by Ann E. Smith

Created on: April 10, 2009

Sometimes it's hard enough to go to the office on any given Monday morning. But, that becomes far worse when your office is a mess!

You can make your office far more bearable by getting more organized and removing some of the clutter. You will be more efficient as well, as it will take you less time to find things.

Below are five ways to reduce clutter at the office.

1) Create a file folder to hold the current week's paperwork.

What can you do with that contract you need to review? Or what about that statement that just came in the mail? One huge cause of clutter is putting papers in various stacks. Some people do not bother with stacks. They just spread the paper all over their desk.

Do yourself a favor. Create a simple file folder and place the current week's paperwork in it. Go through that file at the end of each week, and see what can be removed for permanent filing or the shredder. Also familiarize yourself with the contents of the file throughout the week so you do not forget to take care of certain business.

2) Limit your personal items to one or two pictures and a plant.

Sure, it's nice to provide a personal touch to your office. But it's not good to go overboard. Limit the number of family pictures to two, and keep one plant.

Minimalism in this area does not mean you love your kids or spouse less than the next person. It simply means you prefer to keep your office space streamlined and efficient.

You can still have a personal touch without putting all of your kids' drawings on your bulletin board. Your refrigerator at home is a better landing place for those treasures.

3) Promptly throw away items that can be discarded.

It is amazing how lazy people get at work. Have you ever walked into someone's office to find their desk littered with Styrofoam cups?

To avoid this mess, as well as causing ants in your office, throw away things when done with them. Your office hopefully also has options for recycling. Get rid of the things that do not belong in your office, and be diligent with this habit.

4) Rent a locker space for your gym stuff.

If your office has a gym, then rent a locker to store your stuff. You can quickly clutter an office if you put your gym bag down along with your tennis racket and other workout stuff. Remember, your office is a place to work and to meet with colleagues. It is not a virtual closet.

5) Find a place where things belong, and keep them there.

Some things belong in an office: stapler, pens, paper clips, scanner and laptop. What you want to do is organize these things. Find a place where each item belongs.

For example, you may want to group all office supplies in the same location. You probably want to put your books on the same shelf. Your files belong in the filling cabinet.

Once you designate a spot for things, get in the habit of putting them where they belong at the end of any given day. Think of it as cleaning up your bedroom or making the bed. You will feel better walking into an organized office each morning, and putting things where they belong is an important task.

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