For those of us cleaning-disabled individuals, sometimes hiring a cleaning service to come weekly or even daily is just not enough.  A pen here, a piece of paper there, a file set down at random, a jacket hung over a chair…it all adds up, and quicker than you know the previously spotless area is once again a huge mess.  Here are some handy tips to help you survive between visits:

10. Air freshener:

At the very least, it’ll make your office smell clean.

9. Keep Handi Wipes, well, handy:

Emergency cleaning supplies are especially good to have for those unforeseen circumstances.  It’s a shame that only babies and toddlers have spill-proof sippy cups.

8. Hang up coats, jackets, ties, etc.:

If you don’t have a closet, get hooks.  If you work in a cubicle, try suggesting a communal area where everyone can hang up their coats and gear.  Just like in one’s bedroom at home, clothing tossed around equals instant mess.

7. Get a computer brush to get rid of crumbs:

Someone gave me one of those recently and it is my new favorite toy.  As someone who eats at my desk, it really makes [desk] life so much cleaner.  With a simple swipe of the brush crumbs and dust disappear.

6. Keep food in mini-fridge/special drawer, wash out dirty mugs:

I have trouble getting through the day without eating some sort of pick-me-up, so I keep “desk snacks” in a special place nearby.  Keeping lunch or snacks in a designated drawer (mine are under the desk) reduces the amount of visible clutter.  So does getting rid of empty/dirty mugs or cups.  Don’t just get a new cup of coffee; make sure to wash/throw out the old one(s), too.

5. Dispose of extraneous stuff:

Old papers, broken pens, receipts from 2005, a paperweight holding down air…if you aren’t using it, get rid of it.

4. File, file, file:

This one is basic.  Filing cabinets exist for a reason.  Use them!

3. Straighten piles on the desk:

For those things that need to remain on your desk for some purpose, be it they can’t be filed yet, are still being used or whatever, there’s no reason they can’t be neat.  Piles have a way of multiplying themselves like the mops in Fantasia.  At the very least, it won’t look so cluttered.  Keeping the piles contained will probably make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for faster.

2. Have a garbage can nearby:

This is a biggie.  Proximity is everything.  The farther away you have to go to get to a garbage can, the less often you do it and the greater the buildup of trash and junk.  It doesn’t have to be a large receptacle, just something that will fit in your office/workspace near your desk.

1. A place for everything and everything in its place:

As much of a cliché as it is, this old adage is the most important.  For the office or for anywhere in your house, having a drawer, a rack, a shelf, any designated space at all for your stuff is essential.  The counter in my bedroom was always such a mess.  I’d organize it, but within 3 days it would be back to complete chaos.  Someone gave me a small, free-standing shelf, and it has made all the difference.  Along with having little containers to organize other things like medicines, jewelry, etc., my counter has remained organized for weeks.  In- and out-boxes are a blessing, as are desk organizers and pencil holders.  All of these are easily obtainable from Staples or Office Max or any office supply company.

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Tags: messy office, Office Cleaning, tips