We are all well aware of the fact that a chaotic workplace can make getting anything done near impossible. Not only can the clutter make it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand, it can limit our room to move and double the time taken to find important documents. Fortunately, a number of office storage solutions are available to help you organise your workplace and eliminate these problems at the source. We have outlined just some of these below.
▪ Papers and Files
One of the biggest causes of clutter is having papers and files spread out over the desk. Instead, provide each employee with a document organiser that sits, within reach, on the desk – this is where papers and files that you need regularly should be kept. Papers and files that must be kept (often for legal reasons) should be stored away in a filing cabinet. Other documents should simply be disposed of.
▪ Writing Materials
Another common cause of clutter is all that writing paraphernalia and stationary that we seem to collect. Some professions will require more of these materials than others; if most of your work is done on computer, for example, you need hardly anything. Provide each employee with a desktop or drawer organiser where they can keep pens, pencils, markers, highlighters and other stationary within reach.
▪ Knickknacks
Some employees are prone to keeping items in the workplace that are not necessarily required for work, such as photographs and little knickknacks they have received (often from clients or coworkers). Believe it or not, these items can take up a lot of room on the desk. Employees should be encouraged to limit these items or take them home, but another office storage solution is to place them inside a plastic box.
▪ IT Accessories
Another common cause of clutter is all of the IT accessories that we need, particularly loose cords. Take a moment to look at all of the technology you utilise on a daily basis – your desktop or laptop computer, telephone, printer, fax machine, scanner, external hard drive, etc. Try to keep a minimal amount of items on the desk and have a separate area set aside for communal printers, fax machines and scanners.
▪ Books & Magazines
This is probably the least common cause of clutter in the workplace, but if you require books (such as dictionaries or legal texts) or subscribe to an industry magazine, leaving them on a desk or table will quickly add to the clutter. The best way to store these items is by investing in some shelving or bookcases – all of the books and magazines can be nicely arranged. You could also store the items in boxes.
As you can see, there are a number of ways that you can organise your workplace using the correct office storage solutions. If you believe that your employees have a problem with clutter – perhaps there are always papers and knickknacks strewn across their desks – it is essential that you start thinking about solutions now. Letting clutter accumulate will only lead to further problems with productivity, workplace appearance and movement.
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