You know it’s difficult to work in a cluttered, dusty, coffee-splattered office space. You’d be a better worker and a more successful human being if you tidied up a bit, yet have trouble finding the time. If you’re the tidy one and your employees are not, you have another challenge: motivating your staff to take time out of their busy day to clean.
Professional cleaning services like Camberg Commerical Cleaning can do a great deal of the work for you, and we are worth every penny.
However, keeping up some level of maintenance on your own can be great for routine cleanup as well as office morale. Consider the following tips for getting – and maintaining – a spic-and-span office that encourages a high level of productivity:
Piles of Paper
Paper is a killer. Piles of it collect and hedge your desk until you have only a small corner in which to actually work. Worse yet, it can be difficult, with so many saved documents, all marked “important,” to know where to find specific items when you need them. So what’s the key to processing paper? When something lands on your desk, immediately read and file; rinse and repeat.
By establishing a systems of trays and file folders with clear labels and getting into the habit of using them regularly, you can manage your documents on a day-to-day basis, not once a month when you can’t find any of your pens or your lunch under those stacks. Be sure to keep a specific file for documents you no longer need that are destined for recycling or the shredder.
Desk = Germ Magnet
With Americans working longer and longer hours, the desk has transformed into a zone well beyond a mere work space. Namely, you eat your lunch and perhaps breakfast there, as well as sip your coffee in the area all day long. Crumbs, sticky/wet areas, and stains can turn a professional environment into a germ-infested pigsty, so regular cleaning is essential.
Our cleaning advice is to keep electronics-specific wipes at your desk and wipe down your monitor often to limit germs and also keep dust at bay.
Daily Drop Zone Declutter
At home, you probably have a table, desk, or dresser that serves as a “drop zone” when you walk in the door, ready and waiting for all of your grocery bags, coat, receipts, and that leftover muffin from Thursday. Your work desk can become “that place” in the office if you’re not careful.
The key to reducing drop zone clutter is to attend to it daily. Need a break from the work grind? Stop and organize your desk for five minutes. Little efforts here and there make a huge difference on a weekly and monthly basis. Think you’ll forget? Make your chair your new drop zone, so you can’t sit down and get to work until you’ve put your items in their proper places.
A Place for Everything
It goes without saying that if you have a place for something, you’re much more likely to put it there. Brainstorm the categories into which your desk materials fall, and then create bins/ folders/ labels for those items. Once you get accustomed to sorting your items, decluttering becomes a quick, easy routine that refreshes your space and your mindset.
Special note: Nature abhors a vacuum (which is why dirt exists, ha ha!), but resist the urge to fill every single space you establish. Tomorrow brings more items that will need a shelf or drawer in which to make their home.
Say No to Swag
Oh, the free coffee mugs, pens, and calendars! Who doesn’t love free stuff?
While freebies are fun, the key to keeping a clean and neat desk is resisting the urge to grab up any and all goodies. Branded microfiber cleaning cloths are handy, and coffee mugs are essential, but tiny toys and business card magnets are more distracting than helpful in your work area. If you absolutely must keep them, add a shelf to the far end of your desk and make that your swag area so that the rest of your desk can exist, clutter-free.
Maintaining a clean and neat office is two parts expert cleaning company and one part employee effort. Encourage your employees (and yourself) to take a break and clean on a daily basis, for increased morale and productivity. Team unresponsive? Try scheduling a “hack the desk” hour once a week, during which your employees can clean up and even engage in a little morale-boosting conversation before getting back to work.
Looking for a professional cleaning service that is both highly-skilled and adaptable? Contact Camber Commercial Cleaning today. We’re ready to help with projects large and small!