Happy Desk, Happy Life

At Integrate, each employee’s desk is like their home away from home. Every team member’s desk is adorned with knickknacks that reflect their personalities and are organized in a way that matches, so much that if you know us, you could probably guess who’s whose.  With that being said, my desk is basically a jungle; I’m the lemur of the office. My desk is unruly and unpredictable (which is interesting given that those traits do not match my personality), and I’m often desperately looking for ways to keep a more civilized space.

I’ve been reading that an organized desk helps with a worker’s productivity and stress levels, which are necessary for a workday at Integrate. I compiled the most useful tips I can find and if you’re like me, and need to revamp your workspace for some “fall” cleaning, check out the following tips:

“Think of your desk as prime real estate” –  I found this tip on Smead.com, and it put things into a great perspective for me: Anything that is on your desk should have a purpose and deserve to be there. The stuffed animal I received in a swag bag at an awards banquet two years ago has no purpose. While it’s cute, I don’t even know what the company listed on its decorative bandana is. Knickknacks like that can probably be thrown away, as unnecessary clutter will only serve as a distraction. While excessive clutter is bad, small knickknacks that don’t take up excessive space, such as framed photos of loved ones (in my case, this includes pets) or a bobblehead that makes you smile, are beneficial for morale.

Have a System –  While making the initial commitment to be organized and create a system can be intimidating, it is so worth it and will save you from future stress. Invest in manila folders (Target has stylish Nate Berkus folders on sale now!) and organize them by different accounts or clients, as well as projects. This will help with not having unnecessary papers (aka distractions) on your desk. Additionally, k eeping said manila folders on a tray or in an upright sorter will save you space and an imminent headache.

Never keep trash –  Know you’ll never need the agenda from your staff meeting? Don’t even put it on your desk; just throw it out so you don’t have a daunting pile of papers on your desk that you’ll end up wasting time going through in the future. Also, adding a recycling bin to your desk will make you feel great about getting rid of unnecessary paper. 

Clean before you leave –  At the end of every workday, clean up your desk so clutter, trash and papers don’t pile up. Not only will this save you loads of time later in life, but also it will make a much nicer greeting the next morning.  Chlorox-wiping your keyboard and mouse from time-to-time isn’t a bad idea either.

If these tips have left you inspired to keep a more organized desk, then make Martha Stewart proud and check out these DIY desk organizers that are both cute and functional. I’m going to spend this weekend creating the DIY Clip-On Desk Organizers! Pictures to come next week, I promise! 

Have a desk you’re proud of or one that you’d love to makeover? Share your photo on Integrate’s Facebook page!

Written by: Laura Littlejohn

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