Have you ever walked into a room filled with clutter and immediately felt uncomfortable and had to fight the urge to leave? Whether it’s at home, the office, or even a favorite shopping spot, an environment that’s messy, disorganized, and full of clutter actually causes us to feel stressed and anxious.
Clutter is scientifically proven to be bad for our brains, too. Perhaps you’ve also heard “messy bed, messy head,” which is surprisingly not just a fun rhyme parents use to get kids to make their beds. It’s actually true. If your space is messy, your head can get messy, too. Clutter can impede our focus, creativity, and productivity.
Clutter is especially harmful at work, arguably the one place where we need to be productive for the longest amount of time. Maintaining a clean and tidy office is essential for a few reasons. You perform your job duties better, it’s easier to find documents and other important materials when everything is organized, and you’re just happier overall when your office space is clean.
Perhaps you’re a master at office organization, and keeping a clean a tidy office space is something you can do in your sleep. Or maybe you need a few pointers and a little encouragement on how to become the ultimate office organizer. Either way, we have a few tips on how to maintain a clean and tidy office and why it matters that you do.
Why Do I Need a Clean and Tidy Office?
As we said above, a messy workspace can impede your ability to perform your job duties. Our brains crave order; when our working environments are messy, our cognitive function dwindles. Studies have shown that when there are too many visual stimuli around, AKA clutter, it leads to distractibility. When distracted, we are no longer productive, efficient, or producing our best work.
Another argument for office organization is it allows us to be more efficient. When you know where to look for things, you don’t waste time searching through every nook and cranny. You can quickly and easily access whatever you need, which gives you more time to do your job.
How Do I Maintain a Clean and Tidy Office?
We’re all too familiar with the cycle that happens when you clean and organize your office, only to find it in a state of chaos again a few days or weeks later. Thankfully, there are a few things that you can do to maintain a clean and tidy office so you don’t keep repeating the same cycle of clutter buildup.
Here are five things to invest in to help keep clutter at bay:
1) A Drawer Organizer
Our desk drawers have a funny way of becoming disorganized junk drawers, but if you invest in a drawer organizer, you can keep your office desk drawer tidy. Drawer organizers have small bins so that everything has a home, from your pens to your paperclips and Post-it notes. When everything has its own place, it’s easier to reduce clutter and stay organized.
2) Organizational Software
Our computers can also be a place where disorganization reigns. Invest in software systems that help clean and declutter your office computer and servers. A disorganized or chaotic IT system leads to companywide inefficiencies you may not even know you have.
3) Storage Containers, Shelves, and Filing Folders
Other tools to invest in to help with office organization include storage containers, shelves, and filing folders. All these items keep your desk space clear of clutter and help you stay organized, too. You can come up with your unique system for filing or use color coding to sort documents.
4) A Multifunctional Device
A multifunctional device, like a printer, copier, and fax machine all in one, is a great way to reduce excess clutter, too. One machine takes up less space than multiple devices, and it’s easier to stay organized when you only have one machine and system to prioritize.
5) Sanitizing Wipes
Keeping sanitizing wipes at your desk not only kills germs and keeps your desk clean, but it also encourages you to keep up with your organization. Typically, when we wipe a surface down, like our desks, we pick everything up off it and put away stray items. Sanitizing wipes are a great way to literally keep a clean and tidy office systems.
Maintaining a clean and tidy office might seem like an impossible task, but when you employ our above tips, it’ll be easier than ever to master office organization. To learn more about how to keep your office space clean and tidy, contact us today!