Livi
5:09 am
I have a great idea for motivation. At first, when i started cleaning my room, I could never get the motivation to clean my desk! All the messiest things in my room were still unorganized. Then I went on this website, and i saw all the people with clean desks, and now I’m going to clean my desk! So the tip was: Go to the place with very clean desks. You will probably be jealous so you will clean your desk. =) (By the way,”organized”has a z not an s.)
Janet
6:29 am
I am moving to a new desk and a new, tiny office down the corridor, and cutting my working week down to 2 days. This may be the only answer to my seriously messy office. I have done hot-desking in the past, which has to be very disciplined - I once had 3 different desks in 1 day - and at least you have room to work.
Master Archiver
8:21 am
I have an absolutely clean desk with only a computer and telephone on it – everything else is filed away. Someone walked up to me and said, –œWow, I didn–™t know you still worked here! Your desk is so clean!– I said, –œThat–™s the way I am, what can I help you with?– He said, –œI need a copy of a letter you sent out a couple of years ago (in 2006) so I can use the same letter for a project I have– I said, –œokay, give me a couple of seconds, let me look for it.– After a couple of mouse-clicks, a hard copy of the document was located and he was amazed at how I could locate a two year old document within 1-minute. When I was in college, I emulated the filing system of a library. I wanted to be like an organization that could store millions of documents neatly and be able to access any one of them within minutes.
eileen
12:11 pm
I gave up paper post-it notes on my computer monitor (well most of them anyway) and switched to electronic Stickies, now I have no less than a dozen or so of them open and active — it’s hopeless!
aditya
7:11 am
thankkk a lot for u’re information… may i posting this article to my web??
Ishani Mitra
11:42 am
This is an extremely interesting read. How about outsourcing a part of your daily regime and freeing up time to be more creative??
K Kabilan
6:11 am
It is very useful if it is followed meticulously. I will ask my collegues to follow hencefoth for a clean environment in office
Brian
1:32 am
I am about to start a massive attempt to take a ton of documents and put them into some “system” to reduce paper and make things available online.
Seems like a lot of people suggest scanning to be as paperless as possible, but what is the best type of scanner and, perhaps more importantly, what software does the best job of being able to organize a flood of documents in a way that I can also access online?
(Note: I haven’t used a scanner before…I know, it’s been the 21st century for a while)
Also, someone suggested getting a service like eFax (fax to email) that allows me to fax the document and it creates a PDF sent by email. The problem is that in order to organize it in any way, I would then have to forward it back changing the subject line.
I am a failure at filing cabinets and paper filing. Any suggestions would be appreciated…thanks!
Nicol
7:53 am
Hi,
Making and then keeping a clear desk really is a challenging task. It takes while but once it became a habit it is a real pleasure. I also collected a few few on clean desks as well as on how to save time at home, work and on the road.
Tom
6:29 am
I worry about very tidy people i think they might have mental health problems!!
mommygoesonline
1:59 am
I found this article really help me to organize my desk. Just want to make it simple but not over tidy. At least I can have a fresh air.
I’ll post my experience and I would love to share this article. Don’t worry I will link to this page.
Have a blessed day.
Keiko
8:35 am
I think that work will progress , if my desk top is tidy . I know it well, but I am too busy, and do not have time. I know as well that this is just excuse. If you feel tired like me and want to relax, just open our shoji screen and feel breathing of wood. The light softened through washi paper gives you comfort.
Dillon
11:17 am
I think that you need a post-it of how to spell too. But kidding aside i would just like to say that this article was helpful. hopefully i will have a success story to tell of after the organization process which hopefully won’t take long!
Janet B
11:11 am
Hi there. It looks like some of your organizational and filing needs could be solved with the use of some clever software! There are a lot of options for filing software. We do document management and filing for a living with clever twist. The Paper Tiger Filing System is a proven tool and we are ready to help you in any way we can to meet your filing needs!