It may seem as if there is no time to reorganize an office, but in reality, having an unorganized office costs more time than fixing it. Small rearrangements and clearing off the desk do not count. Placing one mess into another area, such as a drawer, to remain a mess there, is not productive. A neat office space that is orderly creates an environment for higher productivity and effective use of time.

The Huffington Post suggests doing a large overhaul at the beginning of the each year, along with everyday maintenance. Organizing an office doesn’t need to take a lot of time. Here are five great ideas to help keep your office organized.

Purge

Get rid of anything in the office that is useless. Search area by area to either throw things away or donate them. If something is broken, have it repaired. If something has not been used in the past year, get rid of it. This applies to papers, furniture, supplies, etc. Decorations can also cause clutter, so if they are gathering dust, get rid of them.

Create Work Zones

Decide what will go on in each part of the office. A main work space is likely to be a desk, which filing cabinets and shelves are for reference and storage. Make sure that only the appropriate supplies are located in each designated area.

Revise the Filing System

According to the University of Washington, an efficient filing system is created through only a basic plan. The planning is vital because it creates direction and control. This ensures that anyone could look at the files and understand the purpose. Clearly in this era, the need for paper storage is diminishing. Get rid of duplicate files or anything that can be stored digitally? Eliminate old files that are no longer needed. Back-up files that are stored on the computer to ensure their safety.

Make Discard Dates

It is not required to keep everything forever. Make marks on items when they can be disposed of properly. While some legal and financial documents are required to be kept indefinitely, most are not. Be sure to know what is important to save and what can be thrown away eventually.

Organize the Desktop on your Computer

Create folders on your desktop to hold items that are related to each other. Having a cluttered computer is just as bad as having a cluttered office. The computer is likely a large part of your work space, so it, too, needs to be organized. This will help save time when locating files, if everything is named properly and dated appropriately.

Having a clean work area is beneficial in efficiency and productivity. These tips are a great way to help get you started, which will in turn lower stress and create a clear mind.