Step aside Spring Cleaning, it’s time for Fall Finessing, where we fervently de-clutter and optimize your workspace into a productive paradise in five easy steps.
Step One: Sweep Everything Off Your Desk (Grand Gesture Optional)
Come on, you know you’ve always wanted to, we’re just giving you permission. Regardless of how you clear your space, start with this very crucial first step. De-clutter by taking everything off your desk, out of the drawers, etc. so you can inventory your possessions and determine whether they are clutter or essential to your operation.
Additionally, take this first step to become aware of your clutter habits and tendencies. Are your desk drawers empty but the desktop is flooded with paperwork? Do you have five datebooks with different appointments written and promptly forgotten? Are your cables becoming the perfect rat’s nest? Try to become aware of at least three opportunities where you tend to neglect organization for convenience, as a later step will allow for a compromise to both.
Step Two: Play “Keep, Donate, Toss”
Next, take an inventory of everything you’ve found and play “keep, donate, or toss” with each item. Keep only the essentials and strategize how you can keep things to a minimum. For example, do you have old paperwork you can upload to your computer, then shred? Do it! Have you been inundated with frog statues because you mentioned to your great aunt once that frogs were cool? Donate them! Do you have a favorite pen? Then hold onto it for dear life and never, ever let anyone borrow it.
Maybe we’re being somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but the principle is the same. Touch everything in your space and give it a place. If there’s no place for it, get rid of it.
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to call in reinforcements if you are the sentimental type. Holding onto possessions that no longer serve a purpose doesn’t help productivity and only clutters the mind and the home.
Tip Three: Make Sure Everything has a Place
This is the meat and potatoes of Fall Finessing. If your item in question has survived the purge, it’s time to give it a designated place that serves you best. As mentioned in Step One, be aware of your natural clutter spots and target those first. If you tend to hoard paperwork, invest in a desk free of nooks and crannies and opt for a singular filing cabinet instead. Buy a shredder and extra digital storage space if you are constantly dealing with sensitive physical documents, etc.
Beyond identifying your habits, make sure your space is equipped with the proper materials that encourage organizational habits and optimize your space. Use blank walls to install floating storage shelves or a whiteboard (which may help to reduce scattered post-its). Get creative with small spaces – how could you repurpose a closet into a desk space?
Check out this Pinterest Board for some inspiring creative small office spaces!
Once you’ve identified big pieces of furniture and storage options, turn your attention to the smaller pieces of organization. Invest in cable management to keep charger cables accessible and repurpose an old Mason Jar to hold your pen and scissors for easy access. If you love the look of a minimal desktop, but need those little essentials at hand, the Vitrazza Leather Valet Tray is the perfect catch-all that keeps your everyday carry items within reach. You can even tuck it under your Vitrazza Wood Monitor Riser for that minimalistic, yet practical, look.
Bonus: monitor risers encourage healthy ergonomic practices!
Don’t forget that organization is not just a physical concept but a mental one too. To help organize your brain and calendar, we recommend opting into a color-coding system for your space. Many people find that physically writing down appointments and meetings on a whiteboard, calendar, or DayTimer helps them better remember dates and commitments. For even more fun (yes, we’re serious), buy yourself some nice pens to color code appointments with (e.g., pink for social commitments, blue for work commitments, orange for appointment, etc,). Additionally, many digital platforms (iPhone calendars, email software) also allow for color-coding, so take advantage of it however you need.
Pro-tip: take your color coding a step further by keeping records within color matched file folders.
Tip Four: Maintenance and Routine
Now that your office essentials are all organized, establish a routine to ensure you can maintain your newly organized office. Start by ritualizing your organization habits—consistently performing the same maintenance tasks daily at the same times. This can be a digital habit as much as a physical one. For example, check your inbox(es) first thing in the morning and delete all unnecessary emails from the day before you log-off for the night. A cluttered inbox can feel overwhelming and uninviting for productivity. If you push papers around all day, put them all in their designated folders before leaving. Taking ten minutes to keep things organized at the end of the day allows a clear mind when starting work the next morning, keeping you efficient and less frantic.
Tip Five: Personalize
Our last recommendation is to personalize your space. Don’t go overboard – remember all the junk you just donated or got rid of!. Instead, opt for a singular piece of inspiring art, or a low-maintenance houseplant like one of these 5 easy-care houseplants. Many storage solutions are offered in fun, personalized options these days, making the look of your space match your unique personality.
If the promise of a reward is a good motivator for you, it’s time to treat yourself! You’ve done a great job cleaning your office and creating a space that works for you. Why not reward yourself with something that spruces up your space and makes working at a desk more enjoyable!
We’ve got the perfect idea for rolling desk chair users who are tired of replacing dented, worn-out, and ugly plastic chair mats.
Glass Office Chair Mats by Vitrazza are the premium alternative that provides long-lasting durability, beauty, and easy-glide ergonomic comfort. Unlike plastic mats, a Vitrazza Glass Chair Mat will last a lifetime, look stunning, and never develop the dents and ruts that frustrate you when trying to roll your office chair.
