During the past 12 months your desk or home office has probably seen new piles of papers simply stacked everywhere. With the new year approaching, it is time to start a new tradition. Before you welcome 2014, USA Today recommends you take a moment to clear out the clutter and start afresh in the new year.
In a small business or when you’re self-employed, you gather a lot of clutter during the course of a year. When I worked by myself, all this stuff could become paralyzing. I learned I had to make sure that at least once a year — at the beginning of the year — I felt organized.
So I slip into the office when it’s closed, on a holiday or weekend, turn up the music, and seriously get down to decluttering my work space.
As you pick up each piece of paper, make a decision: Is this something I really need? If it is, decide what you’re going to do with it. If not, toss it NOW.
Here’s the basic rule: When in doubt, toss it out. Most of the stuff on and in your desk is clutter. You’re never really going to use or need it again.
Photo by Hao Lian