Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Clean up your desk
• Method 2 of 4: Arrange the room
• Method 3 of 4: Add storage space
• Method 4 of 4: Furnish your office

You are in a flow, walking through the pages of your textbook or your work schedule, writing down important things and getting loads of things done. Then you reach for your stapler, but it's not on your desk! Maybe behind your laptop screen? Did you move the thing to another room? You spend five full minutes looking for that wretched stapler and now you're completely out of phase. We all know this. A disorganized workspace can be a real nightmare when you're trying to get things done. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to tidy up that busy desk, rearrange your room, and add some storage space to get back on track and stay productive.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Clean up your desk

1. Separate the things you use for work every day from everything else. Your computer, keyboard, mouse and a pencil holder are all required. If you don't have a ceiling lamp, you need a lamp. Everything else depends on what your job entails. If you suffer from an allergy, you can have a box of tissues on your desk. If you tend to lose track of time, you can keep a clock nearby. Put everything you will be using every day on your desk.
   • If you're a college student, you may want to have a stack of index cards or a calculator on your desk.
   • Student or not, it is highly recommended to have a certain fragrance or flavors. This is because they stimulate the brain and as a student you can relate the smell to the text you read, making it easier to remember the information. As an office worker, this will make you more comfortable and more focused.
   • It's okay to have a folder on your desk if you use it every day. If you don't, you better put all that paper somewhere else.
   • It depends on how much space you have and how often you use it, whether you want something like a tape holder on your desk. There are no set rules for this, so just do what makes sense to you.
2. Throw or move any items you won't be using every day in a pile. The cleaner your desk is, the clearer your mind will be. Get rid of all the old to-do lists, pointless scraps of paper, and trash. If you have headphones, books, or notes on your desk, put them away or find another place for them.You probably won't need more than 5-10 pieces of writing utensils, so put away those extra pens and pencils as well.
   • A little clutter isn't necessarily a bad thing - a lot of people feel uncomfortable in too empty a space. Just make sure your agency is purposeful. A home office should feel like a work space, not a play area or storage space.
3. Move your lamp, pens and accessories to one location on your desk. By compartmentalizing and putting all the mandatory items in one place, it will be a lot easier to keep track of things. Place your pencil cup, lamp, stapler and tape holder next to each other. If possible, keep them near a corner of your desk. This will free up some space on your desk and make it easier to keep everything organized.
   • If you are right handed, put all of this stuff on the left side if you can and vice versa. This way you can free up the right side of your desk so that you can work on something without turning your chair or moving things.
4. Tidy up your drawers and rearrange everything by grouping similar items. If you have drawers (or a storage cupboard), take everything out. Remove crumbs and dust and throw away anything you don't need. Move the things that have nothing to do with your work or study to another room. Then group your things according to when you need them or what you use them for, and place them in dedicated drawers or areas. You can even use drawer dividers to create separate compartments in each drawer!
   • For example, you can put your pens, pencils, and markers in one drawer, paper in another, and tools (such as your calculator, stapler, and tape dispenser) in a third drawer.
   • If you have a lot of art or similar items, divide the drawers to keep the different items separate. You could put all your brushes in one drawer, your paint tubes in another, and various tools (such as erasers or palette knives) in a third drawer.
5. Get rid of distracting items and personal items to keep desk space clean. Inspirational quotes and family photos are great, but things like that can distract you. They can even subconsciously hinder your ability to process information or make it more difficult to focus on what you are looking at. If you can get it over your heart, get rid of those random knick-knacks, photos, and decorative items, or move them elsewhere to free up space.
   • If you want to leave something unrelated to your work, limit yourself to one photo or desk toy.
6. Turn sticky notes and notes into digital documents. If you have a stack of paper on your desk or if your bulletin board is cluttered with papers and meeting reminders, it might be time to go digital. Scan your calendar, install a scheduler or open a text document and move all your notes and lists there.
   • If you love your sticky notes and you have a Windows computer then there is a sticky notes widget you can enable / install to keep your sticky notes on your desktop.
7. Hide the power strip and tie any loose cables together. Tuck your power strip behind or under your desk to keep it out of sight. If you have a bunch of cables hanging from the back of your desk, bundle them together with a cable sleeve or tie. If one of your cables is too long, replace them with shorter versions of the same cable or tie them together to make them shorter.
   • There are cable clamps you can buy to hold loose wires at the edge of your desk when you're not using them. These are a great option if you have a bunch of chargers and USB ports that you use regularly but can't keep plugged in all the time.
   • A wireless keyboard and mouse are useful for keeping your desk space neat and wireless, if this is a big priority for you!
8. Spend 20 minutes a week reorganizing your desk. You will not always have everything in perfect order and things will of course get out of place when you work in your office. Set aside 20 minutes once a week to reset everything and put it back where it belongs. This is an especially important tip if you work from home and things tend to get out of hand during the work week.
   • Set a reminder on your phone or put one on your desktop to organize your desk. This way you will not forget.

Method 2 of 4: Arrange the room

1. Move your desk away from the door to maximize your workflow. If your desk is right next door, you may be distracted by family members or roommates making noise outside. It can also make you feel like you're not really in an office, as you probably won't be using the corners further away from the door. Moving your desk further from the door also gives you the option to pick up things you need on the way to the desk, which can make it a little easier to start your work.
   • Many people enjoy looking at the door behind their desks. Putting your desk against a wall can give you a slightly claustrophobic feeling. The room will also feel a lot smaller because you are facing a wall directly behind your computer or workspace.
2. Position the desk so that you take maximum advantage of natural light. Pay attention to where the windows are in your office, if there are any. Look directly at the window, or turn your desk so that you are parallel to the window. This will brighten up your workspace and make the office more productive and brighter when you work during the day.
   • If you don't have a window in your office, consider pointing it at the door and leaving the door open. This way you will at least catch some natural light coming in from the hall or the room next to it.
3. If necessary, create a comfortable space with carpets, plants or bookshelves. Some people prefer a hyper-minimalist office with little to no additional furniture. If you want to keep some reference books nearby, there is nothing wrong with putting a bookshelf in the room. Throw in a colorful rug and some plants if you want to make the space more welcoming. Remember, you don't want to overdo the visual noise when it comes to decorating.
   • Feel free to hang some paintings or photos. Just try to minimize the amount of things you can see while sitting at your desk. However, it doesn't matter if the walls behind you are a bit crowded.
4. Make sure everything in your office helps you stay productive. If you're decorating your office, ask yourself, "Is this going to make me more productive?" If the answer is no, keep it out of your office. Luxurious side tables, extra chairs, piles of recreational reading, and unused cabinets only add to the visual clutter. If it's not going to help you in your job or reassure you, then you don't need it.
   • Unless you're an investor or a journalist who needs to keep up with the latest news for work, keep the TV out of your workspace.
5. If you don't have a special room, find a quiet corner to set up a workplace. You can still set up a workplace if you don't have a separate room for it! Choose an unoccupied corner or wall in an area of ​​your home where you can work quietly (your bedroom is a good option). Avoid placing your desk in the center of the room to avoid distraction. This will also help treat your desk as a dedicated work space.
   • If you have a really wide cabinet that you're not using, this can be a great place for your desk. You could even close the door to hide the office if you have guests!
   • If you want, you can hang a curtain or set up room dividers to separate your office from the rest of your home.
   • If you choose a desk for a less official workspace, try to match it with the rest of the decor in your home so that it doesn't stand out.

Method 3 of 4: Add storage space

1. If you have enough wall space, hang a shelf above your desk. If you're short on storage, hang a wall shelf above or next to your desk so you can quickly get to what you need. This is a great option if your desk is on the smaller side and you have no drawers, but plenty of wall space. In addition, the work supplies on the shelf will serve as a visual reminder to focus on the task in front of you.
   • A few shelves above your desk, if you work from home, is a great solution if you have a handful of reference books that you use regularly.
   • You can always install a pin board or wall cabinet in place of a shelf if you need storage space for a lot of different supplies.
2. Place a storage trolley under your desk to quickly have office supplies at hand. If you have a lot of forms, documents, or supplies that you need to grab quickly and you don't have a lot of space, visit an office supply store for a storage trolley. Put in the items you want and place it under your desk where it is out of sight while you work. This way, it doesn't take up valuable desk space, but you can still get to what you need without disrupting your workflow or wading through drawers.
   • Storage trollies come in all shapes and sizes, so choose one that has enough space for your storage needs and matches the decor of your room.
3. Use a filing cabinet if you have a lot of random papers. They are a bit old-fashioned, but a file cabinet is the perfect solution if your work involves a lot of paperwork. Get a bunch of hanging folders in different colors and organize all your paperwork. For example, you could store tax information in yellow folders, personal documents in red folders, and customer data in blue folders. Label each of the tabs on your folders so you can quickly find what you need.
   • Another way to do this is to label each folder with a keyword and then arrange them alphabetically. This is a great option if you don't want to color-code everything.
   • If you can, try to find a file cabinet that is the same height as your desk. This way you can place it next to your desk and basically extend your work surface.
   • The top of a file cabinet is often the perfect size for a printer if you have one.

Method 4 of 4: Furnish your office

1. Choose a desk with enough storage space and space for your work. If your work is mostly done on the computer, you probably don't need several drawers. If you're a lawyer or accountant, you probably need a lot of drawers to store a lot of papers and supplies. Measure your space with a tape measure and determine where you will place your desk. Buy a desk that matches the mood needed for your home office.
   • Desks come in all shapes and sizes. Executive desks have loads of storage space and plenty of drawers. These are a good all-round option. You can get a minimalist desk without drawers if you like a tidier look. The writing desk is a good option if you only need a surface for your laptop.
2. Buy a comfortable, adjustable office chair with an adjustable backrest. Poor ergonomics can make even the most organized offices feel inhospitable. Make sure your chair is comfortable and has good back support. There is no reason to buy anything other than a chair with an adjustable backrest and height, as you can adjust it so you can sit with your feet perfectly flat. Make sure the chair has armrests and a comfortable seat, to avoid back pain and not ruin your working day!
   • If you can, don't buy the office chair online. Buy your chair from a store where you can sit on it and test how it feels. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to an office chair, so don't assume you like something in an online store just because that chair has great reviews!
3. Place an adjustable work lamp that fits on your desk. Look for either a lamp that can be bent at an angle where you can control the light, or a lamp with a built-in dimmer so you can adjust the brightness. Think about how much natural or overhead lighting you have before buying a super powerful bulb. You usually don't need something too big or too strong for a desk lamp, so try not to overdo it.
   • You don't have to use a desk or table lamp if you don't want to. If you like ceiling lighting and your desk is in front of a window, then you really don't need that.
   • You can set up 1-2 floor lamps in the corners of your room to make it brighter without placing a lamp on your desk.
4. Place your computer at eye level and keep the keyboard flat. Sit in your office chair and look straight ahead. This is where the top of your computer screen should be. Adjust the height of your screen or place the device on a foot to raise the screen and prevent neck complaints. Keep your keyboard flat, or tilt it slightly away from you if you can. It is difficult to maintain a neutral wrist when your keyboard is tilted away from you.
   • Your computer screen should be about 50 cm from your eyes. If the screen is further away than that, you have to squint to read the screen. If it's too close, your eyes will get hurt.
   • If you're using a laptop, there are laptop stands that you can buy to elevate the position of your screen. You may want to connect a second keyboard and mouse to the laptop so that you can keep your wrists straight.
   • You can buy blue light glasses to reduce the strain on your eyes if you spend more than 2-3 hours a day at your computer.