How to organize your desk
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1. Clean everything off of your desk
You want to start with a clean desk. It is hard to organize your desk if you can't even see your desktop. Put everything away that has a place and set everything else to the side where you can easily get it. You want to start with nothing on your desk so you can carefully choose what needs to go on your desk and exactly where to place it.
2. Wipe down your desk
You probably won't have your desk completely clear very often, so take this opportunity to clean your desktop before you start organizing your desk.
3. Find the items that you use most frequently and place them.
The goal is to put the things you use the most where they are within easy reach. This may be in a drawer or on your desktop, but make sure you are prioritizing things based on your actual usage--not what you think you should use. Chances are high that the things you use the most are all going to be on your desktop if your desk was unorganized. Some of these items should be put into a top drawer where you can quickly get the, but they remain out of sight. You may have to move stuff around in your drawers in order to do this.
You want to have a specific place for everything. It may be on your desk or in a drawer, but when you use an item it needs to be returned to its correct location.
4. Place the items you use often, but not as frequently
These items can be a bit more tricky. You want to make sure you can get to them, but you may not need them instantly accessible. This may mean putting them in a lower drawer or even in a closet.
5. Decide what to do with the rest
The items that you don't use very often at all need to be put somewhere, but they may not belong on or in your desk. For example, a three hole punch might be better placed in the workroom than taking up space in your office if you only use it occasionally. You may also have a lot of decorative stuff that increases the amount of clutter in your office. While you may want to personalize your workspace, don't overlook the fact that visual clutter is going to slow you down. It is probably best to keep your personal items on a shelf or hanging on the wall instead of taking up space on your desk. One or two items is ok, but keep it to a minimum.