New Year’s Resolutions: Maximizing A Clear Desk
Happy New Year – Part 3! Last week, you did an amazing job organizing your pantry. Now it’s time to dive into your desk. There is nothing better than a clear desk!
This is the third installment of a four-part mini series.
My desk is a long table that originally was going to serve as mine and my husband’s. There are two computers, the one I no longer use and the one I do. It has photographs, nick-nacks, two lamps, things I use daily and things I don’t. It also holds the dreaded piles of papers, bills paid and to be paid, business cards, receipts, things to read and or review, things to be filed, things to be thrown out, things to come back to.
Let’s pick an easy pile first. Business Cards. We meet people, we collect business cards and we make a pile of them. Business cards are easy to organize and give us a quick win. If you keep a rolodex – don’t laugh, some of us still do – simply incorporate your business cards into your rolodex. If you don’t or have too many cards for it to hold, get a binder and business card sleeves. Group your cards into categories, then alphabetize them within that category. You now have a resource binder.
Another easy win to a clear desk? Papers that need to be filed and papers that need to be thrown out. Do that, file what needs to be filed, throw out what can be thrown out. If they need to be shredded first, shred them. Too much to shred at home? Use a service. This is about creating a nice workspace for you.
For the piles you have left, I suggest this organizing system. Create Pendaflex folders with the following categories:
To Do Now
Pending
Proposals
Expenses
Resources
To be Paid
To be Reviewed
Shred
Every piece of paper that comes into your office goes directly into one of these file folders. Schedule time every week, every day if necessary to work your system. Once you’ve completed the task, move the paper to trash or a permanent file. You will love having a clean, clear desk. A desk where you enjoy your photos, nick-nacks and your work.