Clutter Busters

Inert (adj.) – Having no inherent ability to move or to resist motion.

Does this describe the clutter on your desk and in your office? Matter is inert. Files are inert. Books are inert….. You get the idea.  To de-clutter your working space, you need to make matter mobile, meaning, PICK IT UP AND PUT IT AWAY!

As busy as we all are, sometimes it is just way too easy to let things get out of hand and then we are left  staring at a pile of files that are threatening to either topple off of the corner of the desk or trip you up when you step unwarily over them. Been there, done that!

This is where containers become your friend. And any container type will do. Shoe boxes, bank boxes, baskets or clear plastic containers, preferably with lids. These containers can be used to sort out what will be re-distributed (put away), donated, or dumped.

Re-distributed

Working from our own home offices as we do, it is not at all unusual to find that little things wind up on our desk during the day that really have no business being there.  With me, I tend to need to put away such items as water bottles, hand lotion, books that somehow migrated into my office, and any other number of small items that landed on or near my desk. These all go in the box next to my office door and at the end of my working day they are treated much as the left behind items in a grocery store are. I take my box and put everything in it back on the shelf.

Donate

Twice a year I engage in what I term a “Purge Party” and go through closets, cupboards, drawers, garage and get rid of junk and other stuff that just accumulates and is of no real use to me but may well be to somebody else.  By purging old clothes out of closets, old food out of the pantry, and old folders and papers out of your office, you can free up your mind and increase your energy. To this end, there is a large box in the garage labeled “Donate” which reminds me to place items there so I don’t have to store them indefinitely. When it gets full, off it goes to Goodwill, or it prompts me to have an impromptu “Purge Party”.

Dump

Obviously you need to dump things that you really can’t donate and just don’t want or need. My favorite things in the world to dump are plastic storage lids. Do they have naughty relations in the dark cupboard and reproduce?? Where do the darn things come from anyway and where are the containers that they are supposed to be paired with? It is a conundrum.

I would love to hear how you manage clutter in your home office!