How to Organize Your Office Space

Controlled chaos seems to be the best description of most office spaces today. Stacks of paper waiting to be sorted, post it notes here and there, and old mail that you are pretty sure holds at least one bill that was not paid last month. This picture applies to the virtual office professional as well as the natural. But how can you gain control when all the post it notes seem to blur into one big eye sore and you are just too busy to dive into the stacks of papers to be sorted? I would like to offer a few business solutions to help you move forward and break the habits that keep you in this hectic atmosphere. 

• Your Desk: Make keeping this space clear and organized your top priority. Go through your inbox each morning with a highlighter in hand. Highlight important information like deadlines and phone numbers. Sort the documents as Throwaway, To Be Filed, or Follow-Up. Deal with urgent tasks immediately.
• Your Tools and Equipment: Keep tools, resources, and equipment you use often, nearby. Keep a clock and calendar right in full view. Your desk supplies like pens, highlighters, and scissors should have a specified spot within your desk closest to your reach—maybe the top drawer. If you use larger equipment like a fax machine, for instance, keep it close by as well.
• Organize and Reduce Paperwork: As you go through your inbox in the morning or even throughout your day, make it a point to deal with the documents in your hand. Ask yourself, if this information could be inputted in your electronic organizer, if you have one. File current documents alphabetically in the deep drawer within your desk. Documents not used or referred to as often should be filed in a filing cabinet nearby. Lastly, scanning of older documents to be saved on disk, also known as electronic filing, makes for better out of the way storage and easier retrieval than paper filing.
• The Old Fashioned To-Do List: Preparing for the next business day is pertinent in helping you maximize your productivity. Make it a habit to close each day by making a list of priorities for the next workday, while making note of what could be delegated to another professional. Develop or plan a routine that will make things run more smoothly for you as well.
• Have a Routine Set in Place: Follow a daily routine and you will find yourself working on autopilot. This will also help you maintain the home office system of organization you have set in place. 

In closing, I would like to recommend a tool I came across from Office Depot: "Put Your Work Style to Work 5 Day Plan" http://www.officedepot.com/promo.do?file=/promo/makeover/getorganized.jsp. This resource will help you become more self-aware and will help you maintain organization once you have reached it.