It’s officially Spring! With it comes rebirth and renewal. New beginnings and new chances. It’s time to let go of the old and welcome in the new. Spring cleaning is something most of us do when this season arrives. Most of the decluttering usually happen at home, but your workspace deserves a little attention too. Whether you’re working from home or going into the office each day, clearing out and sprucing up that work environment might just be the fresh breeze you need to amp up your performance.

Here are a few ways to make some space for “growth” and help make it easier to transform the mayhem into a workspace gem!   

Get some inspiration
Cleaning your office space might not be one of your top favourite things to do. To help you get into what feels like a mountain of a task, first get some inspiration. Pinterest is a great place to start. Look for inspiring ideas here. Visualise how you would like your space and desk to look. Create a vision board if you must and pin all those exciting ideas. Check in with your nearest PNA to find out if they have vision boards or the handy old whiteboard to get those ideas flowing.

One thing at a time
If something like decluttering is a super tedious task to you, take one thing at a time. One drawer, one pencil holder, one file, and keep on going! Breaking it up into smaller sections makes it more manageable. Some might plan to fit the whole organisation into one morning; however, fitting in a few minutes here and there works perfectly fine too. Find the process that works for you. Plan for it and jot it into that to-do list and schedule. Don’t set yourself up for a loss. Set realistic goals to avoid becoming demotivated.

Have a checklist
Is there anything more satisfying than ticking off your to-do list? Having a process in place will help you get through the sorting quicker. Take an overall look at everything you have in the area and plan out where you want what. If it helps, take everything out of the space to help you plan. Start with the bigger items and move on to the smaller, more mind-numbing things to sort like documents.

For some helpful advice on how to sort your documents like a pro, go and have a look at the insightful videos you can find on YouTube, like Alejandra’s series on paper and document decluttering: https://youtu.be/K4KjC3jHkMU

Remember to actually clean the office! Dusting off and wiping down is important. You’ll be surprised how dirty a drawer with scrap paper and pens can get. Oh, yes… and DO NOT forget the computer screen and keyboard! Please get those sandwich crumbs you’ve left since last month.

After seeing what you have, evaluate what you need, what must be chucked, and what can be donated. Keep the things you use most nearby. Set up a system for yourself. Assign a designated space for things that need to be addressed, documents that need to be filed, and things that need to be put away.

Staying organised will help you access things quicker and speed up your system when the day gets extra busy.

Satisfy your senses
Now it’s time to liven things up! Spring cleaning doesn’t only mean dusting and throwing out junk. This is your space. Add some joy and happiness to the area. Bring in elements that will energise and inspire you to get working. You can add some colour with beautiful new stationery, bought at PNA of course! A real or fake plant can also add some life to a dull corporate environment. Get some posters for motivation! A few little pieces can make a huge difference. Also, remember, always be mindful of your colleagues, especially if you work in an open space environment.

It has been proven that working in an organised environment has a significant effect on your workflow. Benjamin Franklin once said: “For every minute spent organising, an hour is earned.” With everything in its place, you won’t waste time searching tirelessly for that one document Karen from HR needs urgently.

Walking into an orderly room that’s pleasing to the eye can fire up your creativity and set the right mood. You spend most of your day at your desk and in the office. Make this your special place where ideas come to life.

Happy spring, and cleaning, PNA creators and innovators!