March 14th is Organize Your Home Office Day. While you are in your office, pulling out papers and files for your taxes would be a good time to take a look at this space to see if it needs some housekeeping.
Where do you even begin?! One foot in front of the other is a good start…or use these 15 minute challenges.
Edit Pencil Drawer
- Prep by gathering dust cloth, vacuum, drawer organizers (*small dishes, votive holders, small gift boxes, drawer organizers)
- Set timer to 15 minutes.
- Take everything out, vacuum inside, then wipe out drawer.
- Use existing drawer organizers* to separate inside of drawer into individual homes for your tools.
- Match tools with the best fitting drawer organizer to hold that tool.
- Fit assortment of drawer organizers into drawer placing frequently used items at front of drawer. Also, keep like items together i.e. binding items like paper clips, binder clips & rubber bands.
- Trash broken items. Donate leftovers.
- Celebrate that you can find the right size binder clip!
Edit Desktop
- Prep by gathering dust cloth, desktop organizers (*trays in varying sizes, paper holder, cups/mugs, notepad/sticky notes), desktop decor (*small, flat, heavy decor item, coaster, candle, tissue).
- Set timer to 15 minutes.
- Take everything off & wipe or polish desktop.
- Use existing desktop organizers* to create individual homes for your essential items.
- Tray for To Dos. Always choose something larger than you think you’ll need.
- Cup for pens/pencils/sharpies/scissors/letter opener.
- Finish with decor*
- A small, flat, heavy decor item is now your paper weight to set on top of your To Do tray.
- Only keep on desktop items you use everyday, several times a day.
- Laptop/computer
- Notepad/sticky notes
- To Do tray with paper weight
- Pen/pencil/scissor/letter opener cup
- Coaster/candle/tissues
- Trash broken items. Donate leftovers.
- Celebrate with a small bouquet of flowers!
Edit File Drawer
- Prep by gathering Recycle Bin, Shred Bin and Trash Bin.
- Set timer to 15 minutes.
- Select 1 file.
- Review paperwork in file…recycling, shredding, trashing or keeping contents.
- Set aside anything that needs to be added to current year taxes.
- Continue selecting next file until time is up.
- Repeat each day until file drawer contents are all edited.
- Celebrate that you found the document you thought was lost! Repeat each day.
Edit Stationery Drawer
- Prep by gathering dust cloth, vacuum, drawer organizers (*small dishes, votive holders, small gift boxes, drawer organizers)
- Set timer to 15 minutes.
- Take everything out, vacuum inside, then wipe out drawer.
- Sort, edit & group like stationery together.
- Try standing cards up in a row if drawer is deep. You could use hanging files for letter stationary. Stationery can also stand up in a row on a cabinet shelf with the help of bookends.
- Order return address labels or a return address stamp that reflects your style or print your own address labels.
- Order postage stamps that reflect your style.
- Donate unwanted stationery.
- Celebrate by writing a friend a note about their awesomeness on your beautiful stationery!
