10 Tips for Organizing Your Desk

"I know I left that report somewhere on my desk, but where?" Sound familiar? If you spend more time looking for things on your desk than actually working at it, it might be time for some organization 101.

Clear the Clutter

Before we can begin organizing your desk, we need to get rid of what is cluttering it up in the first place. Start by gathering all of the files and papers that are on your desk and put them in a pile. File anything that needs to be filed and throw away anything that is no longer needed. If there's anything else that doesn't belong on your desk, now is a good time to get rid of those things too. Now that you have space to work with, let's get organized.

Color Coded Files

Color coding your files works for two reasons:

1. Color coding helps you be more organized so you can find where things belong easily. Use one color for vendors, one color for clients, etc. Decide on a system that works for you and use it.

2. If a file gets tucked under paperwork on your desk or ends up on someone else's desk, you can find it easily because the color will stand out among the sea of white paper. Keep working files in a file sorter on your desk and file anything else away.

Inbox System

Use a system of 4 stacked bins on the corner of your desk. Label them "Inbox", "Out Box", "To Do" and "To File". All papers that come across your desk should fit into one of these bins. Put them in the appropriate bin as they come in to avoid unnecessary piles on your desk. Deal with each item in the "To Do" bin one at a time. Once completed, it should either go in your "Out Box" for someone else or in your "To File" bin to be filed when you have time.

Drawer Organization

You can purchase inexpensive drawer dividers and organizers at an office supply store. Put these in your desk drawers so you have a place for items like scissors, post it notes, paper clips and extra pens.

Use a Calendar

Use a dry erase calendar mounted on the wall next to your desk or you can use Outlook, Google Calendar or another computerized calendar system to keep track of appointments and schedules. This keeps the calendar off of your desk, but still easily accessible for quick updates.

Planning System

Use a planning system like Outlook or a paper planner like those made by Franklin Covey to create daily to do lists, keep track of appointments and monthly goals as well as contact information. Avoid using sticky notes for everything since they tend to get lost in the shuffle.

Go Paperless

Don't print documents and emails unless you absolutely need to. It not only saves you from having piles of paper on your desk, but it's also eco-friendly. Consider online faxing as well as electronic file storage. You can keep your files on your computer, save them on a disc or other external storage device, or use an online storage program to keep your important files safe.

Shelve Your Books

Keep books, manuals and other reference or training materials off of your desk. Instead, store them on a bookshelf in your office. This keeps your desk uncluttered and allows others in the office to access the material when needed instead of having to come to you each time.

Create a System for Working

To keep your desk neat and a nice flow to your workday, create a system that keeps things moving smoothly. Deal with papers and files as you get them by sorting them into your bins. As tasks come up for you during the day, add them to your to do list and cross them off as they are completed. You should also consider designating a certain time of the day when you will deal with tasks such as filing and returning phone calls or emails.

Don't Forget About Your Computer

You may not always think of it this way, but your computer has a desktop too. While keeping your real desk neat and tidy, it's important to keep your computer desktop organized as well. This means creating folders for documents and storing them in a documents folder on your computer's hard drive and delete or archive anything that you don't need. You should back up your files often to external file storage devices in case your computer crashes.

It can be overwhelming to take on a project like organizing your desk, but once you do it and create a system for staying organized, you will be much more relaxed, productive and you might even find that report you've been looking for.