Keeping Your Desk Organized

Has your desk been talking about you behind your back lately? You might not be aware of it yet, but it's true. One look at your office or home desk - and it's easy to tell how much of a professional you are. Even if you're highly efficient at your job, an untidy, cluttered desk might reflect poorly on your professional attitude. Not to mention the fact that, if you keep a disorganized desk, chances are you have a hard time finding what you need when you need it. That gets in the way of your efficiency, forcing you to spend your time searching when you could be working.

Keep It Simple
It's a good idea to keep your desktop accessories to a minimum. If it's your office desk, you will surely need to have your computer monitor, phone, an inbox and a notebook on the desktop. You can have the keyboard and mouse on the desk or on a pull-out tray, depending on your desk design.

You may also have a computer monitor or a laptop on your home office desk, along with a phone, a notepad and an organizer or box for your important papers or bills. The secret to a tidy desk is to reserve your desktop for the critical items and keep other papers, files and stationery in the desk's drawers or cabinets.

If you like keeping your family pictures and other personal memorabilia handy but don't want these to take up your desk space, try placing them on a shelf or hanging them on the wall of your office or cubicle.

Prioritize Your Work
If you have an inbox on your desk, assign it the categories of 'Today', 'Tomorrow' and 'Next Day', and keep your assignments according to their urgency. If you like, you can also have three folders in your desk drawer or cabinet for prioritizing your jobs.

At the end of the day, go through your 'Today' section and make sure everything in it has been completed.

Eliminate Excess Paper
If you need to take down notes while working, try using a bound notebook instead of sticky notes or stray pieces of paper. It is definitely more organized, takes away the clutter on your desk, and keeps your memos in one place so you can refer back to it as needed. Email programs like Outlook even offer electronic notepads and computer "sticky notes" that let you keep track of small details without using slips of paper that could easily get lost.

Invest in a Desk Set
A desk set helps keep your desktop clutter-free and your supplies handy. The typical desk set consists of a blotter pad and various holders for pencils, business cards, and other small supplies that can add up to clutter if they're left unorganized. If you don't have a desk set, it might be best to stash any supplies other than a small pencil cup and a stapler in a handy drawer. Keeping all of your supplies on your desktop without an efficient organization system can quickly lead to chaos.

Straighten Up Daily
Take five to ten minutes at the end of each day to straighten up your desk. File all important paperwork and remove any unnecessary pieces of paper. Go through your future assignments and place tomorrow's top-priority projects in your 'Today' slot so they are ready for next morning.