2016 is well and truly upon us, with many of us now rejuvenating over the weekend after the dreaded first week back in the office. The start of the new year marks a great opportunity to shake things up in the office or even just make a few small tweaks here and there to improve efficiency and productivity. After a hectic end to the year it’s highly likely that your office is something of a pig sty – so why not follow these top tips to get your office back in order and enjoy a more organised office space in 2016.
Start with a clean slate
Kick off your office re-organisation with a clear out. You’ll need more than the occasional tidy of your desk to become really organised. Clear the top of your desk and all your drawers and really take a look at what office supplies you’re buried under. Do you really need all of those pieces of paper to hand or can you archive some documents? Do you use all that stationery regularly or could some of it be stored in the stationery cupboard for when you do use it? Most of the things we accumulate directly around us at work are there just because we used them once or twice, not because we need them on a day-to-day basis. Be ruthless and keep only what you need to work efficiently on a regular basis. An uncluttered space could well lead to an uncluttered mind!
Sort out that stationery cupboard
Most offices have a cupboard or area in which to keep the office stationery, but having a separate storage area for stationery doesn’t help you organise your office unless the office cupboard itself is organised! Too often this area becomes a dumping ground for unwanted bits and pieces (see tip 1!) so that a ‘quick’ trip to the stationery cupboard becomes a bit of a mission to find what you need. Spend the time sorting the shelves into areas for separate office products, and use common sense about what to keep together (keep small items like pens, pencils, erasers together; copier paper with ink cartridges, etc.), and you will save time in the long-run.
Fine tune your filing
Once you’ve separated the documents you need to keep around you and the ones that can be archived, take a look at your filing system. You can waste precious time searching for documents if they’re not clearly and logically organised. Use hanging folders and sub-files within that, all clearly labelled. Colour coding is a quick way to find the file you’re looking for.
Don’t forget the rest of the office
It’s not just your desk, files and stationery that need to be whipped into shape for a more organised office; the whole office space can affect your productivity. For instance, is your office equipment serviced regularly to make sure it doesn’t break down just when you need it most? Do you find yourself searching around for a toner cartridge instead of having them close to the printer? Is your office furniture so old and uncomfortable that you need to get up and wander round the office to stretch your legs too frequently? Assess your whole office area and you’ll be surprised by how much time can be saved by organising every part of the space.
Use these tips as a starting point towards getting the streamlined and productive office space of your dreams. To put these tips into practice, visit loco.ie – your one-stop shop for office supplies online.
