tips to organizing the top of your desk · 2016. 5. 8. · uniformly sized and stackable metal,...

Organizing

Essential

By Rashelle Isip www.theorderexpert.com

8

to

the

Your Desk TOP

of

Tips

8Essen'alTipstoOrganizingtheTopofYourDesk

ByRashelleIsipwww.theorderexpert.com

8Essen9alTipstoOrganizingtheTopofYourDesk.

Copyright©2014byRashelleIsip.Allrightsreserved.

Wantmoreorderinyourlife?

Enjoygreatorganiza9on,9memanagementandproduc9vity9ps,

andinspira9onfromTheOrderExpert!

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Introduction ThiseBookwasdesignedtohelpyoutackleasmall,butveryimportantareaofyouroffice.It’swhereyouspendmostofyour9meworkingandstudying.It’swhereyoukeepyourcomputer,pensandpapers.It’salsowherefilesendupcollec9ngdust,coffeemugsmul9ply,andwhereyou'vemisplacedyourstaplerforthethird9methismonth…Thetopofyourdesk.Theeight9psI’mabouttosharewithyouwillhelpyouturnyourworkspaceintoanorderlyoasis,onceandforall.Soundsgood,doesn’tit?Let’sgetstarted…

3 © Copyright 2014 by Rashelle Isip. All rights reserved. www.theorderexpert.com

Why is Organizing Your Desk a Smart

Move? Youspendalotof9mesibngorstandingatyourdeskonadailybasis.Itjustmakessensetohavethingsorganizedsoyoucandoyourworkbotheasilyandefficiently.Hereareafewreasonswhyorganizingthetopofyourdeskisawisemove:•  Youcanfindwhatyouneed,whenyouneedit.Howmany9meshaveyou

gonesearchingforamisplacedfile,pairofscissors,oranimportantdocument?Wouldn’titbegreattobeabletofindwhatyouneed,whenyouneedit?

•  Youcanreducedistrac'ons.Apileofpostalmail,astackofmagazines,a

boxofcradingmaterials…thecontentsonyourdeskshouldn’tdistractorhinderyoufromworking.Youshouldbeabletofocusonyourworkandgetthingsdone.

•  You’llhaveaworkspacethatnotonlylooksgood,butmakesyoulookgood

too.Whowouldn’tlovetohaveadeskthatisclean,organizedandprofessional-looking?Whoknows,awell-organizeddesktopmight9pthescalesinyourfavoratworkoratschool…

So,haveIconvincedyouyet?Ithoughtso!It’s9metorollupyoursleevesandgettowork.Herearetheeightessen9al9pstoorganizingthetopofyourdesk.

© Copyright 2014 by Rashelle Isip. All rights reserved. www.theorderexpert.com 4

Tip #1 Remove clutter

AdeskcancollectalotofcluTeroverthecourseofmanyweeksandmonths.Thisisespeciallytrueifyou’reconstantlyworkingonnewprojectsandassignments.Freshenupthetopofyourdeskwiththefollowing9ps:•  Take20minutestodecluFer.Removeanyitemsthatareinyourway;this

canbeanythingfromreamsofprinterpaper,stacksoflastyear’sproductmockups,trash,expiredcoupons,bitsofscrappaper,orribbonfromlastmonth’scradingproject.

•  Curatepersonalmementos.Doyouhaveframedphotographs,decora9ons,

orofficetoysatyourdesk?It’sperfectlyfinetohavetheseitems,buttheyshouldn’toverwhelmyouorinterferewithyourwork.Useyourbestjudgmenttoparedownoredityourcollec9onstofreeupsomespace.

•  Properlystorenon-essen'alitems.Findpermanentstoragesolu9onsfor

thoseitemsthatdon’tneedtobenearyouasyouwork.Storesurplusofficesuppliesinthesupplycloset,placefilesinafilingcabinetandputallthoseusedcoffeemugsinthekitchendishwasher.

•  Doasecondaryscan.Arethereanyotheritemsthatdon’tbelongonthetop

ofyourdesk?Thefastestwaytofigurethisoutistomakealistofitemsyouuseonaregularbasis.Everythingelsecanberelocatedtoanotherareaofyourhomeoroffice,donatedordisposedof.

•  Removenon-essen'alitemsonaregularbasis.Keepthings9dyby

decluTeringyourdeskatregularintervals.Itdoesn’tmaTerwhetheryoudecluTeronaweeklyorbiweeklyschedule,solongasyoudoso!


Tip #2 Designate specific work areas

Youmightnotrealizeit,butyourdeskservesasmul9purposeworksta9on.Evenifyouspendalotof9meonthecomputer,youprobablyuseyourdesktoprocesspostalmail,jotdownnotes,orcollatematerials,amongotherthings.Takealookatthesepointersonhowtodesignateworkareasatyourdesk:•  Createalistofdesktasks.Whattasksdoyouperformatyourdesk?Doyou

spend9metyping,readingreports,filingpapers,wri9ngchecks,sketchingillustra9ons,colla9ngpresenta9onmaterials,orreviewingblueprints?

•  Mapoutareasonyourdeskaccordingtotasks.Makeaquicksketchofthe

topofyourdeskanddivideitintoninesec9ons,kindoflikea9c-tac-toeboard.Writeinwhereyou’llperformvarioustasks.Forexample,inwhatsec9onswillyouuseyourcomputer,sortthroughmail,orreviewalargeprintout?

•  Adjusttheloca'onofcomputers,phonesandlamps,asneeded.Nowthatyou’vegotyourdeskmappedout,it’s9metodosomerearranging.Dependingonyourcurrentsetup,youmayneedtomoveoradjusttheloca9onofyourcomputerorphonesothatitmatchesworkareas.

•  Makeiteasytoiden'fyworkareastartandendpoints.Designateareasof

yourdeskbyusingacolorfulbloTer,adecora9veshelfliner,orbyplacingofficesuppliesatvaryingintervalsonyourdesk.


Tip #3 Store office supplies

Havingofficesuppliesatyourdeskshouldn’tbeanexerciseinconstantlysearchingforwhatyouneed.Everythingshouldbewithinanarm’sreach,andproperlystoredtoo!Checkoutthebelow9pstogetahandleonyoursupplies:•  Iden'fymust-haveofficesupplies.Whatsuppliesdoyouneedforwork?

Spaceislimitedonthetopofanydesk,soitemsshouldbeusedeveryday,ornearlyeveryday.Infrequentlyusedsuppliesshouldbeplacedinanearbydeskdrawer,onshelves,orstoredinanotherareaoftheoffice.

•  Roundupofficesupplies.Gatherupalltheitemsyouneed.Here’saquick

listtogetyoustarted:pencils,pens,erasers,scissors,tape,stapler,staples,stapleremover,pushpins,binderclips,envelopes,leTerhead,stamps,ruler,holepuncher,leTeropener,calculator,etc.

•  Besmartaboutstorage.Keepsuppliescontainedinasingleareaofyour

desk,suchasthefarledorrightcorner.Useeitheradeskcaddyorseveraluniformlysizedandstackablemetal,plas9corwoodencontainerstomakethemostofyourspace.

•  Clearoutadeskdrawerortwo.Takeafewminutestocleanoutadeskdrawer.Makesureyoucanclosethedrawercompletelywithoutanyproblems.Useflat,shallowcontainersortraystostoresuppliessothingsdon’trollaround.

•  Makeuseofver'calspace.Seeifthere’sanyoverheadshelvingorcabinets

youcanuseforstorage.Besuretotakestockofwallsandotherareasnearyourdesk.Hangsuppliesinwallpouches,setupfloa9ngshelvesorstoresmallitemsinmagne9ccontainersonmetalfilingcabinets.


Tip #4 Corral files

Wemaybelivinginthedigitalage,butpaperfilesares9llusedinmanyoffices.Filesneedtobeproperlycontained,notonlysothingslook9dy,butsoyoucanfindwhatyouneedintheblinkofaneye.Herearesome9pstohelpyouorganizethefilesonyourdesk:•  Storefilesinanorganizer.Don’thaveafileorganizer?Now’sthe9metoget

one!Notonlydoesanorganizerkeepthings9dy,butitalsolimitstheamountoffilesyoucanhavesibngontopofyourdeskatany9me.Chooseahorizontalorver9calorganizermadeofyourfavoritematerial,beitplas9c,wood,ormetal.

•  Onlykeepac'vefilesontopofyourdesk.Gothroughthefilesonyourdesk.

Whichareac9veandwhichareinac9ve?Currentfilesshouldstayatyourdesk,whileinac9vefilesshouldbeplacedinarchivedstorage.Workinasharedspace?Youmaywanttoreconsiderkeepinghighlysensi9vedocumentsontopofyourdesk.Lockthesedocumentsinasecurefilingcabinetordrawerinstead.

•  Createastoragesystem.Itdoesn’tmaTerhowyouorganizeyourfiles,so

longasthesystemmakessensetoyou.Alphabe9ze,groupsimilarfiletypestogether(i.e.clientfileswithclientfiles),orassignareasofyourorganizerforspecificfiles.Youmaywanttolabelthedifferentsec9onsofyourorganizertohelpyourememberwhichfilesgowhere.

•  Makeiteasytodisposeofoldandunneededfiles.Placearecyclingbin,

basketorboxnearyourdeskforeasydisposalofnon-confiden9alfiles.Installashreddernearbytotakecareofconfiden9aland/orpersonalfiles.


Tip #5 Assemble a reference binder

Aneasyandprac9calwaytoorganizethetopofyourdeskistocreateareferencebinder.Notonlywillyouhaveahandyready-reference,butyou’llalsoremoveunsightlybitsofscrappaperandnotesfromyourdeskintheprocess.Learnhowtoassembleyourownreferencebinderbyfollowingthebelow9ps:•  Chooseareferenceitem.Areyoualwayslookingforclientcodesor

constantlyreachingforprojectflowcharts?Takealookattheitemsalreadysibngonyourdeskforinspira9on.

•  Gathermaterialsforyourbinder.Pulloffs9ckynotesfromyourcomputer,

removeitemsfromthebulle9nboard,orprintoutreferenceinforma9onasneeded.Gatheralargethree-ringbinder(choosewhateversizeyouneed),plas9cbindersleeves,binderindextabsanddividers.

•  Makeaplan.Takeafewminutestosketchouthowyou’lllayoutinforma9on

insideofthebinder.Forexample,youmaydecidetoalphabe9zeitems,storeitemsbycategoryorusage.

•  Assembledocuments.Placeeverythinginsideofthebinder.Dropin

referencematerialsintotheplas9cbindersleevesandassembletabsanddividersasnecessary.

•  Findahomeforyourbinder.Createahomeforthebinderontopofyour

desk,onanearbyshelf,orinadrawerorcabinet.You’llbeabletoeasilyfinditwhenyouneedit.


Tip #6 Create a charging station

Howmanydifferentelectronicdevicesdoyouown?Fromlaptops,totablets,tocellphones,digitalcamerasandmore,thesedevicesallneedtobechargedonaregularbasis.These9pswillhelpyoucradyourownchargingsta9on:•  Tallyupyourdevices.Makeasurveyofallthedevicesyouown.Don'tforget

toincludedevicesusedonaninfrequentbasis,suchasdigitalcameras,orrecorders.

•  Gatherupchargingcords.Checkyourdeskdrawersandcabinetsfordevice

chargers.Whileyou’reatit,now’sagood9metolabelthechargersorcordswithtapeorplas9ctabs.

•  Createachargingsta'on.Youcaneitherpurchaseapre-madecharging

sta9onmadeoutofwood,plas9cormetal,oryoucanmakeyourownusingasturdycontainersuchashoebox,oralong,openrectangularplas9ccontainer.

•  Devisestorageforchargingcords.Don’thavespaceforamul9-devicechargingsta9on?Mountchargingcordstothesideofadesk,filingcabinet,orinaclothpockethangeronthewall.Youcouldalsokeepchargingcordscontainedinabox,clearplas9cbagorothercontainerandsimplytakethemoutwhenyouneedthem.


Tip #7 Use an inbox and outbox

Inboxesandoutboxesodengetabadrapforbeingpermanentstoragefacili9esoffilesandotherofficematerials.Theseboxescanbequiteusefulwhenitcomestopaperworksibngonyourdesk.Herearesome9pstohelpyoumakethemostoutofyourinboxandoutbox:•  Cleanoutyourinboxandoutbox.Cleanouttheseboxesfullyandsortthe

contentsintotwopiles:“Incoming”and“Outgoing.”Incomingmaterialsincludeitemstoreview,signorprocess;outgoingmaterialsmaybeoutgoingpostal/interofficemailorothermaterials.Don’thaveaninbox/outbox?Now’stheperfect9metogetone!

•  Properlyarrangeboxes.Makesureyourinbox/outboxisinaconvenient

placeforbothyouandyourcoworkerstoreach.Inmostcases,thisshouldbeneartheedgeofyourdesk,asyouwanttomakeiteasyforitemstobedroppedoff…andpickedup.

•  Placeincomingitemsintheinbox.Assimpleasthismayseem,thisstepcan

saveyoufromhavingabunchofpapersoverrunyourdesk.Ifyouseeapieceofpaperonyourdesk,knowthatithastogoinoneofthreeplaces,yourinbox,outboxorinthegarbagecan/recyclingbin.

•  Processyourinboxdaily.Regularlyreviewmaterialsandmakeaclear

decisionforeachitem.Doestheitemneedtobefiled,enteredintoadatabase,mailed,respondedto,paid,copied,reviewed/proofread,edited,orcompleted?Over9me,you’llbegintoseepaTernsinyourpaperworkandwillimmediatelyknowhowitemsshouldbeprocessed.


Tip #8 Tidy up regularly

Conduc9ngrou9nemaintenanceiskeytokeepingyourdeskneatand9dy.NeveragainspendhourscleaningordecluTeringyourdesk!Allittakesisafewminutestokeepdisorderatbay.Usethebelowchecklisttohelpyoukeepthingsintopshape:Daily•  Checkandprocessinboxitems;placeitemsinoutboxasneeded•  Returnofficesuppliestostorageloca9on(s)whenyou’refinishedwiththem•  Placeac9vefilesbackinfileorganizerWeekly•  DecluTeryourdesk•  Reviewfilesontopofyourdeskandmoveoldorinac9vefilestoarchives•  Wipedownsurfaceofdeskwithan9bacterialwipesMonthly•  DecluTeryourdesk•  Makesureyourworkareasarehelping,andnothinderingyouasyouwork.

Revisethesespacesasneeded


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HerworkhasbeenfeaturedinGoodHousekeeping,CountryLivingMagazine,HouseBeau9ful,Woman’sDay,FastCompany,DailyWorth,Time,Money,TheWashingtonPost,MSNLifestyle,Yahoo!Health,Lifehack,HealthyWomen,TimeManagementNinja,Refinery29,STYLISTMagazine,SwarthmoreCollegeBulle9n,andTheGlassHammer.Sheistheauthorofthreebooks,TheOrderExpert’sGuidetoTimeManagement,HowtoPlanaGreatEventin60Days,and31EasyWaystoGetOrganizedintheNewYear.Visitheronthewebatwww.theorderexpert.com.


tips to organizing the top of your desk · 2016. 5. 8. · uniformly sized and stackable metal,...

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