Your desk area is supposed to be a work surface, not a storage surface.

But how do you know what you should keep and not keep?  Here's the answer.  You should only keep things that are useful, beautiful, or difficult to replace.  Here's what I mean.

Useful - a stapler  a holder for pens / pencils, an inbox.  These things should be near you, but not necessarily on your desk surface.

Beautiful - an inspirational plaque, a poster that makes you feel good, framed pictures of your family.  These should hang on the wall; not sit on your desk surface.

Difficult to replace - Vital documents,  copies of licences, etc.  These sometimes should be displayed (your honor certificates, rewards, certain licenses) but still don't sit on your desk.

What should sit on your desk?

Your computer, your telephone, and essentials.  Extraneous things and papers should NOT sit on your desk unless you are actively working on them.  When you are done with the item on your desk, it should be moved to another place where it can be stored, such as a file or a bookshelf.

Don’t clutter your desk and work area with things that are just things.  All items on your desk should have a reason for being there.  The ideal desk is a clear desk.  Aim for this.

If you must keep extra things near you - family pictures, trinkets, souveniers, reminders — you  might want to keep them on a shelf, a credenza, or a windowsill.  I have seen beautiful displays take up one shelf of a bookshelf, leaving the work area clear for work.

If you have so many trinkets that you can’t fit them all on one shelf,   consider rotating them.  Box  the excess items and put them away for awhile.  Every other month or so, you can rotate your treasures. In this way they will always look new, they will always be appreciated, and you will enjoy them even more when you can see everything.

Action:
Clear off your desk.  Leave only the essentials.  

Try to keep your desk clear.  Remember, it's supposed to be a WORK area, not a storage area.

Have a terrific day!

Marsha Sims

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