If you always have trouble finding your stapler or spend 30 minutes untangling paper clips and sticky notes, it may be time for an overhaul in your office supply organization. By simply spending a few dollars on desk and drawer organizers along with a little time putting everything in a convenient location, you will save loads of time doing simple tasks or looking for various supplies like a highlighter.
- Before going crazy purchasing desk organizers and bookshelves, do an inventory of your office supplies. This will help you decide what items you need to purchase to turn your cluttered mess into a neat, organized system. If you have lots of small objects, like thumb tacks, rubber bands, paper clips and miniature sticky notes, consider purchasing a drawer organizer with lots of small compartments or even a larger cube that fits on your desk with various sized drawers for each item. If you have lots of colored paper, purchase small, plastic shelves that fit on your bookcase or on top of a file cabinet to keep all of the colors separate. Each item should have its own space and should be placed in locations according to importance.
- If you have various working files that you access on a daily basis, these should be kept in a visible and convenient location on your desk. Consider a small wire file rack for these folders to keep them separate from one another. Conversely, if you have a notary stamp and boxes of extra pens and pencils that you rarely use, put them in a lower drawer in your desk or on a high shelf on your cabinet. The items you utilize on a regular basis should be kept close at hand, while those items you rarely use should never take up prime real estate on your desk or in your top drawer.
- One of the last steps, albeit an important one, is to label your documents, shelves and folders. If you have a cube on your desk with lots of smaller items, label each drawer with its desired contents. This way, even if you are down to your last paper clip and pushpin, you will remember which compartment should be refilled with each. Though it seems like a silly exercise, when you know exactly where to find something, it results in more efficient work habits, as you will not be searching for that pair of scissors you swore you just saw but will instead grab them from their permanent place in your drawer. Also be sure to label your file folders and place them in the wire rack or bookshelf in alphabetical or numerical order to ensure a quick find when necessary.
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