Decluttering Your Workspace

Clutter can be a real problem at work. Disorganization can decrease your efficiency, given that everything is competing for your attention. Along with that, a messy workspace can create an image of unprofessionalism. Someone who can’t keep their workplace neat will surely miss bigger and more important details.

But don’t despair, since there’s a way out. Maybe you’ve done the big stuff, like using monitor mounts to create more space. Keep reading for 5 ways to streamline your professional life.

1. If decluttering hasn’t worked before, start fresh. Remove everything from your desk and inside the drawers. Put it all in a box, then go back to work. If you need to reach into the box for something, it can stay on the desk. After a few days, if there are still items in the box, you probably don’t need them.
2. Clutter happens because our brain tricks us into thinking everything is important. Reprioritize by evaluating your items. If something has a purpose, great. If it’s redundant, outdated, or you hang onto it just because you might need it, get rid of it.
3. Where you put stuff is as important as what stuff you have. Try organizing drawers by priority. The important items go into the closest drawer while other things go further away.
4. Got a rat’s nest of cables stashed under your desk? Rain gutters can be surprisingly effective cable management tools. Can’t hide them? Try creative displays to give you an emotional lift.
5. Use the camera app on your smartphone to take pictures of the workstation from different angles. When you look at the pictures, problem areas will come into focus very quickly.