How to declutter at work
If your work desk is more empty Ribena cartons and crumpled post-its than neatly-tidied-away pens and finely-folded to-do lists, it’s time to declutter it. Here are five winning ways to declutter at work, ahead of Clear Your Clutter Day on Saturday 11th March.
Guest post by Irma Hunkeler
- Finish Each Day with a 5-Minute Declutter
- Clear Those Cables
- Have an “I Don’t Know Drawer”
- Start an Office Recycling Scheme
- Go Inbox-Zero
1. Finish each day with a 5-minute declutter
Do you tend to finish each working day by making a to-do list for the next? It’s a good habit to get into – it helps clear your mind, safe in the knowledge all of tomorrow’s tasks are properly booked in. Complement this with a desk declutter. Take a few minutes to quickly tidy and throw anything you don’t need away. If you do it every day, it’ll only take you 5 minutes.
Having a clear desk is not just good for your mind. The folk over at luxury furniture makers OKA have put together an infographic on decluttering – it shows that 53% of employees think negatively of colleagues who have messy desks. Perhaps more importantly, 28% of employers say they’re less likely to promote someone who has a disorganised workspace.
2. Clear those cables
Cables are annoying, aren’t they? They trip you up, get in your way, attract lots of dust and generally make life a nuisance. Introducing a bit of cable management – on top of and under your desk – can really work wonders.
You can buy cheap cable ties (a couple of quid for loads) to keep things looking neat and tidy. Another option is to invest in some wireless technology. A wireless mouse and keyboard mean no annoying cables – and they look cool and minimal too.
3. Have an ‘I Don’t Know’ drawer
Even the most zealous of tidiers will find it hard to part with some things. To solve the perennial problem of ‘I just don’t know where to put it’, make one of your desk drawers the ‘I Don’t Know’ drawer. Whether it’s a business card you might need in future, a voucher for the restaurant down the road or a mug you never use but absolutely love, store it in your ‘I Don’t Know’ drawer.
Just the one ‘I Don’t Know’ drawer, mind – any more and things start getting dangerous.
“The home office, is after all, about work. Any design or organisational elements that you choose should make the space as functional as it is attractive. Bring a sense of order to a home work area with space-saving, multifunctional storage solutions from Banker’s Box® for an organised and productive office.” Darryl Brunt, UK Sales & Marketing Director at Fellowes UK
4. Start an office recycling scheme
If you’re not yet throwing your scrap paper in the blue bin, start doing it. An office recycling scheme is simple to set up, good for the environment and introduces a culture of decluttering (we went there) without people even realising.
This guide to recycling for offices from waste experts WRAP is super-useful. It tells you what you can recycle, why you should do it, how to find a waste recycling contractor and more.
5. Go inbox-zero
Digital clutter is important too. Just like physical clutter, it can be stressful and annoying. If you have 1,043 emails in your inbox, it’s time to hack away at it and bring that number down. To zero, preferably. Email management is easy once you get to grips with it, and believe us – it makes your working day a whole lot easier.
‘Inbox zero’ is one of the most well-known email management methods – find out more about it here.
Any tips for decluttering at work? Share them with us – we could do with a few!
“Many consumers are put off switching internet providers by the thought of being without internet for weeks on end and miss out on significant savings. Relish offers same day delivery (for a one off £20 delivery fee) or free next day delivery, getting you online quickly and hassle free.” Bridget Lorimer, Head of Brand and Consumer Marketing – Relish
Find out how to get involved in National Clear Your Clutter Day 2018
