Whether your home work space is squeezed into your kitchen, a spare bedroom or if it is contained in its own delegated home office, keeping it neat and organised can be a monumental challenge throughout the year. Here are a few tried and tested tips on how to keep your home desk neat and tidy – helping you to remain as productive as possible throughout 2012:

 

1. If you don’t use it, lose it: Generally speaking, we have a few pieces of stationery that we like to use, however, more often than not, our desk drawers and containers are full of pens, pencils and other random items of stationary that we never use, but keep, regardless. This is the first rule of an organised desk – if you are not going to use it, then don’t feel guilty about getting rid of it as it is just clutter. Only keep the things that you use on your desk and in your drawers – the less clutter you have, the more organised your work area will be.

2. Contained and charged: It is always a good idea to have a specific space set aside at your work area for all the items you carry around with you, such as your cell phone, Bluetooth ear piece, keys, PDA, wallet, and so on. This area should be set up with all the necessary chargers you need to recharge the various items if required. A good idea, is to run the charger wires into a desk drawer – this way, you can place all these items into the drawer when you are at your desk, so that they do not clutter up your work space, and you can plug them in to recharge whenever required.

3. Frequency of use defines the item’s proximity: The things you use often, should be located within easy reach. For example, the items you use on a daily basis should be positioned closest to you; the items used on a weekly basis can be positioned a little further away.

 

4. Out of sight for a clean aesthetic: Electronic items and wires should be hidden as much as possible. Items such as your computer box, your modem, wireless router, firewall, battery back-up, and so on, should not be stored on your desk as they also clutter up the area visually and take up too much valuable space. Rather keep these items stored neatly away in an adjoining cupboard, or a shelf underneath your desk.

5. Consider going wireless: Regarding all the wires that come along with all the technological devices we use on a daily basis, make sure they are neatly run and tucked away as much as possible. Wireless technology is a great option – if any of your devices support wireless, WiFi or Bluetooth technology, then switching over will allow you to do away with a large chunk of the existing wiring for a neater and cleaner aesthetic.

6. Easy files: Filing is an intrinsic part of any organised work area, and as such, you should have easy access to all frequently used files. Those files that are not used too often can be stored in a cupboard, or even in another room, but the ones that are used often should be located either on your desk or directly alongside it.

 

7. Store it on your computer: One way of keeping paper clutter down and your filing in check, is to scan and save important documents as PDFs directly onto our computer. This is especially useful for small home offices or cramped work spaces, as you can file the originals safely away and keep them stored out of sight and out of mind.

8. Keep it clean: Keeping your work area clean and sparkling is as important as keeping it organised. As such, it is always a good idea to keep a dish towel and some surface cleaning detergent on hand at all times – this will encourage you to regularly wipe down your work surface.

9. Keep a designated note book: If you are working at your desk for an extended period of time, you will need to write down various bits and pieces of information, such as flight numbers, costings, telephone numbers, to-do lists, and so on. The problem is that more often than not, we grab the first piece of paper we see and scribble the information down on that. All these bits and pieces of various papers can be a challenge for even the most organised of people to keep in check. It is a far better solution to have a designated notebook available, which lives on your desk and is specifically set aside to record all this information. Not only is it much neater, but it is also easier to look back at items you recorded a few days or even weeks ago if necessary.

10. Use your computer’s calendar: Instead of using a traditional calendar, Filofax or diary, rather make use of the calendar you have on your computer – not only can you sync this with your phone, but it can also be set up to send you audio and visual reminders so that you won’t forget anything.

11. Daily upkeep: It is much more efficient to stay organised while you work, instead of letting it all pile up and doing it only once in a while. As such, it is highly recommended to neaten out your work area whenever you are finished working there – throw away unnecessary clutter, file all the items that need filing, and give the surface a quick wipe-down before you leave. Not only will this keep the area looking good, but it will motivate you to be more productive the next time you sit down at your desk.

12. Storage and lighting: It can’t be emphasised enough on how important having sufficient storage is to a well organised work area. If you don’t have adequate storage – the plain and simple truth is that the area will never be organised. As such, bring in as much extra storage as necessary in the form of drawers, boxes, shelving and cabinets. Also, it is essential to make sure the area is adequately lit – a brightly lit area will keep you far more productive than a dimly lit one. – Antonella Desi

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