How I managed to clean and organize my desk for the first time in my life

How I managed to clean and organize my desk for the first time in my life!

Having a clean desk has never been possible for me. I feel guilty about it, but it doesn’t help. Some people are just naturally messy, I rationalize; everyone knows, creatives march to their own drummer. I come up with cute memes: “a clean desk is the sign of a boring and empty mind”. I drive others in my office crazy, because I wait till they leave for home, and then in the evenings and weekends, I work on their beautifully clean desks, because my desk is too messy to work on.

There are files upon files, piled up horizontally—somehow, I can’t stand to have files put away—I need to have them out where I can see them, or I worry that I’ll forget about them, and the work that needs to be done. But that doesn’t work well for me. I end up with piles of files, together with unfiled piles of paper—my only organization being the fact that I tend to stack files of the same color together.

I look at my desk, and feel simply hopeless, and useless. It becomes very difficult to actually get any work done in my office, as my work space is completely taken up with piles of files, piles of paper.

Clutter.

The actual meme says “a clean space equals a clean mind”.

What does that say about me?

I saw the Spring Forward organization challenge, and it made me think.

What could I do to organize my desk? Is it even possible?

Well, a few weeks ago, I made a list of all my files—I currently have about sixty active projects—by category. I’ve been careful to keep updating the list, and I find it very helpful. All my projects are now in one place, and I can stop worrying that I’ll forget something; everything is written down.

I think the reason I’ve felt that I needed to have all my files on my desk, is I’ve been afraid if something is out of sight, I’ll forget all about something important that I need to do. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that having them all on my desk is unworkable. I can’t see or focus on any one file or project, because my desk is too crowded and packed with files.

I actually have a five drawer filing cabinet, which is basically unused.

So, maybe I could actually take all the files off my desk, and put them into my filing cabinet by color, knowing that I could find them easily, when I actually need to work on them.

That’s my goal for tomorrow.

What do I need to do to make it work?

Well, first, I need to get hanging folders for my filing cabinet. I can’t get sixty files into my filing cabinet without storing them efficiently.

Suppose I ordered a hundred hanging files, and got them set up in my filing cabinet.

Then I'll file the files, by category first of all, and then by number. This would make them relatively easy to find, so that I can quickly find them, and bring only the one I’m currently working on out to my desk top. If I make a rule for myself, that I’m only allowed one file at a time on my desktop, I could train myself to put each file away after I work on it, and then look at my list to select the next needed file.

It would be so great to have a clear desktop. It would improve my efficiency immeasurably. I’ve got to try it!

…

The next morning...

Well, I got up at 5:00 a.m., excited about my brainwave, asked my husband to help me, and two and a half hours later—for the first time in my life— I have a clean desk. I took my husband out for breakfast, to celebrate.

Here’s the step by step process I used, together with the costs it took to get me organized:

1. I reviewed my filing cabinet, to determine if I had everything I needed for filing. I didn’t. I had to get the filing cabinet railings, which had disappeared. My husband found some unused railings from other filing cabinets in the office, and installed them for me.

2. In the meantime, I got banker’s boxes, and took all the files off my desk and put them into the bankers boxes. (I already had the boxes, but if I had to buy them, they would be $13.95 for four boxes)

3. I installed about fifty legal sized hanging file folders (cost: $23.00 for a pack of 25 x 2=$46.00)

4. I added the hanging file folders, and then put in the files by category. (I plan to organize them by file number shortly, but it felt wonderful, just to get them off the desk and into the filing cabinet.

5. I took all the loose paper off my desk, and put it into the bankers boxes. This must be gone through, sorted and filed, and then I will reward myself with a special treat.

6. I cleaned and polished the desk, and then attached my list to the bulletin board, so it doesn’t get lost.

When my assistant arrived at work, she fell against the wall in shock. I feel so happy and productive! I can hardly believe it. Now the issue is—can I keep up my new system?

Here are the rules I’m making for myself:

1. I am only allowed one file on my desk at a time. When I finish working on a file, it must go immediately back into the filing cabinet.

2. I must make sure all files are put away, papers are filed, and the desk is clean and polished before I leave at the end of the day.

So, there it is; my step by step approach to getting and keeping a clean desk. I’ve never considered myself a neat or tidy person, and I’m delighted to start changing my self image.

Who would like to join me?