Even if you live in a part of the country where snow is still on the ground and temperatures are still below freezing, you know for sure that spring is right around the corner. And there is no better time to unclutter and spruce up not just your home, but your office as well. Whether you reside in a plush corner office or a small cubicle you can bring a breath of fresh air to your surroundings very easily.
First of all get rid of the stuff that has been hanging out on your desk or on your shelves. If you haven’t used or looked at it for more than six months, chances are you don’t need it. So start with three piles: trash, file and have to deal with. The trash pile gets shredded if need be or bagged up and off to the dumpster it goes. Organize the file pile into folders labeled with appropriate labels. Remember these are the items you truly need for either research or legal reasons such as contracts, financial records, etc. And then you should have a very small pile of items that need to be addressed. Organize these into priority categories – what has to be done today, by the end of the week, by the end of the month, etc. When your desk is not cluttered up with piles of paper you are more motivated to get to the stuff that really has to be tackled.
Now get out the cleaning supplies and equipment. Dust everything in sight. Vacuum your floor. Use a can of air on your keyboard (you will be surprised at how much icky stuff gets in between the keys). Check with your IT department as to whether they will give you permission to blow out the dust from your computer’s fan and CD/DW drives. And pay attention to their instructions carefully. If you don’t already have them, ask your office manager (or whoever is responsible for ordering supplies) to order the specialized treated cloths made to clean your monitor. Do not use paper towels and glass cleaners or you will end up destroying your monitor. Any surfaces that can be cleaned with a disinfectant should get wiped down to get rid of all those nasty germs that have been floating around the office all winter.
Now open up your window(s) if possible even if it is only for a few minutes to let in some fresh air. Don’t forget to close and lock before you leave however.
Now you have a clean office add some fresh art work, flowers, plants, and a great smelling candle. The candle is not to be lit, but is to be used to add a light pleasant scent to your office. The key words are light and pleasant. Don’t overpower your space with heavy scents, no one enjoys this.
Here is a link were you can find some interesting artwork and other fun stuff to add interest to your office: Raven Studio Click on a category in the left column to find a subject that interests you. Or click on CafePress for other products or for the opportunity to make your own unique items or even open your own store.
Copyright ©D. L. MacMillan All Rights Reserved
