Organization Tips for an Office Cubicle

When you spend 8+ hours in a tiny office cubicle each day, it can easily become cluttered to a point that’s beyond your control (see image below). Not only does this look unprofessional, but a cluttered cubicle also makes your work responsibilities difficult to accomplish. Instead of working on the task at hand, you’ll spend the majority of your time digging through clutter to to try and locate documents or other important items. The good news is that you can regain control of your cubicle by properly organizing it. The bad news, however, is that it’s going to take some time and work; here’s how you do it:

Computer Area

Since the computer is one of the most frequently used areas in the typical office cubicle, you’ll want to focus on keeping it clean and clutter-free. Try not to stack files or folders on top of the keyboard and leave plenty of room for you to move the mouse around; otherwise, you’ll have a difficult time using your computer.

There’s nothing wrong with placing a couple sticky notes on the side of your monitor as a reminder for important deadlines, but keep them to a minimum. I’ve seen some computer monitors in office cubicles that were almost completely covered with sticky notes. So much, in fact, that it became difficult to see what was on the screen. When you no longer need a sticky note, take it down and throw it away. The couple seconds it takes to do so will help keep your office cubicle clean and tidy.

Pen and Pencil Holders - Use Them!

If you take a look at some of the most cluttered office cubicles in a building, you’ll probably notice how most of them are filled with pencils and pens strewn everywhere. While every worker will need his or her own writing utensil, you should keep them somewhat organized to prevent your cubicle from turning into a disaster zone. A simple pen/pencil cup is all it takes to keep your writing utensils under control. Just remember to place them back here anytime you take one out to write with.

Keep Necessities Within Arms Reach

No matter what type of work you do from an office cubicle, chances are there will be some items you use more than others. The trick to creating a clean, functional office cubicle is to keep these necessities within arms reach. You don’t want to place the extra work of sifting through junk just so you can locate necessary items, so make sure they are readily available.