Ok Clutter Bugs! Week 8! You have made it through so much of your house by now. Keep going! Think back to how your house looked just 7 weeks ago!
This week we move onto the home office!
Whether you work from home or maybe even have multiple people working from home or multiple ‘home offices’ this is the chance to turn them all into the tidy spaces you need for your mind and improved productivity. Get rid of those clutter distractions!
Open up that file drawer on your breaks and start pulling stuff out. Keep what you need for tax purposes and get rid of the rest! Tackle those paper piles on the desk! Grab a shredder, borrow one, or take it to an office store and get shredding! Create a simple file system and label the file folders as you keep stuff. Make an action paper section and if you get any important papers that require action or short term keeping, they are easy to find and follow up with and not mixed in with all the papers that simply need filing. Better yet, think of touching a piece of paper only one time. If it needs action do it right away, add any important info, dates, or times to your calendar, and then recycle it!
If your stuff is more digital than paper, sort your file folders on your computer! Be careful to set a timer though, the computer can suck you into the depths of distractions!!
The office can become a holder for writing tools! Get the kids involved if they’re young and have them test pens, marker, or highlighters.
Check the printer, check for backup ink, check your printer paper stock.
Remove everything from the desk top and give it a good wipe. Only put the essentials back! If you don’t use it or reference it more than five times during your work time, then it doesn’t belong on the desktop!
Get rid of old agendas or planners. Get rid of old lists. Go through notebooks. Even get rid of old reference books that are out of date.
Take some time too to think about the clutter that is building up in the office and seek resolutions.
Try to come up with simple systems for dealing with things so that you don’t really have to think about it. Like a simple labeled filing system, or an action box for action papers or even little to do notes that you have to take action on. A pen holder if pens are building up. If it’s notebooks, create a special spot for them on a shelf.
Maybe you need a charging station for various devices that you use. Even cable management can tidy up the desk. Use a stand or wall mount for headsets.
Make your office flow better so that you can keep a clearer mind.
It’s worth it!
Depending on your office, this has potential to be a lighter week after a couple of more time consuming ones. If your office is your dumping zone then take your time. Even if you don’t get it all done, it will still be better by the end of the week!
Hopefully, you can try to make some special time for yourself by putting on some tunes and taking the time to set up the office so that it works for you and helps you stay on top of things, rather than having an office you dread stepping into!
Now get to work!
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