We all have an office space somewhere. It might be that table at the side of your bed or an entire room covered with cabinets and fancy doors, and for many, it is the cubicle you’re assigned to at work. No matter where it is, if you are at all like me, it can get disorganized fast. I have definitely had my fair share of days where I stuff everything in the drawer and refuse to open it for a month, but over time, I have learned a few tricks to get my office straightened quickly and without pain. Here are seven tips for cleaning and keeping an office organized and uncluttered.

Use Storage and Organization Containers

The dollar store is seriously my favorite place to go shopping for organization supplies. They have tons of totes, holders, and small storage containers for the entire home. Bring a few bucks and shop to your heart’s desire. Then, bring it all home and quickly sort through the office mess.

Leave Only the Essentials Out

It is tempting to organize everything nicely on your desktop, but in about a week, it will all become one massive mess. Leave the things you use regularly at arm’s reach, but everything else should be shut in the drawer, placed in the file cabinet, or stored in a cupboard.

Use a Filing Cabinet

I don’t know why it took me so long to get a filing cabinet; it makes my life a million times easier. I have two small drawers for my most important documents. It keeps the papers I never use out of the way, but when I need to grab my birth certificate, car title, or Social Security card, using the cabinet makes it fast and easy.

Eliminate the Extra Containers

This might sound like an oxymoron seeing as I just told you to go on a shopping spree at the dollar store, but keep the containers simple. Don’t have a place for blue pens, one for black pens, and a special container for mechanical pencils. Place them together. It makes it easier and quicker to maintain organization; you don’t want to be sorting through containers when all you need to do is put the dang pencil away!

Have Trash and Recycle Bins Handy

When I mess up writing on a paper, I don’t want to get up and walk to the other room. I want to throw it away right then, and if a garbage can isn’t handy, it gets shoved with a bunch of other papers. Have a small garbage or recycle can under the desk, so you can quickly toss papers without thinking.

Sort Papers

I love having a paper-sorter on my desk. It makes it easy to grab a blank sheet, but it also leaves a place for completed work and unfinished work. I will often keep my bills on the very top shelf so I am reminded to pay them every time I sit down.

Keep Cleaning Supplies Nearby

If you have room in a bottom drawer, keep a travel-sized bottle of cleaner and a rag inside. Whenever you spill, smudge the computer screen, or see some dust buildup, grab the cleaner and do a quick wipe of the area. This helps you keep up on cleaning and makes the process a quick and convenient one. After all, when it comes to organizing the office, doing it fast and getting it over with are my two favorite things.

Source: BusyBee Cleaning Service