| Whether you own your own small business or are | | | | standard line service. |
| the office manager of a large firm there is one | | | | 6. Choose desks and cubicles that allow for |
| thing in common - finding ways to stay organized. | | | | maximum storage and ease of use. If the desk |
| While many of us have organizational skills at | | | | does not have enough room people tend to |
| home, bringing them to work is often a different | | | | expand out of the desk onto the floor or into |
| story. | | | | common areas. Each person should have access |
| 1. Keep things out of sight. If you have clients | | | | to at least one file cabinet drawer and several |
| coming into your office this is extremely | | | | other drawers for other items. Overhead cabinets |
| important to the perception the client has of your | | | | are useful for storing books or notebooks. |
| company. This is equally important for those | | | | 7. If your type of business requires common files |
| offices where clients never visit. Why? Because | | | | always opt for a file room as opposed to placing |
| office clutter can make employees feel down and | | | | storage file cabinets out in the open throughout |
| even get them disorganized as well. | | | | the office. If you require filing help consider |
| 2. Organization closets. Closets are great places to | | | | bringing in a temp once a month to do the filing. |
| keep supplies and extra equipment as long as | | | | Keep a basket in the file room for people to drop |
| they stay organized. People will tend to throw | | | | files that need to be put away. |
| things into the cabinet anywhere unless they see | | | | 8. Coffee or break rooms are a nice convenience |
| that the organization is easy to keep track of. | | | | because they allow people to have lunch even |
| Label shelves using a labeler so that everything | | | | when they may not have time to leave the |
| has a place. | | | | office. These rooms can become a nightmare if |
| 3. Keep a box for excess items. This box comes | | | | not kept up. Encourage people to clean up after |
| in handy for items that nobody knows what to | | | | themselves. Make sure that there are cabinets to |
| do with. Instead of jamming these items onto a | | | | put things away and out of sight. Provide dish |
| shelf make a box and label it just for items like | | | | soap, sponges and paper towels so people can |
| this. Keep it in the bottom of the closet and let | | | | more easily keep the areas clean. |
| people know what it's for. Every so often clean | | | | 9. Hire a good cleaning service. Most offices |
| out the box and decide what needs to be done | | | | require the use of a cleaning service. They can |
| with the items. | | | | come nightly or less often as needed. They can |
| 4. Use handy desk accessories. Desks in open | | | | remove garbage and recycling, clean the break |
| areas look good when everyone has the same | | | | room and vacuum and clean floors. Have them |
| type and color of office accessories. Figure out | | | | come in for window cleaning from time to time. |
| which items would work best for your type of | | | | 10. Share the responsibility for cleanliness and |
| business. Then, order desk equipment in bulk to | | | | organization. Ensure that employees know what is |
| save money. | | | | expected of them such as keeping their desk, |
| 5. Organize bills for easy review and payment. If | | | | cubicle area or office organized. Encourage others |
| you are using an accountant keep an envelope | | | | to ask for specific help or items they may need |
| for current bills and timely file older ones. Review | | | | to help them to stay organized. Sometimes |
| telephone bills to see if different services are | | | | getting a temp in monthly to help someone |
| needed based on current calling patterns. A voice | | | | organize their office helps them to stay focused |
| T1 service is often much more economical than | | | | on the day to day business. |