If you are one of those people who always have a messy office and need an hour to find that one paper they need… join the club! It is very easy to get distracted, put stuff where they don’t belong, or just create one big chaos out of your office. Trying to focus on work, people often think “I’ll put this here just for a moment”… and forget about it. Recognize yourself? Well, you’re in luck, because we have some great tips for you that will help keep your office organized. Read on to find out more…

Read also: How to Choose the Right Office Set-up for Your Business

De-clutter

It has to happen, whether you want it or not. It will save you time on the long run, so go for it – purge your office. Get rid of all the stuff that you kept for “just in case”. Do you always complain about not having the opportunity to use that paper shredder? Well, here’s your chance. Use it on all the documents you no longer need, receipts, and old magazines. Throw away old furniture that only served to hold all those papers. At the end of the day you’ll feel tired, but happy!

Categorize

Now that everything you don’t need is out of the office, it’s time to take care of the things you do need. In order to be organized and to find your way around the office without much hassle, you should categorize everything. Companies like Office National stock filing cabinets which can help separate all of your documents into categories of your choice. Put pencils, pens and markers in different drawers, and bigger things can be stored in boxes. Make sure everything is labeled and easily reachable.

Create Work Zones

If you want to make the most out of your office, think about establishing a few work zones to improve your productivity. The main zone, logically, would be your desk. Depending on what you do, your computer may or may not be in this zone. Other than this, you can have a reference zone, where your filing cabinets and boxes will be, as well as an area where you keep spare supplies, like toners and paper for your printer, envelopes, etc. You may want to consider also having a space where you can relax during the day and put your thoughts together. Think of the best way to use the space you have.

Tidy up Your Desk

Your desk is the place where you’ll be spending most of the day, and where the main thinking process will happen. That is why it is crucial for it to be de-cluttered and functional. Use desktop organizers to sort the things that you absolutely have to hold there, like a few pencils, several pieces of paper (or a notebook), etc. There should be enough space for your monitor and keyboard, and for you to write something down on it if necessary. The rest can be put somewhere else, where it won’t disturb you while working.

Be Balanced with Personal Items

Try not to keep too many personal items in your office. Sure, a photo of your family or a lucky charm of some sort is no problem, and it can be great motivation in times of dark. However, it would be better if you could hang them on the wall so they don’t take up too much of your desktop space. Whatever you go for, you should keep no more than three items of this kind in your office. Otherwise, your mind will wander and you will get distracted much more easily. Instead of increasing your productivity, you are going to lower it.

Overall Layout

Try to position your desk so that you face the windows. Make sure you have enough light when working. If you need an additional source, get a floor lamp that doesn’t take up desktop space. Hang up a calendar to keep track of your meetings. Make sure you have a good chair – you’ll be sitting in it for hours in a row. All in all, try to make this space as cozy and comfortable as possible, so that you can enjoy time spent in it.