How to Keep a Clean Desk

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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With multi-tasking and the demands of so much paper work and reading, the home and work desk easily grows with clutter. Finding something takes more time while the workspace gets smaller. Taking a little time each day to clean the desk remains the only solution to clutter management.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

File folders
Paper notebook
Containers
Dust cloth
Desk cleaner

Step1

Process mail daily, keeping what's important and tossing or recycling the rest. Make it a habit to handle the mail no more than two times.

Step2

File all papers with a good personalized filing system. Keep bills, letters and documents which need following up in one set of files and paid bills, tax information and account statements in another.

Step3

Add appointments, contact information and things to do to your calendar (computer software such as Outlook or paper notebook for a hardcopy) then eliminate the scattered sticky notes or scraps of paper that contained the info.

Step4

Keep unread newspapers and magazines to a minimum by reading or recycling.

Step5

Buy small containers for paper clips, staples, rubber bands, pens and pencils. Be creative with small tins, cigar boxes, and plastic margarine cups to organize the small items.

Step6

Go through your desk drawers each week to maintain orderliness and follow-up to projects or assignments that you stashed away.

Step7

Wipe your desk, lamp and computer clean weekly with a dust cloth and cleaner appropriate to your desk material.

Tips & Warnings

Always have a box of blank file folders and file everything. Only keep the active files on your desk.
Keep copies of important items on your computer but back up often and only print when needed.
Eat away from your desk and keep coffee and drinks on coasters in a safe area.