Beating the clutterbug
On occasion we come to a point where we realise we need to get rid of most if not all of the clutter in our lives.
Wikipedia gives the definition of clutter as being, "A confusing or disorderly state or collection; or the creation thereof."
When you think about it clutter is confusing, no matter how effective you think your "personal filing system" or memory of where wanted items are amongst your clutter is, it takes a lot of energy to maintain disorder.
We all know that life is so much easier when all of our documents are filed neatly away in their respective folders in the filing cabinet.
It means you can find any document you need in seconds and you can freely use your clean desktop for working instead of trying to work amongst the piles of unfiled items.
So why do we create and maintain states of clutter for ourselves?
In severe cases, hoarding can be a symptom or subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but for most of us it is a habit we can control and change with a few simple steps.
In an office environment most clutter is caused by unfiled documents piling up on desks and other work surfaces.
Often we allow the clutter to build up because we just don't know how to organise it better, or we put off filing because it becomes a daunting task.
I know myself I can get so busy that I simply add documents to the "to be filed" tray, and it's not until I find myself searching frantically through that tray that I schedule in time for filing.
A good filing system is a simple one, once you decide on how you want your papers organised (by company name/product type etc) then you have to stick to that plan, or take the time to change your entire filing system to a new plan.
Consistency is important to avoid confusion.
Having a written key posted on filing cabinet drawers is a handy tool, both for finding needed documents in a hurry, and for when filing them away.
Using colour coding for folders and including the colour code on your posted key helps too.
Putting everything neatly away is only half the job when alleviating clutter, the other most important step is purging.
If you filed every piece of paper that ever crossed your hands you would need entire buildings full of filing cabinets.
It's important to know which documents you want and need to keep and which ones get filed in the recycling basket.
This is relatively easy when you are busy filing things away, but what about all of those documents that are well past their use-by date in your filing cabinet?
Including a date system in your filing plan is a good idea, know which documents you can turf out when they are replaced by a newer version, or after a certain time period, and include this in your written key.
CD ROMs, DVDs and flash drives or memory sticks of data or containing programs can also pile up, so have a set place and system for organising these too.
Don't forget that unwashed coffee cups, broken pencils, unused cables and general "stuff" also pile up if you let them.
There is a great sense of relief and freedom in purging unwanted papers and other items, you are left feeling physically lighter, as if you were actually carrying the weight of them around on your back!
If you keep your work space clean and tidy you will find it easier to focus your energy on your work instead of remembering which document is in which "pile to be filed".
Schedule in a whole day for purging, filing, cleaning and organising your office, and have fun with it.
Perhaps consider having a dress up theme and a special lunch or afternoon tea and social time included. Once everyone gets the bug for a big tidy up it can become a frenzy of fun and activity.
Happy Organising!
Beating the clutterbug
By: Net Secretary
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