On any given day, how often do you find yourself telling someone on the other end of the phone, “Hold on while I find a pen”? Or asking a colleague who is about to start a meeting, “Wait a second, I need to dig out my notepad”? Or searching for some project documentation, client information, or just your to-do list or a paper clip? Bet you’ve “lost” your cell phone or keys at least once amidst the mayhem on your desk. If you could add up every minute and second you spend searching for things you need instead of actually using them, how much time do you think would be wasted in a day? And how much of that time would be better spent on productive work so you could finish what you need to do and get on with your life?
It’s a common problem but we’ve got some ideas to help you conquer the I-can’t-find-it-itis that afflicts a typical workspace. When you see how easy it is, you’ll be amazed that you’ve done it any other way for so long. So stop searching and start organizing right now.
Keep it within eyeball’s reach
The DocuMate lets you keep frequently referenced documents right in front of your eyes without cluttering your desk. And see that space in the back? Great for keeping your keys so you always know where they are.
You’ve heard of keeping things within arm’s reach. But chances are everything in the mad mess on your desk is within arm’s reach, and that’s never helped you find anything before. Sometimes keeping things within arm’s reach is the worst thing you can do because all you end up with is clutter. Try something new today: keep the things you need within eyeball’s reach – that means where you can see them when you need them. How? Easy! By choosing the right tools to help you organize.
One of the best kept secrets of a well-organized desktop is the reference organizer. A reference organizer does double duty by keeping important documents not only within arm’s reach but also within eyeball’s reach. Instead of flipping frantically through crowded file folders or dashing desperately through overstuffed drawers, just insert your documents into the protected pockets of a reference organizer, add a color coded tab, and you’ll be able to scan for what you need without lifting a finger.
The SpinFile gives you plenty of storage in the base, and yes it does spin, so you can rotate it to whatever supply you need at the moment.
Reference organizers can sit on your desktop, or be mounted to a wall or even to an arm-clamp mounted to your desk if space is limited. So next time you need your phone contact list or to-do list, pie chart or flow chart, daily schedule or takeout menu, all you need to do is reach out an eyeball and scan those tabbed labels for exactly the document you need. And with one little flip of a finger, it will be right there in front of you.
Bonus use: you can even store supplies and small items in the base of a desktop reference organizer. If you constantly find yourself reaching for the stick glue, keep it in the base of your organizer right in front of you. Or how about using it to store those perpetually missing keys and cell phone?
Think up
This WoodWorx starter kit will get you on your way to a more organized space. Choose a kit or if you're feeling daring, you can build your own with just the components you need.
Sometimes the only thing standing between us and a perfectly organized work space is, well, space – or lack of it. Nowadays with some companies downsizing (supply closet, anyone?) and many entrepreneurs starting new businesses out of small home offices, space is becoming more and more of a luxury. Instead of pining for a bigger office or resigning yourself to rifling through boxes, crates, random piles of paperwork and that old grocery bag where you stashed your stapler, grab hold of the space you have by going “up”. You may not have a lot of desk space but you probably have a decent amount of air space. And a good organizing solution will help you maximize that otherwise empty vertical space.
If you want to stack in style, WoodWorx gives you furniture-quality pieces that can be combined however you choose to create useful vertical space that fits the way you work. Too many file folders? Try a step-up file. Lots of forms? Stacking trays and document sorters are the way to go. Bunches of supplies? Then go for all drawers, all the time. By going vertical you not only create more space but you’re also able to keep more things that you need and use within arm’s (and eyeball’s) reach.
SteelWorx has all the modular magic of WoodWorx in a sleek contemporary style.
WoodWorx has paper trays, cubes, drawers and even a reference organizer component so you can stack your way to more usable space. Desktop risers and “toppers” even give you added work space. Not into the traditional wood look? There’s always the contemporary SteelWorx – same stackable functionality as WoodWorx in sleek steel components.
So next time you’re staring forlornly at your small desk and the piles of stuff on it, start thinking “up” and imagine how you can use all that empty air space in front of you. A little creativity and the right organizing solution will make it easy for you to find what you need hassle-free.
Go to the wall
Look at all this modular goodness! With Walmaster rails you can keep everything you need right in front of you without cluttering up one iota of desk space. Why search for pens, supplies and paperwork when you can store it where you can see it?
This is right along the lines of thinking up, because what goes “up” more than the wall in front of you? If you’re not using wall space to store and organize your work materials, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Sure, the six framed photos of your pug are adorable above your desk, and the oversized canvas art you picked up at a local street fair makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. But relegate those things to another wall and use the one in front of you to make it a snap to find what you need.
And there’s more to wall storage than a bunch of melamine shelves. If you’re looking for something truly stylish and functional in a way no shelf ever was, try the Walmaster rail system. You’d be amazed at what a couple of aluminum rails hung strategically above your desk can do for your productivity. Walmaster rails are exactly what they sound like – rails. But the beauty lies in how you use them. There are components to hold hanging files. And to support books and binders. There are components to keep file folders. And to store CDs and other media. There are paper trays so you can keep your in box, out box and what-should-I-do-with-this-stuff box off the surface of your desk. There are open drawers for all your office supplies, from staplers to paper clips, and cups designed to hold pencils and pens. There’s even a platform for your phone.
With all these options, it’s just a matter of picking the ones that work for you and fit your organization needs. So whether you’re a paper filer or a pen collector, a CD burner or a bookworm, you will always be able to keep the things you need right in front of you – literally! And you’ll always be able to find them, so you never again need to ask the caller on the other end of the phone to hold while you find a ^@#*$& pen.
Sort it out
PocketFiles are great for storing documents you need to find quickly. The tabs make it easy to label and the colors make it easy for you to scan for what you need.
Ah, the paperless dream… so environmentally-conscious, so space-saving, so tidy… so not happening any time this century. You may bank, shop and pay bills online but when it comes down to it, you probably still have client files, project documents, task lists and other paperwork just daring you to go digital. You may even be ignoring that paperwork in defiance of its mere existence, confident that it will soon be a thing of the past. And yet we still have to contend with it, so instead of turning it into the Waterloo of your workday, get it under control so you can stop all that time-draining searching and get down to business.
One of the simplest – and still best – ways of taming paperwork is to organize it into files or folders. That makes it easy for you to store, label and scan for what you need. Start by creating logical groupings of documents. You may want to store paperwork by client, by type of job, by month, by priority or by whatever works for you. PocketFiles are versatile folders that make it easy for you to do just that – sort, store, label and then find what you need. And they can be used for color coding to make your scanning job that much easier.
Look ma, no clutter! The Walmaster paper manager will hold your PocketFiles and other file folders where you need them. Oh, and did we mention that there's a Walmaster grid option, too? So many possibilities, so few walls.
Here’s another helpful tip: use 5th cut PocketFiles to organize your daily priorities. That’s five folder sections, one for each work day. Label them Monday through Friday and drop in the documents you’ll need for each day. Client meeting on Tuesday? Keep those notes in the Tuesday section. Are you in charge of bringing lunch to Thursday’s team project review? Stick the takeout menus into the Thursday slot. Writing a blog on Friday? Put all your research notes and ideas into the Friday section. These are simple things you can do week-to week to make your daily tasks simpler, more streamlined and easier to execute because you won’t be searching for your notes, menus and other paperwork every time you need something.
Next time you feel a case of I-can’t-find-it-it is coming on, stop and asses the mess. You can find what you need. Simply choose a few organizing tools that will let you keep the things you need at hand without overwhelming your space or sapping your motivation. If you organize it one piece at a time you’ll be well on your way to a more productive, enjoyable work day.
For more information or to buy these products:
DocuMate 10-pocket Reference Organizer
SpinFile 10-pocket Executive Desktop Reference Organizer
Walmaster Aluminum Rail System (shown with various accessories)
PocketFiles (5th cut)
About Ultimate Office
Ultimate Office provides innovative organization and storage solutions for your business and home office. Our passion is for taking the ordinary and making it not just extraordinary, but Ultimate.
