How To Organise Your Desk

"Paper clutter is no more than postponed decisions" - Barbara Hemphill.

The environment that you work in affects your achievements considerably. Organisation equals more productivity. Often when people think about organising their desk, they associate it with the pain of having to file away all those loose sheets of paper and tossed stationary. However, organising your workspace does not have to be a five day long strenuous challenge. If you maintain your newly well-ordered workspace, it is much more effective than letting the clutter acucmulate and doing the process all over again.

Purge your desk. Throw away, empty, shred. Remove everything that you don't use anymore (yes, including that fuchsia Hello Kitty folder that your aunt gave you for your birthday, but you've never laid your hands on). This is possibly the most difficult process, especially if you're one of those people that keep things 'just incase'. But, it must be done.

Select sections for the remaining objects. Now that you have eliminated the valueless things, it's time to organise what is left. Stationary should be kept in a small pot, so they won't go walkabout. For example, letters in a tray in the first draw, books in the second and so on. If you know you'll find it a challenge to remember what goes where, stick some labels on or even colour code to make it easier!

Proximity. Organise your desk by importance. If you use your stapler whenever you sit at your desk, the last place it should be is in the bottom draw concealed under a mountain of magazines. It should be on the surface of your desk, ready for you to reach to whenever it is needed. Similarly, the objects that you rarely use should be stored a less reachable area.

Keep your worktop as minimalistic as possible. Avoid the temptation to keep all of your stylish stationary on your desk, for everyone to see. When you have clutter surrounding you, that's when the job becomes arduous, as your mind is distracted by the objects around. After spending a while clearing your desk, you can't afford for it to become chaos again. Remember that once you use something, return it to where it belongs. In this way, not only will your surface maintain it's neatness, but you won't struggle to look for that object the next time you need it.

Ensure your computer or laptop desktop is tidy. ​Did you think organisation is purely what is in drawers and on your desk? Well, you were very wrong! Where you store all of your digital files are just as crucial to maintain your organisation. Sort your files into folders, that way they will be found with less difficulties, and much faster. This may also be an excellent time to sort out your e-mail inbox. We all know that will take at least a few days, give or take.

Invest in a bigger bin. It may seem a trivial piece of advice, but there is actually a reason behind it. Since a larger bin is more visible, you are likely to think about using it more. When you come across a sheet of paper that can be disposed of, you will probably toss it into the bin, rather than cramming it into the deep, dark drawers where it will never be seen again.

Clean the clutter weekly. After all of these efforts you've just put in to make your desk spick-and-span, you cannot go back to square one. Don't wait until your work surface is unseeable to tidy your possessions. To avoid the build up of clutter and keep your desk constantly neat, take a few minutes at the end of every week to ensure everything is in its allocated place. Discard of unneeded papers, almost-empty pens and rubbish in the drawers (including your week old stash of sweets). And viola! Your desk is looking immaculate, ready to start the new week afresh.