Spring is the perfect time to think about how you can clean and declutter your office and create a more effective and efficient working environment.
A cluttered office space can harm the way you work. If your desk is messy, your draws barely shut because they are stuffed full of documents, and your files disorganised and impossible to find, it makes working productively so much harder, wastes time, and can cause costly mistakes.
Luckily it is easy to get your workspace back in good shape. By following these handy decluttering and cleaning tips, you can streamline your work processes, ensure everything has its proper place, and create a more pleasant, productive, and healthy working environment.
So, where to start?
Step 1: De-clutter
Do it once properly
If you’ve made half-hearted attempts to declutter before but found yourself in the same old mess again after a few months, you may be feeling disheartened. However, if you take the time to spring clean your office properly and thoroughly, you shouldn’t have to go through the same process time and time again.
Firstly remove all of your clutter from your desk/ files/ draws and sort through it all. Decide what you need to keep and what should be thrown away. Then spend time organising everything, so it has a proper, clearly marked place. Doing so will mean you and your team always know where everything goes, and your space shouldn’t become decluttered again.
Be ruthless
There is only one reason we end up with so much clutter in the first place: we hold onto things we no longer have use for. When you start decluttering, you’ll be amazed at how many things have been sitting in draws for years, irrelevant pieces of mail have been squashed into drawers, or client information that you no longer need. Now is the time to let go of everything that isn’t helping your business run effectively. Then put a system in place to ensure that you deal with things such as post immediately, file what you need, and get rid of what you don’t so the clutter can’t pile up again.
Designate a place for everything
And we do mean everything. Your staff should adhere to the same system and know where everything goes. That way, you won’t waste time searching for items, files, or other information, which will help your business run more smoothly.
Discover smart storage solutions
Often a cluttered work environment is due to insufficient storage space or not using the space you do have wisely. Plenty of intelligent storage solutions available can result in a clutter-free office and give all your books, papers, and stationary a proper place to live.
Don’t give up
Once you have tidied your workspace and designated a place for each thing, ensure you are rigorous about sticking to your system. It’s all too easy at the end of a challenging day to not take the time and care to put things away, but doing so will keep you much more organised and efficient in the long run.
Step 2: Clean
A clean office is vital in running a successful and productive business. Not only does a clean office mean better organisation, it also helps to keep employee morale high. It will reduce instances of sickness, meaning your workforce is productive, and there is less downtime too.
While hiring a professional cleaning team is the best way to keep your office spick and span, there are also things you and your team can do to keep your office looking good.
Here are some top tips to help you ensure that your office stays clean:
Have cleaning materials to hand
Keep a supply of cleaning materials in the office so that employees can use them when they want to tidy up their own or any communal spaces quickly. It’s easy to have an excuse not to do it if not provided with suitable materials. So don’t let that be the case in your workplace.
Stock the office with dusters, computer screen wipes, cloths, kitchen rolls, bin liners, washing up liquid, and general cleaning sprays. This way, if any spillages or other accidents occur, they can be cleaned up quickly and easily too.
Clean your space
When undertaking an office spring clean, you need to do as thorough a job as possible. Start by clearing workspaces of items and then wiping and cleaning these. Wipe and clean your equipment such as keyboards, computer screens, and phones. Make sure you dust and polish surfaces and often forgotten areas such as light fixtures, door handles, and skirting boards. Dust, wipe down and clean all communal areas too. Once you have finished cleaning, you can turn your attention to the carpets and give everything a good hoover. If you need a carpet deep clean, you might wish to hire a company to undertake that for you.
Have a rota
Create a cleaning rota dividing up chores amongst the team to ensure everyone takes responsibility for their mess. Some jobs could include taking the bins out, wiping down surfaces, ensuring all the tea mugs are washed up and clearing any old food from fridges. Having a rota means everyone knows what they have to do, and all the day-to-day jobs should be managed and kept under control.
Label food
Out of date food being left unclaimed in fridges can become a real problem in offices. So insist on a food labelling system so owners of the offending items can be quickly identified. Ask your team also to take responsibility to wash up any dishes or other crockery used as soon as they have finished will also prevent plates from piling up. If everyone commits to doing their bit, the office will stay cleaner and more pleasant to work in for as long as possible.
Bring in some life
Once your office is clean and decluttered, why not bring some plants into the area to create a positive, healthy, vibrant atmosphere? Plants are thought to increase a sense of well-being and lift mood, and some varieties even purify the air, so it’s a no-brainer!
Step 3: Organise
Having a perfectly organised and smooth running office is what we all aim for, but this isn’t always easy. Striving for perfection might be an overwhelming challenge; instead, why not focus on putting some structures in place to help keep your office organised? Being able to locate essential files, documents, resources, and stationary quickly and easily will save you time. Suppose everything you keep in situ has its own logical place. In that case, it will be so much easier to keep your workspace neat and tidy, resulting in less clutter in the office, fewer distractions, and a calm, focused, and productive working environment.
Here are some useful tips for great office organisation:
Focus on your paperwork
Paperwork is by far the biggest cause of clutter and confusion in any busy office. Let paperwork build up, and it can quickly become overwhelming. To tackle this, carefully go through each document one by one and if you have no use for it, get rid of it by throwing it away, recycling it, or shredding it if the information is sensitive. Once you are left with only the paperwork you need, it is time to devise a sensible filing system so all team members can quickly locate the paperwork they require.
Declutter your desktop
Switching on your computer screen to a desktop rammed with different files and programmes can feel very demotivating. So take the time to clean up your desktop and only keep those files and programmes you access daily on the home screen. With everything else, it’s time to create a digital filing system that means every document has a place that is accessible. Make sure you label your files with useful titles and other information such as dates that might help other team members locate them with ease.
Keep items you need close
Keep the everyday items you use frequently close at hand. Useful items such as pens, a notebook, and your phone should all have a designated space on your desk. Try to keep your desk as distraction and clutter-free as possible, so it is easy to focus on your work.
Tidy away wires
Another often overlooked area when undertaking an office spring clean is to sort any loose wires around your desk or phone. Clip these together and hide them out of sight if possible. Not only will this create a clutter-free environment, but it will also reduce the risk of tripping too.
Keep personal items limited
While it can be nice to brighten up your desk with personal items, try to keep them limited to minimise distractions and clutter and keep you working as efficiently and productively as possible.
Spring cleaning your office can be a great way to reset and get organised for a productive second half of the year. By following the above tips, you will not only have a clean and organised workspace but will be able to keep it that way too.
Of course, there will be some areas that only a professional cleaning company can help you with, and that’s why were are here. If you are considering hiring an office cleaning company to help you with your cleaning needs, we offer an impressive range of services, from daily office cleans to office deep cleans and specialised services. Browse our service options for more information, or contact one of our expert team members to talk through your requirements today.
