| The most important function of an office is function. If | | | | keep your printer within in a usable distance, while |
| your office is not organized efficiently, chances are, | | | | providing more shelf storage space for accessories |
| you are going to be less efficient as well. Too often, | | | | such as printer paper. |
| offices are crammed with office machines, equipment, | | | | For those with a small desk, an occasional table placed |
| supplies, and piles of paper that create dysfunction and | | | | next to the desk serves as an additional eye-appealing |
| even stress. Following are steps to creating an office | | | | work area. Free-standing bookshelves or built-ins are |
| design that's both pleasing and functional: | | | | great investments for those harboring books or |
| Clear Pathways | | | | manuals on their desks (or maybe the floor). |
| Take good look around. Are there furniture obstacles | | | | Check your storage needs |
| in your office design? Do they prohibit the flow of | | | | Small offices especially seem to produce more paper |
| traffic from the door to the desk? Move them out or | | | | than anything else. Sometimes the items that clutter an |
| at least out of the main pathways. You, and your | | | | office are there because its owner hasn't been able to |
| coworkers, need to be able to move freely without | | | | find somewhere else to put it. Target your storage |
| tripping over boxes or slamming knees on office | | | | needs by adding another filing cabinet or a supplies |
| equipment. | | | | cupboard. |
| Clear Your Desktop | | | | Realign your office desk |
| This can be a challenge for many people who haven't | | | | If the last time you rearranged your office design was |
| seen the bottom of their desktop in some time. It's time | | | | during the Carter administration, it may be time to |
| to take a step back and decide what has to be on the | | | | consider a change. Take a look at how your office |
| desk and what can moved. The computer and phone | | | | desk is positioned within the room. Moving your desk |
| are obvious desk residents. But look at everything else | | | | can provide a whole new perspective and make you |
| that has taken up residence. Ask yourself, "Does this | | | | more productive. If space allows, pull the desk into the |
| have to be on my office desk?" If it's not something | | | | middle of the room. If your desk faces away from the |
| that you use everyday to make your work more | | | | only window in the office, move it closer to take |
| productive, it's time to find another place for it. | | | | advantage of the natural light. |
| Use caddys and trays to organize your desk and | | | | Set up a recycling center |
| drawers | | | | Paper, cardboard, shipping boxes, plastic bottles -- so |
| If your office doesn't have extras, head to the a local | | | | much of what finds its way into the trash bin in offices |
| office supply store or chain retailer for plastic trays | | | | could be recycled. Make it easy for yourself, and |
| and caddys, including those made to fit inside desk | | | | others, to do the right thing by setting up a small |
| drawers. These are ideal for getting office supplies | | | | recycling center in your office. You may be amazed at |
| organized and put away. Loose pens, paper clips, | | | | the amount of clutter you can get rid by recycling. |
| thumb tacks, box cutters, and sticky notes are easily | | | | When purchasing recycling bins, keep in mind that bins |
| contained and there when you need them. Of course, | | | | should be as easy to find as trash cans. Make sure |
| every desk needs an "inbox" and an "outbox" to keep | | | | you post recycle rules and guidelines (e.g. No pizza |
| work -- and your sanity -- neat and orderly. | | | | boxes!) in employee-accessible places. |
| Update your equipment | | | | And make sure that materials are on hand to make |
| Do you have office equipment that is slowing you | | | | recycling easier. For example, your office should be |
| down or cluttering your space? Perhaps it's time to get | | | | equipped with several reliable, safe box cutters. |
| rid of the old printer, fax machine and scanner and | | | | Without a package opener on hand, recycling boxes is |
| invest in a multifunction printer. Or, consider upgrading | | | | unnecessarily difficult and time-consuming. (Shipping |
| the primitive touch tone phone to a speaker phone. | | | | boxes and moving boxes are hard to flatten with your |
| Make the most of your space by combining function | | | | bare hands!) It goes without saying that any mail room |
| and design. | | | | or shipping and receiving department should have |
| Get it off your desk | | | | many kinds of safety knives on hand. Your office |
| If your printer or copier is taking residence on your | | | | should have a package opener too. |
| desk, it's time to invest in a printer stand, which will | | | | |