I am having tons of problems with staying organized. My desk is a dump! Does any one have good tips?

Question

Any good tips for my problem?

Answer 1

I'm the same way! It's so hard to keep my desk clean. I'm obsessed with office supplies, so they're always cluttering my desk.

I bought some little drawer sets at Target and filled those up with all the pens and pencils and supplies I've got lying around.

I give the desk a good cleaning every week. I set aside 30 minutes and go through everything and then I've got a clean desk to start the week with.

Answer 2

Is the top of your desk a dump, or the drawers too?

If you have the luxury of stashing things in drawers, make a drawer for "File Later." This will get rid of probably 1/2 your stuff. Every month, actually go through the drawer. You will realize you can toss it instead of file it. Then, make a point of filing the rest. This should eliminate 90% of your landfill.

Put reading/research material/industry publications in another drawer, file cabinet or even in your car. You can catch up on your reading in traffic jams, waiting in line, etc. If you just don't have the energy to start a new project, take 1 publication out, read for 15 min., and then start the project.

Get one of those wire vertical file holders for the top of your desk, and make files for everything you need to have at your fingertips. If you have to agonize over how to categorize what file, make a new one. You will know where everything is, or the 2nd place it may be. The best part about being semi-organized is that you can actually call someone when you are out of town.... and ask them to look for something for you. And they can probably find it.

Finally, get your desk surface cleared off as much as possible before you leave your office. If you have to throw it into a briefcase, unorganized....fine. Take it home. You have it, and you know where it is. At least start the morning with a clean desk. Then pull the stuff out of your briefcase (that you threw in a pile off your desk last night.) But only pull it out as you need it. By the end of the month......you can throw 1/2 that stuff away as well.

Answer 3

Step by step here you go:

Clear a space to work. Maybe you can take it to the guest room, or out into the middle of the room, if it is just the desk and immediate surroundings. Don't try to work exactly in the space that is a mess.

Gather all the stuff you need to organize and haul it OUT of the space. In order to make it back in, it has to pass your inspection.

Sort through your stuff.

Good candidates for garbage:
Pens that don't work, pencils that are chewed, anything that doesn't work, cardboard boxes. Paper trash, including receipts that you don't need to keep.

Along with that, remove and find other homes for things that don't belong in the desk area, that is...things relating to activities that are NOT done at the desk, as well as things that are distracting.

Sort like with like. Often times in a desk, this involves consolidating quantities of note paper, pens, highlighters, etc and other consumables.

Look at your amounts. Gather a small inventory of basic desktop accessories. a few pens and pencils, an eraser, a highlighter, a sharpie, a stapler fully loaded and remover, a pencil sharpener, a clock, a paper tablet, a roll of tape, scissor, a sticky-note pad, a handful of paperclips, clamps, and pushpins, stamps, envelopes, stationery, a checkbook. Etc aim for about a month's worth of office supplies to be ON the desk or right at hand in the front drawer.

Containerize all supplies. For those things that will stay on the desk, you can corral them in small, pretty containers that are roughly shaped like a can or a bowl. If you scoop it, put it in a bowl. If you pluck it, put it in a can. Looking at the shape of various items around the house, you will find many that suit your needs and can line up against the back of your work surface quite nicely. You also need a mail holder, which can be a napkin holder, a photo box, a basket, a bowl, a tray, etc.
And you might want a coffee can sized container for a desktop wastebasket.



Doesn't that look pretty? Keep it simple, keep it uncluttered.

If you have paper files, schedule a brief meeting with an accountant to discuss what you NEED to keep and for how long. In general, your paper should be in continuous motion from the time it hits the mailbox to the time it is either processed, filed, or tossed. One way to stop junk mail from hitting the desk, is to toss it before you even get to the desk area...such as while you are passing through the kitchen or whatever, and also to call the junkmail people to get your name off these lists.

For consumable supplies that are over stocked, keep them corralled like with like and tuck them away in lidded containers or in the drawers of your desk. These can be more out of reach, even in another room if you are short on storage. You can make a round to replenish your supplies once a month that stay on the desktop. Just keep a small amount at your fingertips, storing the rest away.

A big tip for keeping your desk nice is to MOVE it to a lower traffic area of the house. This doesn't have to mean putting it in a dungeon of any sort. Just in a far corner somewhere, so that when you need it, it's there but NOT in a passthrough space. Reason? Most desks (and tables, and in my case, all surfaces in general) are clutter catchers. You don't want your desk area to be a dumping ground for mindless leaving of items as you walk by.Arrange your at hand supplies on the desktop along with your computer, your phone book, a lamp, and at most, a few personal treasures. A couple might be a coffee warmer, an iPod dock or some small speakers for music, and a little book or caddy for a few cd's that you really enjoy, or a few photos.

Answer 4

Argue for your shortcomings and sure enough, they're yours.
You are an exaggerator (tons of problems) and (desk is a dump) are examples of you thinking problem. Stop exaggerating and start thinking in real terms. This will help you maintain a real perspective on what needs to be done and keep you from getting overwhelmed before you start a project. Make a list of what needs to be done, prioritize the jobs, and start at the beginning. Before you know it you'll have it done, unless you are a procrastinator too.

Answer 5

You can buy several little plastic cubes for each categorized item on your desk and religiously put things where they belong when you aren't working on them. This will help.

Answer 6

stop being a slob and put your stuff away when you're done with it.
it isn't hard to figure out.

Answer 7

just clean it....