Office organisation ideas & tips

A clean and organised office is the best way to keep your focus and be productive on a daily basis. When comparing office related problems, how to keep a tidy office is one of the most searched for on the web. With our easy tips, you can do away with such a search and instead focus on being productive. No matter whether you work from home or in a busy office, tick off these tips and you’ll be happier and more productive in no time.

File / Order / Bin

We’re all guilty of it – putting items or paperwork to the side and leaving it there for quite some time. Why? Because it’s easy. The first step to having a tidy and organised office space is to start by tackling this pile. Work on the basis of three piles – file, order and bin. Once you’ve finished and placed the items away, ensure you keep on top of it. You may save seconds or minutes short-term, but having to sort through a pile again in the near future may take longer.

Have an incoming items system

Once you’ve got your office in order, consider how you’re going to deal with any new items that enter the office. Each piece of paper, file or book should have a spot and a purpose. With this all done, it will be easier and quicker to update, get straight to work in the morning and leave quicker in the evening.

Take a look at the desk space

Look at what is around your laptop, monitors or workstation. Keep the desk space clear of any immediate clutter to stay focused. A plant, or some sort of foliage, is known to keep productivity up and add a bit of colour to your desk. Consider having some sort of stress ball, use your desktop background properly and try to get your chair pointing at the entrance and as close to natural light as possible.

Consider the personal touches on your desk

It has long been encouraged for people to style desks and adding little knick-knacks to the office space. And, while a few of these can aid happiness and productivity, too many can cause a distraction and ultimately wane focus. Be sure to prioritise inspiring ones and bin or share others.

Consider 5 types of office storage furniture for tidiness

1. Tambour units

These are ideal for small spaces as they have space-saving sliding doors. Tambour units are considered an office essential by many as they are an easy to solution to cluttered work environments

2. Rolling cart

Ideal for holding planners, manuals and notebooks, these small, tiered storage units can be incredibly handy.

3. Giant cork board

Whether it is used as an inspiration board or somewhere to hold letters/bills before you get around to them, this can be a wonderful addition.

4. Binder clips

Ever get sick and tired of the messy cords hanging around the office? Keep them safe, clean and easy to access by using clips on the side of your desk (or consider securing them under the desk).

5. Raised monitors

Add a shelf with space underneath to the desk to free up space and make your monitor easier to view.

6. Floating shelves

Cabinets are great additions to a space, if you have room, but an easy alternative is just to put up some floating shelves. These can be as wide and tall as necessary.

BONUS: Have a blanket on your chair

Feeling cold is an easy way to stunt productivity and have a negative impact on performance. According to a Cornell University study, people in a warmer office made almost half the typing errors and output went up 150%. Try to keep your production up with a comfortable blanket hung on the chair for comfort when necessary.

How to organise office documents?

When organising your office sorting out important documents can be a difficult task, especially if you have a large number of files that need putting away. Planning ahead and deciding on a filing system can help you organise your files to suit your business.