It never fails; the instant you need something is the moment you can’t find it to save yourself which results in a hectic search through piles of papers to find that bill that needs paying. By putting a little time and effort into organizing your office you’ll find that it’s time well spent since everything becomes a lot easier and more efficient. All it takes is about 5 to 10 minutes a couple of times a week to get your office organized and to keep it that way.
Sort out what you need to keep and pitch the stuff that you really don’t with these tips:
• Have two expandable files or a filing cabinet that has two drawers and label one for documents and one for bills.
• Having a good supply of folders on hand means you’ve got them when you need them.
• Take the time to sort through all your paperwork and throw out everything that’s unnecessary.
• When it comes to keeping your office organized, file important papers the minute you get them. Unpaid bills need to be in one place like in a folder in the front of the bill drawer and permanently filed when you pay them. When other important documents come in, file them in the front folder in the documents drawer until you go over them.
Having your office organized not only improves your efficiency, it also reduces your stress levels and only takes a few minutes to accomplish.
A tray for your desk accessories like rubber bands, paper clips, pens and pencils and scissors is a handy way to keep everything in one place. Putting items into the tray as you come across them while sorting through the papers means you know what other supplies you may need to get. Bigger things like printer paper, ink cartridges and toner cartridges can go on a shelf or in a cabinet. Putting a label where those supplies go will help you keep track of when your supplies are running out. To keep things neat, you can put similar items in a basket or box.
One final tip that may seem kind of dumb but actually is very effective is to have an IN and OUT box or basket on your desk. Putting the baskets on a corner of your desk helps you keep track of what needs to be done and what has been finished. Even in the home office area, using baskets or trays helps keep things organized and looks a lot neater than piles of paper all over the place. Things that need attention you’ll want to put in the “in” box and putting the envelopes for items to be mailed in the “out” box makes them easier to keep up with.
Tips like these go a long way to helping organize your office and keeps it neat and clean. Once you have your office organized, make sure you keep things caught. You’ll be surprised at how much work you’ll get done and how great your office looks when you get it all organized.
