5 Tips for Desk Organization

Some people can thrive in chaos, but most need order to be productive. If your workspace is clean and organized, you'll be more able to focus during the day. It's not just a matter of cutting down on moment-to-moment distractions: A streamlined desk can actually make you feel like a better worker. Here are five tips for those who are looking to make their office, cubical or desk more conducive to getting the job done:

1. Throw Away Junk
The first step toward an organized workspace is identifying and removing junk. Having trouble figuring out what qualifies as "junk"? Here's a quick rule of thumb: If you haven't touched it in a week, it's probably junk. Yes, this does include the notes from that meeting six months ago that you "totally could need one day." If you have papers lying around that are genuinely important, set them aside to file later. Everything else should end up in your trash can. 

2. Cut Down on Personal Items
There are a number of reasons to keep your personal items to a minimum. First and foremost, they can easily become distracting. It's great to have little items that make your space yours, but if they're things you're paying any attention to on a regular basis, you should probably take them home. But too many personal items can also give your co-workers (or clients) the wrong impression. One adorable picture of your dog is great: 10 is excessive. CNN recommends keeping no more than three personal items at your desk. 

3. Make a Place for Papers
How you want to organize your papers should come down to how you use paper during the day. If you only use paper for notes, consider getting a binder or folder you can keep everything in, or a personalized notepad that's designated for these quick reminders. If you're regularly getting documents from other people in the office, imitate email: Have an "unread" document tray and a "read" document tray. People dropping things off can stick them in the unread tray, and you can move them wherever they belong later on. 

4. Keep Things out of Sight
There are some items that could qualify as clutter that you really do need. Staplers, sticky notes, extra pens: There are all sorts of knickknacks that are a necessary part of office life. However, that doesn't mean these items have to (or even should) live on your desk. Use desk drawers to keep these sorts of items in their place and out of sight. This way your desk will be clear, and you'll have easy access if you do need to staple something.

5. Set a Schedule
Organizing your desk once will make you super productive – until things get cluttered again. Desks get disorganized: It's a side effect of being a working human being. Prevent things from getting out of control by setting a specific time each week that you get your desk back in order. Making a quick tidy the last thing you do before you leave for the weekend will help you dive into tricky Monday mornings refreshed and ready to go.