One of the easiest things to do to improve your productivity is to keep your desk clean. I know many people who have messy desks say they know exactly where everything is within the piles of paper. I don’t buy it. You might be able to find what you need, but it will take longer than if it was put where it was supposed to go. And even if you can find everything, I believe a messy desk adds stress to your work life. A clean desk can have a calming effect.

OfficeMax conducted a survey a few years ago and found that 90% of Americans report that clutter and a lack of organization negatively impacted their lives.

Are you in that 90%?  How would you like to move into the 10%?

In today’s post, I have five simple steps for you to take to clean up your desk.

1. Only have out what you’re working on. The picture above is of my desk right now. I have four things out. Three that I’m working on today (an IRB proposal, my fall syllabus, and some notes for a meeting). I also have a legal pad out that I use to make notes throughout the day. That’s it. If I let piles of paper stack up, I feel behind and hurried (whether I actually am or not). A clean desk shows me exactly what I need to work on today. Some productivity experts would suggest having only the one thing you’re working on at that moment out. Either way, there is no need for the piles of papers, pens, CDs, mail, and all sorts of things that are often found cluttering up desks.

2. Schedule time to clean. Whether talking about your house, your car, or your office, if you don’t schedule time to clean then it won’t get done. It doesn’t matter if you take a few minutes every day or if you do it at the end of the week, but you must make the time to clean. I try to take a few minutes every Friday to clean up my desk. I also make sure when I leave for a vacation or a conference that I leave a clean desk behind. You don’t have to spend much time, but if you’ll stay on top of it then you won’t have to take hours to stay clean.

3. Scan documents that you want to keep. For many of us, we keep documents on our desk because we might need it again soon. Rather than keeping the paper, scan a copy for future reference. I highly recommend the ScanSnap S1300i which I recently added to my desk. It quickly scans documents so I can then get rid of them. What I particularly enjoy is that with the push of one button the ScanSnap scans directly into my Evernote account. Storing documents electronically removes much of the paper off your desk.

4. Recycle bin within reach. The biggest key to keeping your desk and office clean is to get rid of stuff. Can you reach your recycle bin without standing up? You should be able to quickly and easily throw paper away. After I scan a document or decide that I don’t need it anymore, I don’t hesitate to throw it away. By keeping my recycle bin within reach, I’m able to quickly discard unneeded papers without disrupting my work flow.

5. Inbox/outbox/to read. With the growth of email, many people got rid of their physical inboxes. If you don’t have physical inboxes on your desk, I’d recommend getting three. You should have an inbox where you can put items that you need to process. This keeps them off of stacks on your desk. An outbox is also useful. This allows you to put mail and other documents in a bin until you’re ready to hand them off rather than getting up immediately. Finally and most important is a “To Read” box. I have a lot of material I need to read each week. If this was laying out on my desk, I’d have no hope of keeping a clean desk. My “To Read” box corrals my reading material and also helps me know what I need to be reading when I have a few free minutes.

Don’t wait for spring to start cleaning your desk. Before the semester gets going can be a great opportunity to get started on a new path. Don’t let clutter negatively impact you. Make a change and enjoy the relief a clean desk can provide.