Tips to Keep the Office Organized

A clean space can help clear the mind, making it easier to remain focused and productive. Many workers have individual tricks to keep desks clean, but how do you keep the entire office organized? Staying organized doesn’t have to be a challenge. Here are some tips to keep the office orderly.

1.     Organize by color – Paper is essential in business, and it can also be the key to keeping your office organized. Establish a quick and easy identification system by color. You can use different colored papers for various internal forms to make filing a breeze, or assign each client or project a color to easily spot and organize notes. Boise® FIREWORX® Multi-Use Colored Copy paper has 22 color choices that pop. Be sure the whole office is ‘in’ on the system so that everyone can comply.

2.     Use a bulletin board – Place a bulletin board in a high-traffic, visible spot in the office – like the kitchen or mail room – to share important announcements and updates. Keep a calendar on the board to inform employees about events, birthdays, holidays and events. Use vibrant, eye-catching flyers, graphics and post-it notes to capture peoples’ attention. Keeping announcements in a central location will limit unnecessary questions because employees will know what to expect. Place someone in charge of turning over the announcements every month to keep it looking sharp.

3.     Become a label master – Use a simple label machine to type out and put labels on everything in the office to erase confusion and help the office move efficiently. Labels can be used in a variety of ways, such as reminders for what printer to use or for the Wi-Fi password. Label specific spots for office supplies – drawers, cupboards and shelves – so that the entire team knows where items should be located. Create a chart for quick reminders about where things are stored and place it on the communal bulletin board for easy access!

4.     Establish a clutter-free workplace – Keeping an entire office organized is easier said than done, so don’t do it alone! Set up quarterly office clean-up days and provide trash cans and cleaning supplies to every employee. During the clean-up, keep the simple F.A.S.T acronym in mind. F is for “fix a time,” making sure everyone knows when the quarterly clean-up is. A is for “anything not used in 12 months,” meaning if you haven’t used or needed an item in more than a year, it’s time to dump it. S is for “someone else’s stuff,” reminding you to hand off your coworker’s old notebook to the correct hands. And finally, T is for “trash can” – don’t be afraid to utilize it! Throw away anything you know you won’t need and recycle loose papers or files.

All in all, keeping the office organized can be simple when you keep these four tips top of mind. Learn more about Boise Paper products at www.BoisePaper.com.