Organize Your Desk

In my journal for 1989, I found these notes on organizing one's desk.  I didn't record the source of these notes but I think I probably found them in a newspaper article.

  1. If you don't need the desk, get rid of it.  If the desk isn't there, it can't become cluttered.  (That would certainly solve the problem!)
  2. Get the right desk. Everything within arms reach and no glare surface.
  3. You must be able to see your desk top. Work on one thing at a time. Put the rest away till you need it.
  4. Don't clear your desk by sticking everything into a desk drawer.  If you can't think what to do with it, consider throwing it away.
  5. Keep your filing system up to date.  Use clear labels.  95% of things filed for over a year are never used.  (I can vouch for this as I am going through things here that have not been used as the years flew by.)
  6. It's never too late to turn over a new desk.  (Don't you love this figure of speech!)
  7. Get over your emotional attachment to paper.

There it is.  I'm going to take a good look at my desk.  Maybe I'll turn it over!  If I get rid of it, where will I put all those things I store in the drawers?

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Posted by: NJ on 3/31/2005 8:41:07 AM , 7 comments

Submitted by mary lou at 3/31/2005 12:57:04 PM
    I solved the problem last year, I just bought another desk!!! I now have 4 of them! :)
Submitted by NJ at 3/31/2005 3:45:26 PM
    Mary Lou, you have a totally different solution. Whatever works
Submitted by rosieposie at 3/31/2005 4:33:58 PM
    Number 7 is especially true! So often we think the sky will fall if we don't hang on to every little thing.
Submitted by NJ at 3/31/2005 4:41:06 PM
    Rosie, I know what you're saying, but, did you ever accidentally throw away something important? One experience like that can firm up your attachment to paper. I think the trick is to get the right balance and not hang onto useless records from the far distant past. I'm trying to learn this!
Submitted by John at 3/31/2005 7:27:49 PM
    I know someone who, in an effort to get rid of useless paper actually shredded his car registration sticker. You know that had to be a shocker!
Submitted by Lorraine at 3/31/2005 9:17:06 PM
    There are also ways to save important papers that you need to keep over 1 year. I learned from my aunt to make a "house book" which is a large 3" notebook which you can attach invoices for any repairs or upgrades you do to your home. It also is very handy when you want to look up a tradesman that you used in the past. I also have a notebook that I keep with fabric and paint swatches for my house. I catagorize it by room and include a photo of the room, too. It's handy enough to take with me when I'm shopping for new furniture or accessories and it's also useful as proof if I ever have to make an insurance claim. I staple the receipts of high value electronics to the inside of the first page of owners manuals and file the manuals in one place.
Submitted by NJ at 3/31/2005 9:40:16 PM
    Lorraine, that's such a good way to organize. You just have to remember to put all those important things into the binder.
    John, we plaed jigsaw puzzle with the truck license sticker but we got it on the plate correctly after it had been shredded. Gotta watch out for what goes into that shredder!
Name: Url:
Confirm: